Classical Pianist, Patricia Dunleavy Featured in “Back Again For the First Time” at TNT

In January 2006, The Northeast Theatre produced the world premiere of Rapunzel’s Song, a play by Mary Ethel Schmidt about a concert pianist who wandered away from her instrument as a young adult to become a musicologist. Several months prior to that, TNT’s producing artistic director David Zarko happened to see Pat Dunleavy at a Community Concerts event that featured a cello, violin, and piano. They struck up a conversation. Pat was inspired. “The pianist makes me want to go home and practice,” she told him. “You play?” he asked. “I used to.” “Let’s make that happen again,” said Zarko, and on February 4, 2006 Pat gave her comeback concert to a packed house and received a well-deserved standing ovation. “It was terrifying, it was exhilarating, it was amazing. Maybe I’ll do it again,” she said. Now she is doing it again, May 5th at 4 p.m. Her concert, Back Again for the First Time will end The Spruce Street Cabaret’s first full season with another magnificent program of classical works for the piano.

Pat is not just an artist. She holds a Master of Science degree in Business and an Master of Arts degree in Music from Marywood University, where she is, by the way, a candidate in the doctoral program in Human Development, Higher Education Administration. Also at Marywood, she serves as Assistant Vice President for Human Resources. And she holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music and English from Mansfield University, and has presented a paper on environmental issues at Chatham College. To round out her artistic side, she has received awards for her photography and watercolors. She also serves as vice-president of the Board of Directors for The Northeast Theatre. She has four cats and is an avid gardener. In between, she finds time to practice the piano.

“I will not let another 24 years go by without performing,” she says with great emphasis, “that’s the motivation despite my hectic schedule. The music I select is music I love, in fact, it is the music I fall in love with over and over again. To be able to sit before an audience and share that love with them is an exceptional experience, not one to be neglected if you have the opportunity to do it.” Then she pauses, thoughtfully. “But the most important thing is… I found my dress for the concert. I mean, first things, first… right?”

Not exactly. When you hear her play you know that you are in the company of a major talent. That she manages to keep a busy academic and professional career going at the same time is impressive, but not half so impressive as the sounds she can produce from a piano — as the life she can give to the music she chooses to interpret.
“Okay, I’m hooked,” she admits, “I thought, well, I’m busy, I don’t really have to do it again, do I? Well, I do have to do it again. And I hope that some part of some piece I play touches someone in an unexpected way; and that at least one person who hears my music is moved to rediscover an old, neglected love.” That’s reason enough to do anything.

Patricia Dunleavy is Back Again for the First Time on May 5th at 4 p.m. Performance Space at the Hotel Jermyn, 326 Spruce Street, second floor, Downtown Scranton. She will feature the works of Mozart, Debussy, Brahms, Chopin, and others. Benefit tickets are $25 (with sponsorships of $100 and $250 available) and can be purchased at the box office, by calling 570-558-1515, or by visiting www.thenortheasttheatre.us All proceeds benefit The Northeast Theatre. A reception for Ms. Dunleavy follows the concert.