Paquito D’Rivera was recently commissioned to write a chamber piece for the Bridgetower Project album (now available) and upcoming live performance at Carnegie Hall on Oct. 3, 2026.
World Premiere of D’Rivera’s Work Inspired by Bridgetower
The album presents the world premiere recording of a new chamber work by Paquito D’Rivera, inspired by Bridgetower’s only surviving composition, Henry. D’Rivera – whose Guggenheim Fellowship, NEA Jazz Masters Award, and National Medal of the Arts mark him as one of the most celebrated figures in both jazz and classical music – performs the work alongside world-renowned clarinet soloist Jonathan Cohler; five-time GRAMMY-nominated cellist Dave Eggar; and GRAMMY-nominated bassist Gregg August.
About the Bridgetower Project Album
The album highlights the remarkable story of Afro-European violin virtuoso George Bridgetower — the original dedicatee and inspiration behind one of Beethoven’s most celebrated works, Violin Sonata No. 9 in A Major, Op. 47, premiered by Bridgetower and Beethoven in 1803.
Timed to Beethoven’s 200th death anniversary in 2027 and Bridgetower’s 250th birth anniversary in 2028, the album brings together an extraordinary constellation of artists. Violinist Ilya Kaler – the only artist in history to win first prizes at all three of the most prestigious violin competitions: the Tchaikovsky, the Paganini, and the Sibelius – performs alongside Rasa Vitkauskaite, a Steinway Artist praised by Fanfare as “a Beethoven interpreter of penetrating insight.”
“This project is about restoring authorship, identity, and voice,” said executive producer Daniel Faneuf. “Bridgetower’s story reminds us how easily artistic contributions can disappear from cultural memory. Had his legacy been fully recognized, generations of musicians — especially artists of color – might have found in him a powerful source of inspiration and belonging.”
August 7, 2026 – Bridgetower Project released on all major streaming platforms and in physical CD format.
