Our Weekly Spotlight on the Arts is shining on Eliza Garth!
We had the pleasure of meeting Eliza when “Music from Poplar Hill” submitted a grant application, we were so excited to see this exciting festival of events being planned!
Eliza is the Artistic Director of a brand-new series called “Music from Poplar Hill” in honor of late musician and much-loved community member Jo Ricks. She is a Juilliard-trained concert pianist, educator, and concert curator who has performed worldwide, and whose recordings and performances have been reviewed in publications such as the New York Times, the New Yorker magazine, and the Washington Post.
Mrs. Garth is also a member of the music faculty of St. Mary’s College of Maryland, where she serves as founding Director of the Piano Festival by the River. As a private teacher, she has worked with many local students, along the way developing a sub-specialty of educating young orchestral musicians preparing for their music school keyboard entrance exams.
Under her tutelage, a number of rising string and brass players from St. Mary’s County have aced their keyboard skills tests at Juilliard, the Manhattan School of Music, Oberlin, and the Cleveland Institute of Music. Former piano pupils of hers have gone on to graduate study at the University of MD, Cornell, Harvard, and other prestigious institutions.
In 2014, Eliza was invited to accept the position of Music Director of St. George’s Episcopal Church in Valley Lee, a congregation that was looking for creative new directions in its music programming. Thus began a rewarding and fruitful partnership, part of which is Music from Poplar Hill – the Jo Ricks Music Series.
Believing that a rewarding life in music is more about collaboration than competition, Eliza looks for ways to support younger performers and to bring student musicians into the orbit of professionals. A key part of the vision of Music from Poplar Hill are the opportunities offered to children and youth to interact with world renowned visiting artists.
About this new artistic venture, Eliza states, “I am thrilled to be partnering with founding donor Jeff Clark, project manager Mariana Nork, Rev. Greg Syler of St. George’s Episcopal, and an outstanding team of committee members to bring Music from Poplar Hill to St. Mary’s County. For all of us, it is truly a joy and a labor of love, and we are deeply grateful for all of the support we’re receiving.”
Keep shining Eliza, thank you for all that you do and the inspirations which you provide to musicians of all ages!
Links of interest:
Artist’s website: www.elizagarth.com
To learn more about Music from Poplar Hill concerts and masterclasses including upcoming events on Oct. 2nd and 3rd, 2020: www.musicfrompoplarhill.org