FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:
Rosemary James
Faulkhouse@aol.com

On Thursday, March 16, the Bishop Perry Center will continue its annual Lenten series of free public concerts at 6 p.m. at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 1100 Chartres Street with a performance by the internationally acclaimed concert pianist Peter Collins. The theme of the 2017 concert series is "Hispanic Music of the Americas," and Peter Collins will present a program of Hispanic inspired music for piano by both Latin American composers and others inspired by the rhythms of Spain entitled "Iberian Echoes." The series is presented annually by the Center with St. Louis Cathedral and the Archdiocese of New Orleans and is produced by the Pirate's Alley Faulkner Society and its subsidiary, Words & Music, for the Bishop Perry Center. The series is offered to the public free so that those without resources may enrich their lives with music and it is made possible this year with underwriting of the New Orleans
Jazz & Heritage Festival, the New Orleans Hispanic Heritage Center, and other generous sponsors. Any donations to the voluntary collection will benefit the Bishop Perry Center's ministries to the disadvantaged. For information about the Bishop Perry Center and it's programs and to donate time, talent, and gifts of money, food, or clothing, contact the Center's Director, Barbara Holdsworth,(504) 227-3272. Donations also be mailed to the Bishop Perry Center, 1941 Dauphine St, NOLA 70116.

PETER COLLINS
Peter Collins is Professor of Music-Piano and Coordinator of the Keyboard Area at Missouri State University. A native of New Orleans, he began his formal piano studies with Melvin Alford. He received his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from the Peabody Conservatory under the instruction of Lillian Freundlich. After winning awards in several piano competitions (the Washington International Piano Competition, the University of Maryland International Piano Competition, the American Chopin Competition, the American Beethoven Foundation) he received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from The University of Michigan as a student of Louis Nagel. He has served on the faculties of the Interlochen Arts Academy, the Missouri Fine Arts Academy and the Bösendorfer International Piano Academy in Vienna. Peter Collins has performed a wide variety of repertoire ranging from the complete piano sonatas of Beethoven and Mozart to recently composed works. At Missouri State University, he originated the Missouri Chamber Players and toured Scandinavia three times with members of the ensemble in concerts of music by American composers. His important European appearances also include solo performances at the Chopin Academy of Music (Warsaw) and the Liszt Academy of Music (Budapest). As a concerto soloist he has collaborated with the Polish State Orchestra (Jelenia Góra), the Florida State Orchestra, the New Orleans Symphony, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, the Springfield Symphony and the Chamber Orchestra of the Ozarks. Peter Collins has completed nine compact-disc recording projects (for the Albany, MSR and Centaur labels) featuring works of living American composers, music by women composers, original arrangements and transcriptions and piano music of nineteenth-century New Orleans.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MR. BACH! TO FEATURE HARPSICHORDIST EMMANUEL ARAKELIAN
On Sunday, March 19, there will be a one-performance recital at 6 p. m. at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 1100 Chartres Street, which is an

integral part of the historic Catholic Cultural Center, which also includes the Old Ursuline Convent and its garden. The recital will be by organist and harpsichordist Emmanuel Arakelian, who currently is artist-in-residence at St. Louis Cathedral. The recital will feature and all-Bach program in celebration of the birthday anniversary of one of the most important figures in musical history, Johann Sebastian Bach. The recital is free and open to the public. Voluntary donations will benefit the musical instruments program of St. Mary's.

EMMANUEL ARAKELIAN
Emmanuel Arakélian is a 2012 graduate of the Conservatoire national de région Toulon Provence Méditerranée. Graduating with highest honors in organ, harpsichord and basso continuo, he subsequently entered the famed Conservatoire national supérieur de musique et de danse de Paris (founded in 1795). At the conservatory, he has specialized in both organ (class of Olivier Latry and Michel Bouvard) and harpsichord (class of Olivier Baumont). Emmanuel's love for early music and his interest in instrument building, has lead him to work extensively with historic organs and harpsichords and to conduct research on baroque ornamentation and musical rhetoric. He has performed throughout Europe and at major organ festivals such as the International Organ Festival of the Chartres Cathedral and Toulouse Les Orgues. He has become increasingly popular as a harpsichord recitalist and soloist with orchestra. He is organist and Artistic Director of Saint Léonce Cathedral of Fréjus, France and is currently artist-in-residence for Cathedral Basilica St. Louis, King of France in New Orleans.

Attention Media: High resolution photos of both artists are available by contacting Rosemary James, Faulkhouse@aol.com.