To provide “inspiration, encouragement, and comfort” to his institution’s community during the coronavirus pandemic, University of Richmond president Ronald A. Crutcher will live stream his cello performance at noon on April 17 on the college’s Facebook page.
“This is a terribly challenging time for everyone,” Crutcher said. “It is also a time filled with disappointment of various types, particularly for our graduating seniors. It feels appropriate for me to share this with our community at this difficult moment.”
Crutcher, a classical musician who began studying the cello at 14, will perform two pieces, including the first movement of the Eccles Sonata in G minor and his childhood favorite, “The Swan,” from “The Carnival of the Animals,” said the university in a press statement.
“It is a piece I love to play and that I frequently employ as I am warming up or practicing,” Crutcher said about “The Swan.”
The University of Richmond president was the first cellist to receive the doctor of musical arts degree from Yale University. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in March 1985 and currently performs in the U.S. and Europe as a member of The Klemperer Trio. He serves on the board of the Richmond Symphony.