Family-Friendly Mozart at the Library!

On Saturday morning, December 1 at 11am, the Dover Public Library will host a free, live classical music concert featuring three performers and some well-known pieces from Mozart, including the “Turkish March”, a violin sonata, and arias from his operas. Designed especially for families, the concert’s length will be just 40-45 minutes so that children may attend and enjoy the music too. The performers’ goal is to encourage classical music appreciation among all ages.

Performing will be: Naho Bessho on piano, Sally Wituszynski on violin, and soprano Melissa Manseau.

Naho Bessho, born in Japan, is a concert pianist in Dover. At age 19 she won the highest award at the Japan Classical Music Competition. She graduated from Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music with a Master of Music degree. In 1999, she played a piano concerto with the Krakow Philharmonic Orchestra from Poland. In 2001, she won 2nd prize at the Yangtze-River-Cup International Competition in Osaka. She came to the United States in 2002, and graduated from Boston University with a Performance Diploma in 2006. Since then she has given many piano recitals in Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, Vermont, and New Hampshire. In 2010, Naho released her first CD, "Invitation". This October, she gave a solo recital at Historical Piano Concerts, presented by the Frederic Historic Piano Collection, in Ashburnham, MA, where she played a 1840 Erard piano.

Sally Wituszynski earned a Bachelor’s degree in Viola Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music. She has also completed a Master’s degree in Music Education from the University of New Hampshire. Sally is a founding member of the Artful Noise String Quartet and has played in many ensembles, including the Vermont Symphony, the Hanover Handel Society, the Granite State Symphony, and the New Hampshire Philharmonic. Sally currently teaches music at Berwick Academy and at Tri-City Christian Academy, and she is the Master Teacher for the UNH String Project.

Melissa Manseau is a Farmington, NH resident and has a Master’s in vocal performance from the University of Northern Iowa. She has a Bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of New Hampshire. Melissa was an Apprentice Artist with the Sarasota Opera in 2001. Most recently, Melissa performed with the Cape Cod Opera. In addition, she recorded three song sets with Parma Records, one of which was submitted for consideration at the Grammy awards. Last winter, she played the role of Mother in “Amahl and the Night Visitors” in Dover, NH.

Please join us at the Dover Public Library for this wonderful opportunity to enjoy, listen, and learn more about classical music! For further information, call the library at 603-516-6050.