Local Favorites To Perform Free Concert In New Hope

A husband-and-wife duo who are internationally acclaimed musicians will present a free concert this weekend at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, 10 Chapel Road, New Hope. The concert will be held Sunday, Oct. 28 at 3 p.m.

Cellist Noelle Casella Grand and pianist Sebastian Grand are local favorites who draw large crowds, according to an event announcement. They are the directors of the Grand School of Music in Buckingham Township.

The performance will feature works by J.S. Bach, Johannes Brahms, Claude Debussy, Arvo Pärt and Jules Massenet.

Casella Grand graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in London and studied at Sarah Lawrence College and the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. She recently performed as concerto soloist with the Bach Festival Orchestra (Bethlehem), and she has concerts booked with Amici Strings (Philadelphia) in 2019.

Raised in Guernsey, near the French coast, Grand is a first-class graduate of the Joint Course between the University of Manchester and the Royal Northern College of Music. He received a master’s degree with distinction from the Royal Academy of Music.

He conducts the Ripieno Ensemble of the Youth Orchestra of Bucks County and is entering his second season as assistant conductor of the Bucks County Symphony Orchestra. He is also on the adjunct faculty of Lafayette College.

The concert is part of the Music at St. Philip’s 2018 series. All the concerts are scheduled for Sundays at 3 p.m. The concerts are open to the public, and admission is free.

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