Karen Notare and Paul DiDario Concert Postponed to June 1

An extraordinary “Music for the

Soul” Concert will be performed Sunday, June 1, at 3 p.m., at Willow Grove

Presbyterian Church in Scotch Plains featuring Soprano Karen Notare with master

pianist Paul DiDario.  This free concert

is funded by a grant from the Presbytery of Elizabeth.

Spanish music will be featured,

along with selections from Mozart and others. Karen Notare will sing “De Espana

Vengo” by Pablo Luna, “Del Cabello mas Sutil” by Fernando Obradors, “Canciones

Anatorias” by Enrique Granados and other classic pieces. Paul DiDario will

accompany Ms. Notare and he will also play a piano solo, “Triana” by Isaac Albeniz.

Notare has been hailed

by critics for her “compelling stage presence, formidable technique, tireless

energy, and beautifully radiant and expressive tone.” Ms. Notare is an

accomplished artist with performances in the U.S. and around the world. Overseas

she has performed leading roles in Operas at Bonn, Lisbon, Istanbul, Nice,

Wexford, Hong Kong, Malta, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, New Zealand and

South Africa. In the U.S. she has performed extensively in Opera Houses at Wash.

D.C., New York City, Baltimore, Chicago, Fort Worth, Sarasota, Omaha, New

Jersey, Connecticut, Illinois, Michigan and Maine.    

Notare won a full

scholarship to the prestigious Manhattan School of Music in New York City where

she received her degree. She has been the recipient of numerous awards

including: The Richard Gold Award, the first recipient of the Martin Segal

Award for “Most Promising Newcomer” from the Lincoln Center for the Performing

Arts in New York City; First Prize in the International Puccini Concorso in

Lucca, Italy; three time winner of the Puccini Foundation Award in New York

City presented by Licia Albanes.

Notare has been the recipient of

numerous awards for her excellence in music education, including The Chu

Foundation Award for three years and WBGO/NJEA’s “Jazzy Music Teacher of the

Year.” Notare is a seasoned and licensed New Jersey music educator who has

educated students in music from pre-k to the professional level. She is

currently the music director of Unity Charter School in Morristown. She is on

the voice faculty of the Papermill Playhouse in Millburn. She maintains a

private beginning piano and vocal studio in Flanders, N.J.

Mr. DiDario received his

Bachelor and Master’s Degrees from the Juilliard School. His performance

highlights include performances with Metropolitan Opera Star, Jerome Hines, a

recital as Franz Liszt, and a benefit recital for the Christopher Reeve

Foundation.

DiDario is a certified

teacher in the Russian Technical Regimen for the Piano. He trained for 2 years

at the School for Strings in NYC and is a certified Suzuki Piano instructor.

DiDario is the Executive Director of the Long Hill Music Center in Madison, a

community school of the arts, which offers private lessons to students of all

ages. He has also been on the private music faculty of the Farbrook School in

Short Hills since 1990. His first CD release, “Two Part Creation, solo works

for Harpsichord and Piano”, was released in 2000. He has been the Director of

Music at Willow Grove Presbyterian Church for the last 9 years.

Willow Grove

Presbyterian Church is located in Scotch Plains at 1961 Raritan Road, across

the street from the Scotch Plains Southside Firehouse and Southside Soccer

Field, and near the corner of South Martine Avenue. All our facilities are

handicap-accessible.

Visit willowgrovechurch.org or contact the church office

908-232-5678 or office@willowgrovechurch.org.

Sunday worship services begin at 10 a.m.