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As guests arrive at the POPS Cabaret celebration on Friday, February 8, at 7:00 p.m. at The Center of Arts in Natick (TCAN), they will enjoy the talents of jazz pianist Rowan de Peyster entertaining the crowd with his musical magic on the ivories.
De Peyster knows his audience well, for he honed his technical skills and love for music in Wellesley. Musically gifted from day one, he began playing the piano at Sprague Elementary in the second grade. For the past three years, he has been a member of the award-winning Wellesley High School Two O’Clock Jazz Band and the Wellesley Jazz Combo. This year, de Peyster has chosen to graduate a year early from WHS so he may seek out his musical aspirations by playing jazz professionally with his mentor, Yuval Golibroda.
Watching de Peyster perform will be an incredible treat for POPS Cabaret attendees. Not only will they revel in this young pianist’s artistry but they will also experience the positive impact of their support of the WPS performing arts, as it has nurtured de Peyster’s passion in music during his formative years.
For de Peyster, donating his talents to the POPS Cabaret is his way of saying “thank you” to the organization that has supported his performing arts training from elementary through high school.
“I have personally benefited from the fantastic grand piano that POPS helped fund for the Wellesley Public Schools. Having the opportunity to play it in concerts and as a pit musician in several musicals makes me really appreciate the donation. This instrument is of significantly higher quality than your average high school grand piano, and it takes the musicianship of WHS up a whole level every time [renowned choral accompanist, composer and arranger] Chad Weirick or I get to use it in a performance,” adds de Peyster.
It has come full circle for POPS – from providing K-12 performing arts support in the Wellesley Public Schools to receiving the gratitude from a remarkably talented young performing artist.
For more information, visit https://wellesleypops.ejoinme.org/cabaret.
Wellesley Parents of Performing Students (POPS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering and enriching performing arts education in the Wellesley Public Schools, while increasing performing arts appreciation throughout the town of Wellesley.
