Setting the musical scene for the holidays, the Annapolis Symphony Academy will perform a free concert Sunday, December 15, at 5 pm, at Temple Beth Shalom in Arnold, MD. Student musicians will perform classical and holiday music as well as “Festival Gigue,” a work by rising composer Ajibola Jeremy Rivers, who will be in attendance.
“We are honored to welcome Ajibola for the Maryland premiere of his work,” said Dr. Netanel Draiblate, founder and director of the Annapolis Symphony Academy. “Our mission is to nurture musical talent and promote diversity, so we were thrilled to introduce our students to this amazing work and give them an opportunity to hear from the composer on building a musical career in today’s classical field.”
Ajibola Jeremy Rivers began informally composing during his junior year of high school in Pennsylvania in the fall of 2010. Rivers was accepted into the Boyer College of Music and Dance at Temple University in 2012, studying cello and composition. He has composed and premiered a number of works, including a series of pieces dedicated to brides and, most notably, his first string orchestra work, “The Festival Gigue.” Between works he performs professionally as a cellist and a bass guitarist in collaboration with various artists all along the East Coast of the United States.
The Annapolis Symphony Academy concert, performed by the Annapolis Symphony Academy’s Introductory, Junior, and Senior Ensembles, will feature music by Samuel Barber, J.S Bach, Peter Warlock, your favorite holiday tunes, and “Festival Gigue” by Ajibola Rivers.
Conducted by: Netanel Draiblate (Introductory Ensemble); Heather Haughn (Junior Ensemble); Simeone Tartaglione (Senior Ensemble).
The Annapolis Symphony Academy, founded in 2018, offers advanced music instruction to elementary through high school students, regardless of ability to pay. An educational program of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Academy is committed to cultural and economic diversity. For more information on the Academy, see their website www.tunedtoyouth.org
