Jade Simmons, Pianist at Norton Simon Museum Aug. 28
Artists’ aesthetics and influences are the subject of a current exhibit at Pasadena’s Norton Simon Museum and the musical portion will be presented in a special concert by pianist Jade Simmons at 7:00 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28. Spanish painter Pablo Picasso and Russian composer Alexander Scriabin are from a similar era, both were extraordinarily talented with the use of color. Scriabin is said to have perceived a relationship between color and certain keys of music. Picasso often organized his works in color “families”.
Simmons will perform Scriabin’s 24 Preludes from Opus 11 to demonstrate the “color” of musical keys in order to coincide with Picasso’s color periods.
Simmons is a multi-talented performer/designer. She is a graduate of Northwestern University, holds a Master’s degree in piano performance from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music. An advocate of music education, she has developed several successful programs. As a performer she has travelled the US extensively performing in just about all the major halls of the country. Her good looks took her to the 2000 Miss America Pageant where he was 1st runner-up as Miss Illinois. She designs her concert wardrobe and writes for arts journals and appears on television and radio in behalf of the arts.
Simmons’ performance is free with museum admission. Admission is $8 for adults; $4 for seniors over 62; under 18, free. The Norton Simon Museum is located at 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Information: (626) 449-6840.
