MVCAF Brings Free Concert to Valley View

The Moreno Valley Cultural Arts Foundation (MVCAF) and the Moreno Valley Unified School District brought a free concert to the community recently at the Valley View High School Theater in Moreno Valley. The two talented performers were a husband and wife team: jazz pianist phenom Stephanie Trick, from St. Louis, and Paolo Alderighi, from Italy. Vanguard Art Gallery Director and President/CEO of MVCAF Richard Archer described the night as a success. “Their performance was filled with humor, entertainment, and positively precise piano playing at its finest,” he said. The husband and wife team had recently returned from their successful European Tour and Moreno Valley was be their first stop once back in the States. They played four-hand piano most of the night, in which they both play the piano at the same time. According to Archer, Trick also did some renditions from some of James P. Johnson’s stride piano works, including “After You’ve Gone” and “St. Louis Blues." Not only did they both offer an unforgettable musical performance to the audience, but they even shared the history of jazz and its many different styles, and that's not including their humorous commentary in between songs. After the couple's performance and a couple standing ovations, a reception was held at the Vanguard Art Gallery where everyone was welcome to join Trick and Alderighi to enjoy some light refreshments and talk about music. Archer mentioned that about half of the people that attended the performance piled over to the Vanguard to attend the reception, as well. Everyone at the reception had a chance to meet and talk to the husband and wife duo. According to Archer, they explained briefly what it’s like to be a jazz musician on a daily basis. Their schedules are jam packed with events and performances. Not only do they have many events to perform as a team, but they also separate to perform individual shows. These performances vary from many different places all over the globe anywhere from $50 to $75 a ticket, according to Archer. In 2014, they played for the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall at the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival. Trick was the 2012 recipient of the prestigious Kobe-Breda Jazz Friendship Award, and has performed in many parts of the United States as well as in Europe in a variety of venues. “People that have talent of that caliber performing in Moreno Valley for free is just amazing,” he shared. MVCAF plans to hold more events like these in the future. Archer extended his regards to the Vanguard Art Gallery’s Facebook page. “MVCAF is immensely thankful to Paolo and Stephanie for a masterful performance. We also extend our thanks to Greg Solomon, from (the Moreno Valley Unified School District), for his hard work in helping us pull the venue together, MVUSD for their support and cooperation, and Barry Glover/108th Avenue Entertainment Group, for bringing Paolo and Stephanie to Moreno Valley.”