Press Releases

Pianist Birgit Matzerath to Play Classical Music Collection at the Ethical Culture Society of Essex County Benefit Concert for Haiti Relief

Maplewood, NJ – After visiting the Ethical Culture Society for a platform on World Peace issues, Birgit Matzerath, a resident new to Maplewood-South Orange, became inspired and has offered to present a benefit concert for Haiti. The concert will take place on Saturday, March 27th at 7:30 PM at the Ethical Culture Society of Essex County, 516 Prospect Ave. South Orange, NJ. Proceeds from the concert will go to provide musical education materials and other material aid through UNICEF to Haitian earthquake survivors. Please join us for this evening of inspired music to contribute to those in need in Haiti!

The Ethical Culture Society has a 50 year history in Maplewood-South Orange of providing informative lectures and cultural presentations addressing some of the most pressing issues of the day.  The members immediately responded to the humanitarian crisis in Haiti after the earthquake by contributing - with Ethical Culture Societies across the country -- to Doctors Without Borders.

Pianist, Birgit Matzerath holds a degree in Piano, and a teaching degree in Music and English from Hochschule fuer Musik, Cologne, and the University of Cologne in Germany. For more than 20 years, Birgit taught piano and chamber at community music schools in the Cologne area, gave solo recitals, and appeared frequently as a collaborative pianist. In 2002 she relocated to Concord, NH and joined the piano faculty of the Concord Community Music School. In addition to teaching there, she taught at the "Sonata" piano camp in Bennington, Vermont, and at the “Pianophoria!” and “Teen Pinaophoria!” piano camps in New York City. In 2007, a composition project she taught for children was chosen for a poster presentation at the National Conference of Music Teachers National Association in Toronto.

Apart from teaching and performing, Birgit is also a composer and writer. Some of Birgit’s highlight recital performances include:  Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1, which she played in the United States and Germany. Her composition, A Bear for Emily, a story suite for young piano students, was published in 2008 by Oceanna Music Publishers.

Having done extensive research in music education, Ms. Matzerath has written articles which have appeared in music magazines, including Ueben und Musiezieren in Germany, and Keyboard Companion and Clavier Magazine in the United States. She initiated, organized, and supervised chamber music camps for music school students in Cologne, Germany, and St. Petersburg, Russia. She has also served as adjudicator for competitions held in the United States and Europe.

Birgit is a member of the Music Teacher’s National Association, the Music Educators’ Association of New Jersey, and the Leschetizky Association.  For more information about Birgit, visit her blog site: http://musiclifeandotherchallenges.blogspot.com.  

For more any additional questions and/or other information please contact Tenisha Malcolm at 862-371-3811 or visit or web site at www.ethicalessex.org.

###