Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall

An Afternoon with Patricia Prattis Jennings

Pianist Patricia Prattis Jennings will perform at Carnegie Carnegie Hall on Sunday June 1 at 2:00 p.m.  The concert will benefit the campaign to restore the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall. A champagne reception follows the performance.
 

Ms. Jennings is well known and deeply admired for her more than four decades as Principal Keyboardist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.  She was one of only four native Pittsburgh musicians with the PSO when she retired in 2006.  Raised in East Liberty, she resides in Rosslyn Farms and is a member of the Blue Ribbon Committee for the Library & Music Hall campaign.
 

Ms. Jennings began her career with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in 1966, distinguishing herself at four keyboards -- the piano, harpsichord, organ and celesta, and she was a frequent soloist with the orchestra including performances at the Edinburgh and Hong Kong festivals. 
 

An Afternoon with Patricia Prattis Jennings is the final program in the campaign’s “Meet the Challenge” performance series. Proceeds from this concert will not only benefit the campaign to restore the Library & Music Hall but will count towards a $500,000 conditional challenge grant.  The campaign must raise $1 million by December 2008 to receive this grant.
 

Ms. Jennings welcomes the opportunity to perform for her own and her audience’s pleasure.  “Although I've retired from the orchestra, I certainly haven't retired from music, and I'm still learning and memorizing pieces that I haven't had time for until now."  
 

Jennings is planning to play some serious classical works and also several pieces that people recognize and love including Liszt’s Liebestraum and Chopin’s Grande Valse Brillante.
 

Ms. Jennings is not only an outstanding musician but also a mentor committed to helping up and coming musicians.  She has invited violist Shundeena Beard, a junior at Pittsburgh’s Creative and Performing Arts High School, to play two short pieces with her at the June 1 concert. Shundeena is a former Pittsburgh Concert Society winner and recently performed on From the Top at Carnegie Hall in New York, which will be seen later in the spring on WQED. “Shundeena has enormous potential,” says Jennings.
 

Ms. Jennings is eclectic in her musical taste and has developed wonderful friendships with many other regional musicians during her tenure with the Pittsburgh Symphony orchestra.  Joining her in popular duets will be Romanian pianist Marina DiPretoro Lupinacci who has played alongside Ms Jennings and toured with the Pittsburgh Symphony. 
 

And, as a special treat, guitarist Marty Ashby, some of his friends from the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild, and young bassist Naomi Sarchet will join Ms. Jennings for a grand finale. Ashby, Executive Producer for Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild Jazz, is a long time fan and friend of Ms. Jennings and the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall. As for what they’re playing, “We’re keeping that a surprise,” demurs Ms. Jennings.

Tickets are $50.00.  Click here to order tickets online. To order tickets by phone or for more information call 412/276-3456, x. 6.