Dwight Stone
Composer and Pianist
2019: Mid-2019:
Going Home garnered 2nd Place in the MTAC (Music Teachers Association of California), and Whither Thou Goest placed third in the performance category. I'll be performing these pieces and more in Los Angeles at the end of June. Stay tuned! For the funeral service of Janet Russell on Friday, Nov. 9, Dwight Stone composed a setting of I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes (Psalm 121) for soprano and piano, a gorgeous setting, which I would encourage you to check out here: I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes.
Accompanying vocalist Carol Kessler, a fine local soprano, at the piano, the family and those attending were obviously moved by the performance. Composed on short notice (2 1/2 days) the piece is appropriate and impressive.
Dwight Stone's recent concert and lecture demonstration at St. Mary's College was a whole-hearted success. As it was video-taped, clips will be available for viewing here soon.
The Chapel at St. Mary's College proved an impressive venue for the concert. Cathedral-like in its grandeur, the The lofty vaults of the Chapel ceiling provide a rich acoustic. The Yamaha concert grand was voluminous, and easily filled the space, allowing for full-bodied louds, and gorgeous soft passages. After the concert students asked many pertinent and thoughtful questions. They were especially interested in the art and practice of composition, Stone gladly sharing his experience with them.
Brother Martin Yribarren of St. Mary's College commented:
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For more info about this performance and other news, email: stonemusique@gmail.com
Dwight Stone won new fans at performances last month, bringing his innovative counterpoint of classic, impressionist interpretations and original piano works to new audiences, at new venues.
Recent News
Coming In November:
The first half of the program will be dedicated to Chopin, including selected pieces of his genres prelude, waltz, mazurka, �tude and nocturne. The pieces' background will be shared, giving insight into Chopin's life and biography, telling about Chopin's life in Poland, Vienna and Paris, his encounters with Liszt and Georges Sand, and Chopin's expansion of pianistic technique.
The second half of the program will feature original compositions by Dwight Stone, combining pianistic finesse with an engaging and uplifting aesthetic, and inspired by his years studying and teaching Chopin's contributions to piano music.
These new pieces, including the favorite, Cloudscape, are featured on Stone's upcoming CD release, Aspen in Autumn. Stone will close the program with original compositions in a new, jazz-related idiom.
This is a free concert, sponsored by St. Mary's Integral Sophomore Music Tutorial.
Composer/Pianists' Concert
Thanksgiving Solo Concert
On October 21st, Sunday, Dwight Stone gave a concert at St. Stephen Catholic Church in Walnut Creek. Chopin in the first half, then 5 original compositions for Flute and Piano, and closing with 5 original pieces for piano, including Aspen in Autumn, the title song of my new CD.
Prior to that I gave a concert on Sept. 21, 2012 in Rossmoor, Walnut Creek, with a similar format, but featuring my Blake Songs, a set of original compositions on Blake's poetry from the Songs of Innocence, arranged for Soprano, Flute and Piano, featuring Christa Pfeiffer, Soprano, Diane Barton-Brown on Flute, and myself on piano. The concert was attended by over 100 people. Chopin, as always, and the Blake Songs, of course, were a hit.
The Composer/Pianists of CC-PAS gave a stellar Concert in June, 2012, the last Composer/Pianists' Concert of the season, with fine performances and a connection with the audience, people lingering for hours afterward to talk with the performers.
Dwight Stone played a concert Sunday, June 24th, on the Steinway grand at Grace Presbyterian Church in Walnut Creek:
Chopin & Dwight Stone, capped by the fine Soprano Christa Pfeiffer singing the Blake Songs, settings of Blake's Songs of Innocence. A grand day, well attended....
An intimate evening of original music was presented on the occasion of Dwight Stone's birthday in October, 2011. Lovely, stirring music followed by hearty celebration amidst friends and family.
The concert Sept. 9th in the Fireside Room, Rossmoor, Walnut Creek, was a grand success. Great compliments and feedback, and very well-attended.
Harmony (Rossmoor women's ensemble under the direction of Meriel Ennik) premiered Dwight Stone's Irish Blessing, commissioned 2011.
Dwight Stone appeared twice with the Contra Costa Performing Arts Society in performances in October, and will be featured again in a concert in January, 2012, at Grace Presbyterian Church, Walnut Creek, CA.
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The Holiday Season was a flurry! I hope it was good for you all, too.
Briefly, I played the Composers' Holiday Concert at St. Paul's Concert Series (WC) on Dec. 6th; Hillman House Holiday Concert Dec. 8th—always a lovely gathering, and this year featuring our Three Tenors: Yo Oh, Rob David, and Dave Schultenover. Dec. 13th the Trinity Lutheran Annual Christmas Concert (Pleasanton), superb as an end-of-year concert. Dec. 19th I hosted the neighbors and friends caroling at my home in Walnut Creek; first time for them caroling, and our last gathering had been about a year ago! Dec.22nd singing the Messiah with the San Ramon Valley Annual Messiah (Bass section leader) at Peace Lutheran in Danville. And of course, Christmas Eve services at Trinity Lutheran, 5 pm & 11 pm. The stars were again our Tenors: Yo Oh, with exquisite tone and matching musicianship singing "Comfort Ye" and "Ev'ry valley shall be exalted" from the Messiah, and Rob David singing his own composition "Far in the East", with Choir backing him up, and Y.T. on piano. The finale was "O Holy NIght" arranged for Three Tenors! :-)