(RIVER EDGE, NJ) -- River Crossing Concerts opens their 2023 season on Sunday, March 5th with a concert celebrating Women’s History Month at First Congregational Church in River Edge. Sunday musicale is a program in the style of the 19-century salon concert featuring the NJ premiere of Clarice Assad’s Confessions for soprano and piano trio plus music by Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel as well as William Grant Still.  Guest artists include the soprano Jenny Ribeiro, violinist Hayne Kim, and cellist Ben Larsen, joined by RCC’s artistic director, pianist Slavina Zhelezova. This family-friendly concert is free for all, donations are encouraged.  The concert begins at 3:00pm.

This Sunday musicale concert takes us on a journey of music by women and female lyricists including Clarice Assad’s new work, Confessions. Commissioned by Carnegie Hall,  the New York Times describes the work as  “humorous piece about the insecurities and obsessions of modern women that swings between musical theater and cabaret, with jazzy piano riffs and tango-fingered strings.” The vocal selections are followed by  Mendelssohn Hensel’s stunning and rarely performed Piano Trio in D Minor, op. 11.

Because female performers in the 19th century were viewed as lacking virtue and modesty, it was socially unacceptable for aristocratic women to perform or have their music performed in public. Fanny Mendessohn Hensel, who was a superbly educated musician and the arguably more gifted Mendessohn sibling, was famously told by her father that her place was not on stage, but at home - with her husband, bearing his children. Fanny followed the example of a number of artistic women in hosting her own musical salon, Sunday musicale, where she found a creative avenue. The 19-century became the heyday of the salon, fostering and furthering women’s creative work.

This concert celebrates the role of women throughout history and the importance of their contributions to our changing world. 

River Crossing Concerts inspire, uplift, and connect communities through the power of music. In its second season the series presents compelling programs performed by core and guest artists, encouraging social change through diverse and inclusive programming. River Crossing Concerts is made possible through the generous support of the First Congregational Church of River Edge and the help and donations of patrons, friends, and volunteers.