‘Tri-C Classical Piano Series’ Honors Black History Month

Aaron Diehl will perform works by famous Black composers during Feb. 21 virtual show

Celebrate Black History Month through the artistry of American jazz pianist Aaron Diehl during the Tri-C Performing Arts Classical Piano Series presented by Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C^®). 

The free virtual concert begins at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21. Diehl’s performance will honor the musical legacies of famous Black composers such as Fats Waller, Willie “The Lion” Smith, Mary Lou Williams, John Lewis and William Grant Still. 

Visit tri-c.edu/performingarts on Feb. 21 to view the recital, which was prerecorded in the auditorium at Tri-C Metropolitan Campus. 

“Throughout history, many Black composers have been overlooked,” said Emanuela Friscioni, director of Tri-C’s Classical Piano Series. “This performance offers an opportunity to appreciate and savor their incredible contributions to the art form.” 

Their work will be brought to life by Diehl, a 33-year-old classically trained pianist and composer with Ohio roots. He has collaborated with living jazz masters while establishing himself as one of the pre-eminent interpreters of the Great American Songbook. 

Diehl’s latest evolution comes as he begins to tackle modern classical works, performing the music of George Gershwin with the Cleveland Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Minnesota Orchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic. 

The 2021 Tri-C Classical Piano Series is presented by the William O. and Gertrude Lewis Frohring Foundation and made possible by Cuyahoga Community College, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Ohio Arts Council and Arts Midwest. 

This is the second show in Tri-C’s four-part 2021 Classical Piano Series. All performances will be presented online. Upcoming performances, listed by date, include:

• March 21 — Caroline Oltmanns, a German concert pianist whose talent has taken her around the world. She currently serves as a professor of piano at Youngstown State University.
• April 18 — Dan Tepfer, a French-American jazz pianist whose many honors include winning first prize and audience prize at the 2006 Montreux Jazz Festival Solo Piano Competition.

February 08, 2021

John Horton, 216-987-4281 john.horton@tri-c.edu