Dr Richard Beckford performs for St Luke's
Published:Sunday | July 18, 2010 | 12:00 AM
St Luke's Church, Cross Roads, in commemoration of the 135th anniversary of the founding of the church and the 30th anniversary of the consecration of the church building, will present an organ recital with Dr Richard Beckford, associate professor of music and director of choirs at South Carolina State University, today at 5:00 p.m. at St Luke's Church.
Dr Beckford was the 1983 Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music West Indies scholar and is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, from which he holds an honours degree and a double major in piano and organ.
He also holds graduate degrees from the University of Southern Mississippi and the Louisiana State University.
Choral director, recital organist, piano accompanist and choral clinician, Dr Beckford has given numerous concerts in Nassau, Belgium, the United States, Europe and Jamaica, and has been adviser to different arts councils.
Performances
His performances include appearances at the St John's 'Smiths Square' and the Purcell Room of the Southbank complex, London, England, as well as television appearances on the British Broadcasting Corporation programme, Songs of Praise.
Dr Beckford has received the George Goode Memorial Scholarship, the Margaret and Sydney Lovett organ prize, the Christian Carpenter accompaniment prize and the Dominion Fellowship Trust Gift for Excellence. He was also elected to the Pi Kappa Lambda honours society. More recently in Jamaica, Richard was recognised by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music for his contribution to music and music education on the occasion of the centenary of the board in Jamaica.
Dr Beckford has played at St Luke's Church on numerous occasions and is a highly renowned concert organist in Jamaica. Special guest artiste for the recital will be Commander John McFarlane - highly acclaimed Tenor, who will present a number of vocal selections that are sure to delight.
Tickets cost $500 each and are available at St Luke's Church, Cross Roads; Music Mart, Twin Gates Plaza; Monarch Pharmacy, Sovereign Centre and Readers' Book Shop, Old Hope Road.