Please mark your calendars and join us again this summer for a new Parkside Piano Concert —
Fourth Sunday at 4:00pm — on August 24th, 2025 …
Parkside Piano Concert: Sunday, August 24th at 4:00pm with David Saffert …
David Saffert is a Portland based, classically trained pianist from Wisconsin. He has been seen on stage in sketch comedy, improv, solo piano concerts, and in his very own music & comedy variety shows. David has worked as a pianist with such organizations as the Guthrie Theater, Oregon Ballet Theatre, Portland Opera, Oregon Symphony, Portland Gay Men’s Chorus, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Portland Center Stage and the Interlochen Arts Camp. He was recently featured in “All Classical Radio Artist Anthology: 40 Creatives of the Pacific Northwest” and was knighted by Portland’s Royal Rosarians. His first solo piano album, “Stopping Time,” came out Spring 2025 and is available at davidsaffert.com. David tours the country as Liberace in “Liberace & Liza: A Tribute” and is currently advised by Bo Ayars, Liberace’s own music director from 1973-1975.
–Colin Stave, Director of Music Ministry
Wrapping up last summer’s Parkside Piano Series …
Thank you to all who came to enjoy the music, everyone who supported the series with your offerings, especially to our Piano donors.
Last summer we heard three incredible concerts celebrating our sanctuary’s new Mason & Hamlin grand piano.
- On Sunday, June 23rd, 2024, we welcomed The Trillium Piano Quartet who presented two very different takes on classic chamber music: Robert Schumann’s “Piano Quartet in E-flat Major”, and film composer Danny Elfman’s “Piano Quartet”.
- On Sunday, July 28th, 2024, Hammer & Peg – featuring cellist Dylan Rieck and pianist Reece Marshburn – brought us a fun, fascinating mix of classical works, original pieces, and new arrangements of non-traditional repertoire including a Bossa Nova, Ragtime, and even a beautiful ballad by Billy Joel.
- Tim and Nancy LeRoi Nickel returned on Sunday, August 11th, 2024, presenting a concert that featured not only our beautiful piano, but also our two organs in just about every combination imaginable — featuring piano duets by Clara and Robert Schumann and their friends Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn — as well as Gaetano Piazza’s “Sonata” for two organs and Leo Sowerby’s “Dialog” for piano and organ.
All of the concerts were at 4:00pm — with a suggested donation of $15 — followed by a champagne reception.
St. James began a new concert series during the summer of 2023 to celebrate and dedicate the beautiful new Mason & Hamlin piano in our Sanctuary! Thank you for joining us for the fun concerts filled with beautiful music at 4:00pm on these past Sundays: June 25th, July 9th, and August 13th of 2023. There are still opportunities to support this endeavor through concert sponsorships, piano fund donations, and free-will offerings. Want to know more about how you can be involved? Please contact the front office.
The Parkside Piano Series was excited to welcome Timothy and Nancy LeRoi Nickel back to the St. James sanctuary with a program of music for one piano and four hands. Pacific Northwest pianists Timothy and Nancy have performed extensively throughout the US and Europe, championing the performance of original keyboard ensemble music for over four decades. We hope that you enjoyed the music of Dvorak, Schubert, and Brahms on Sunday, June 25th, 2023 at 4:00pm as well as the champagne reception which followed.
The Parkside Piano Series at St. James was excited to welcome baritone Kevin Walsh and pianist John Strege for a program of art songs that stretched from the 1600s into the 20th century. John Strege served for 37 years as the Canon for Music at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral and has long been an active accompanist in the Portland area. Baritone Kevin Walsh is an acclaimed soloist whose appearances include the Portland Symphonic Choir, Bach Cantata Choir, Third Angle, and the Trinity Episcopal Cathedral Music Series. We hope that you enjoyed the concert of Purcell, Brahms, Vaughn Williams, Beach and more on Sunday, July 9th, 2023 at 4:00pm as well as the champagne reception which followed.
THE PARKSIDE PIANO SERIES, on Sunday, August 13th, 2023 at 4:00pm was honored to welcome jazz pianist Darrell Grant for the third concert of the 2023 season. Acclaimed pianist and composer Darrell Grant (Frank Morgan, Tony Williams, Brian Blade, Esperanza Spalding) channeled the power of music to uplift, unite, and heal. In this solo concert, Grant evoked piano giants Ahmad Jamal, Ramsey Lewis, Joe Sample, and Herbie Hancock. We hope that you enjoyed exploring Darrell’s 30-year catalog of original compositions and arrangements and celebrating the release of his album Our Mr. Jackson.
