PARADIGM CONCERT SERIES, with the All Saints Chamber Group directed by Joel Rosenberg, Friday, April 14, 7:30 p.m., All Saints Episcopal Church (1710 S. Foothill Drive). Second performance Saturday, April 15, 7:30 p.m. No admission charge, but donations will be accepted and all proceeds will go to Shriners Hospital.
Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf" is a spry little piece that can delight both children as well as adults with its droll and witty music."Peter and the Wolf" is also educational, allowing children to learn a little bit about music and musical instruments.
At Friday's Paradigm concert, Prokofiev's lighthearted musical romp was the centerpiece of the program, and TV personality Craig Wirth was the narrator. Wirth makes a great narrator. He dove into his part and gave an exciting and engaging performance.
Joel Rosenberg led the All Saints Chamber Group. The orchestra played well, and since this piece highlights many of the instruments in the orchestra in brief solo passages, it gave most of the ensemble's members a chance to show off their remarkable talents. And Rosenberg and his orchestra gave a well-balanced and dynamic performance.
(Please note that for Saturday's performance "Peter and the Wolf" will be narrated by Rabbi Frederick Wenger.)
Soprano Marie-Adele McArthur was featured in four songs by Leonard Bernstein: "A Simple Song" from "Mass," "To What You Said" from "Songfest," "Dream With Me" from "Peter Pan" and "Somewhere" from "West Side Story." She was accompanied at the piano by Cassandra Broadhead, and also, in two of the selections, by Rosenberg on viola, who had a very tender and striking solo in "Dream With Me."
McArthur has a lovely and expressive voice, and she was absolutely stunning in these delightful pieces.
The concert opened with Mozart's brief Symphony No. 5 in B flat major.