Songs of the Silver Screen: Music from the Golden Age of Hollywood with John Brighenti

Classic Hollywood is timeless. Join us for an afternoon of music from the Golden Age of Hollywood performed by pianist John Brighenti.  Enjoy some of the classic songs from movies such as The Wizard of Oz, 42nd Street, Meet Me in St. Louis and more.

John Brighenti is a native of New Britain and a 1967 graduate of the Hartt College of Music. After graduating, he enrolled at the Hartford Conservatory of Music to pursue studies in big band arranging and jazz piano techniques with the prominent Hartford pianist, composer, arranger and historian, Ray Cassarino. John traveled to New York to study jazz improvisation with the world-renowned jazz pianist and composer, Lennie Tristano and the great jazz saxophonist/pianist Jerry Bergonzi. He then toured the U.S. playing piano for the Glenn Miller Orchestra under the direction of Jimmy Henderson. In 2013, John performed at The Baby Grand Jazz Series at the Hartford Public Library with his trio and singer Erin O’Luanaigh.  A live CD recording “Swingin’ On a Sunday Afternoon” was made of that concert, a first in the 10-year history of this prestigious jazz series. In addition to performing, he finds great satisfaction in his role as a teacher of piano and music theory. John credits his mother, Angeline Battistone Brighenti, for his musical genes and being his inspiration. "Little Angie" sang in an all-girls band called The Novelty Syncopators, turned down an offer from Rudy Vallee's agent, and chose to give up show business to be a wife and mother.

Like all Southbury Public Library programs, this event is free to attend and open to anyone regardless of town of residency. Registration is required. This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Southbury Public Library. For more information about this program, please email Rebecca at rrandall@biblio.org or call the reference desk at 203-262-0626 ext 130.