An Afternoon of Song and Story: Carol Smith and Jonathan Howe Perform a Classical Recital at SCC

Soprano Carol Smith and pianist Jonathan Howe will present a Collaborative Recital on Sunday, September 14, at 2 p.m. at the Southampton Cultural Center.

The program will feature Mozart’s lieder, the dramatic aria “Queen of the Night” and works by Russian composers including Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Sergei Rachmaninoff and Sergei Bortkiewicz, as well as American composer John Carpenter. The recital will also explore how the composers’ eras relate to the early history of Freetown, an East Hampton community.

Carol Adrianne Smith PhD, minored in music at the university level and privately trained under the late coloratura Marianne Weltmann of Seattle and the acclaimed late Mady Mesple of Paris. Her journey is rooted in the vibrant Freetown community in East Hampton, a place founded for poor Caucasians, formerly enslaved Indigenous people and Black Americans. With a passion for science, she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Integrative Biology from the University of California, Berkeley and her Ph.D. in Bioenvironmental Science from Morgan State University in Baltimore. In her free time, she enjoys engaging in scientific research and enjoying the outdoors with friends and family.

Jonathan Howe grew up in Armonk, New York, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in music from Princeton University, a Master of Arts in music education from Queens College/CUNY, and an administrative certification from LIU Post. He teaches music in the East Hampton School District and studies piano with Teresa Dybvig. Howe also plays saxophone with the Sag Harbor Community Band and is an accomplished bridge player.

A reception will follow the performance in the art gallery. Tickets are $15. Donations are welcome to support performances that highlight the historical connection between music — from the Medieval Era to the Modern Era — and East Hampton. The recital will take place at the Southampton Cultural Center, 25 Pond Lane, Southampton. For more information, call 631-287-4377.