Recital at church honors longtime Jackson piano teachers

Nearly 250 people gathered for a piano recital Sunday at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson honoring two of Jackson’s most well-known piano teachers, Julia LaPierre and Susan Venable.

Pianists Pat Palisch, Christy Shinn, Joe Melchior and Matt Palisch performed together, alternating between piano four-hands and two pianos, eight hands — that is, playing together on one or two grand pianos.

Several songs were from the libraries of LaPierre and Venable, according to the event’s Facebook page.

The recital included songs by J.S. Bach, Beethoven and Brahms, as well as highlights from operas by Wagner and Verdi. Music from Bizet’s “Carmen” and a collection of famous titles from the Player Piano Era, including “Ain’t Misbehavin’” and “Tiger Rag,” were included.

The recital ended on “The Stars and Stripes Forever” by John Philip Sousa.

Pianists Pat Palisch, left, and Joel Melchior perform a duet during a piano recital Sunday at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson.Ben Matthews

Matt Palisch spoke after the program’s first song, “Allegro Con Spirito” from J.S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major. He highlighted the importance of music and the connections it brought among the four musicians onstage, mentioning each player’s teaching credentials and educational backgrounds.

“Christy [Shinn] is a teacher at Jackson, Joe Melchior at South Elementary, and we’re alumni of Southeast Missouri State University,” Matt Palisch said.

A scholarship fund has been established and is being funded, he said, with the help of Isaac Venable, grandson of Susan Venable and great-grandson of LaPierre.

Isaac Venable is a lawyer with Osburn, Hine & Yates firm in Cape Girardeau, and Matt Palisch said he was instrumental in bringing the scholarship about.

“We want to support the study of music for Jackson students to go on to the college level,” Matt Palisch said.

Before the recital began, Isaac Venable said, “I’m glad somebody like Matt Palisch is able to teach in the area. The caliber of musicianship developed here is great.”

He said Matt Palisch is falling in line with the legacy his family started, and he appreciates Matt Palisch’s effort to continue building musicianship in Jackson.

John Palisch, father of Matt and husband of Pat, said he was proud of the legacy his wife and son are part of.

In addition to several pastors from other Jackson churches, at least 30 former students of LaPierre and Susan Venable were in the crowd.

John Palisch said he was proud to see so many people in support of the recital.

“Pat’s been playing since she was 7,” John Palisch said. “We’ve been married 45 years, and she’s given lessons the entire time.”

He estimated she’d had hundreds of students over the years.

John Palisch said he was pleased to see so many people in attendance.

“I think it’s great for a Sunday afternoon,” he said.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

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