This event is free and open to the public. It will take place at the Trenton Conservatory Mansion [540 East State Street, Trenton, NJ 08609].

Event Description:
We will kick off our Fall 2016 Trenton Makes Music season with a tribute to the longstanding classical and sacred music performance traditions in the city of Trenton. Beginning with a few words of welcome and introduction by the principal drivers behind the project, we will then feature a salon-format discussion hosted by Sarah Dash about classical music in Trenton from the late 19th century through the present day. Panelists will include leading local musicians and scholars; topics will include Trenton’s early classical music institutions/venues/stars, the local and international impact of composer George Antheil, the singing waiters of Chambersburg, and current Opera activities in the city.

Our panelists include

John Anastasio, musician, educator and expert on composer George Antheil

Dr. J. Donald Dumpson is a composer musician and educator whose career spans more than 40 years.

J.Donald Dumpson, composer, musician, scholar

“J. Donald Dumpson, Ph.D., recently completed his doctorate in music education at Temple University and has been involved in music ministry for over 40 years. His most recent post was 25 years at the Bright Hope Baptist Church. He is the founding director of the Westminster Choir College Jubilee Singers in Princeton, NJ. Donald presents sacred music presentations around the world and is also known for the special events he produces via his company J. Donald Dumpson Productions, LLC. He has collaborated with the Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra; New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, served as musical director for several television specials and have worked with artists from Patti LaBelle to Denyce Graves.”

Denyse Leslie, business consultant, Presbyterian Elder and local historian

Denyse Leslie’s  30-year business career started in general business management consulting with Towers Perrin in NYC.  She spent 18 years in business development leadership roles at Educational Testing Service in Princeton NJ. where she launched the K-12 business. She is co-chair of the WSPC history project charged to publish the history of the church, serves as member of the Paul Robeson House Advisory Committee and is active in fundraising.  Her other non-profit volunteer work includes serving on Princeton’s Community Works Planning Committee. In 2016, she gave a well-received presentation on Robeson’s life and work at the Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie.

Daniel Spalding, coductor and music director, New Jersey Capital Philharmonic

Daniel Spalding, Music Director and Conductor, New Jersey Capital Philharmonic

“Daniel Spalding’s distinguished conducting career has afforded him the opportunity to work with many of Europe’s top professional orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Guildford Philharmonic, and London Mozart Players. He has appeared in France with Orchestre de Parisiens and at Eglise de La Madeleine conducting the Mozart Requiem with the Mozart Choir & Orchestra of Paris, in Russia with the National Russian Philharmonic and St. Petersburg Cappella Symphony Orchestra, in Yugoslavia with the Belgrade Philharmonic, in Romania with virtually all the state orchestras and opera companies, including five years as principal guest conductor of the Cluj-Napoca Philharmonic, and in Poland with Filharmonia Opolska, where he has been appearing regularly over the past decade….”

Arthur Finkle served as a part-time cantor for one of Trenton’s synagogues. He is an expert on the history of the Trenton Jewish community.

Arthur Finkle, former cantor and local historian

Designated as an Advanced Practitioner by the Association for Conflict Resolution, and practicing 30 years in human resources administration,Arthur L. Finkle specializes in labor relations’ mediation. Listed in Who’s Who in Government and Who’s Who in American Education and Who’ s Who in American Law, he has authored 5-books; 4-book chapters and 150+ articles on human resources issues. Director of Mediation for the New Jersey Department of Personnel, he also teaches at Kean University and Mercer County Community College. 

Finkle revived the Trenton Jewish Historical Society, and he has documented the history of Trenton’s Jewish community on its blog . He is the author of Trenton’s Jews: Beginning, Adaptation and Achieving the American Dream. As a young man, he served as a cantor in a local synagogue and played in a local band.

 

Prof. Craig Hayes is the founder of Trenton’s United Voices choir, in addition to being a popular local radio host.

Professor Craig Hayes, Gospel musician and radio host

Craig Hayes is a popular host on Trenton’s award-winning  gospel station, WIMG, and a respected Gospel artist. He is also the founder of Trenton’s United Voices choir, which has performed alongside such prominent artists as Hezekiah Walker and Yolanda Adams.

Trenton Makes Music has been generously supported by the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, the Trenton Public Schools, the Trenton Historical Society, Trenton’s Conservatory Mansion, Laura Poll and volunteers at the Trenton Public Library, Beyond Expectations, and The College of New Jersey. In particular, we owe thanks to the Don Evans Memorial Fund, the Schools of the Humanities & Social Science and Arts & Communication, the Cultural and Intellectual Community Program Council, the First Seminar Program, the Center for Community Engaged Learning and Research, and the Mentored Undergraduate Summer Experience program.