Spivey Hall to Host Free Concert

The Georgia Musicale Group (GMG), a nonprofit organization, will present a free concert at Spivey Hall, 2000 Clayton State Boulevard on Saturday, September 8, 2018 from 3 to 5:30 p.m. The concert will feature more than a dozen selections (piano solos, duo piano, clarinet and vocal) of Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Bernstein and much more.

"The mission of the Georgia Musicale Group is to increase appreciation of classical and other music through listening, learning and performing opportunities," said Utako Tanigawa, GMG's founder and president. "We are kindred spirits who support and encourage each other."

Piano favorites like Beethoven's Pathetique and Rondo from his Sonata 28, Chopin's Grand Waltz Brillante and Barcarolle, Schubert's Impromptu, Rachmaninoff's Études- Tableaux Op. 33, and a Haydn Sonata will be performed as well as Bernstein's Sonata for Clarinet and Piano and piano duo arrangements of Country Gardens by Percy Grainger and Meredith Monk's Folkdance. Two mezzo soprano opera arias by Mozart and Saint- Saens will also be performed. Rounding out the program will be Mendelssohn's Venetian Gondola Song and Islamey by Mily Barakirev.

Since it opened 25 years ago, Spivey Hall has become a world-class venue recognized for its impeccable acoustic sound and for welcoming national and international musicians and performing artists to its stage. "Having this opportunity to perform on the stage of Spivey Hall is a dream come true for all of our George Musicale Group musicians," said Tanigawa. "We invite everyone to join us for a delightful afternoon of music at Spivey Hall for this free concert." For more information about GMG and a complete concert program, please visit www.mygmg.org.

About Georgia Musicale Group (GMG) A registered 501(c)(3), GMG attracts many music lovers. Members come from different backgrounds such as scientists, medical doctors, lawyers, teachers, etc. They may have played an instrument when they were young and now, after many decades would like to start playing again. They may be music teachers who are too busy teaching with no time to practice. They may be professional artists who want to have music friends with whom they can play. They may love attending concerts but can't afford the cost of tickets.

Many of our members have had a desire to play for years, but they didn't have an opportunity to do so or they were too nervous to play in front of people. In our effort to support and encourage each other, we meet three times a month for practice sessions (we call these "musicales"). These gatherings offer members the opportunity to "try out" new pieces, experiment with different tempi, play pieces "from memory" or while reading the music, rehearse upcoming concert repertoire, etc. all for appreciative audiences in relaxed and informal atmospheres.

By the end of 2018, GMG will have offered twenty concerts at various venues: small recital halls, churches, museums, fine arts centers and nursing homes. Next year, we are planning a free concert at Carnegie Hall. GMG hopes to expand its activities into Japan, Russia and Poland in next few years. More information is available at www.mygmg.org.

About Utako Tanigawa
Utako Tanigawa, born in Osaka, Japan, started playing the piano at the age of 3 and studied until she was 13. She moved to the United States at the age of 32 and earned degrees in Mathematics, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Management Science and Engineering, and a Ph.D. in Computer Information Systems. She held executive positions in global corporations including WalMart and American Express for more than 30 years.

Diagnosed with Stage III cancer several years ago, she underwent extensive medical treatment. This experience changed her life dramatically and caused her to return to music for solace and therapy. She has since participated in the Van Cliburn, Chopin in Warsaw, Poland; and St. Petersburg, Russia international amateur piano competitions. She was fortunate to earn several awards and advance to the finalist round.

Driven to share this dramatic experience with others who may have had similar struggles in their lives, she started a small music gathering group in 2014 with a handful of people and then founded the non-profit organization, Georgia Musicale Group (GMG) in 2016.

About Spivey Hall

Spivey Hall was built in 1991 on the campus of Clayton State University in Morrow, Georgia. It has a seating capacity of 392 and presents a wide variety of music to the metropolitan Atlanta area. The Hall was the inspiration of Emilie Parmalee Spivey and Walter Boone Spivey from Atlanta. The Walter & Emilie Spivey Foundation donated $2.5 million to the construction which began in November 1988 (total cost, $4.5 million). Though intimately involved in the planning, by the time of the groundbreaking Walter had died and Emilie died soon thereafter. Most of Spivey's finishes were designed to be acoustically reflective to preserve the sound within and prolong its reverberation. These acoustics have earned it a national reputation and have enabled it to reach an international audience and world-renowned musicians.