The agile fingers of Bryan Ojeda Chevres will travel across the piano in a melodic, light, and vibrant motion. The chords will glide along the walls of a small studio on Brown Street on Sunday, Nov. 2, at noon. The Piano at Noon series, directed by pianist and cultural organizer Kessa Mefford, will feature the performer that day, presenting Robert Schumann’s program Carnaval, Op. 9.
Doors will open at 11:45 a.m., and the concert will begin precisely at 12 p.m. at Mefford Music Studio, located at 1016 Brown Street in Suite 101. Each presentation in the series—which runs from September 2025 through May 2026—lasts under 45 minutes. The concerts are known for their intimate setting; no seat is more than 30 feet from the piano. The experience has received positive feedback from previous performances for its immersive and focused atmosphere.
Piano at Noon is a local project that presents monthly concerts. Its creator has curated a varied program featuring composers and styles that range from the romantic repertoire of Schumann and Chopin to contemporary and lesser-known works. The next performance is scheduled for Dec. 9. Mefford has stated that the initiative aims to sustain a consistent presence of classical music in Peekskill during the lunch hour.
The Nov. 2 presentation will feature Ojeda Chevres, a pianist from Puerto Rico trained at the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music and at New York University Steinhardt under the mentorship of José Ramos Santana. He has appeared as a soloist with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra and the NYU Symphony Orchestra and has performed in venues across Europe and the United States, including the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and the Mozarteum in Salzburg.
Ojeda Chevres’s program will center on Carnaval, Op. 9, a composition by Schumann that gathers 21 short pieces portraying scenes from a masquerade ball. The work includes characters inspired by the commedia dell’arte, real figures from the composer’s circle, and his own creative alter egos. Among the most recognizable sections are Pierrot, Arlequin, Chiarina, Chopin, and Florestan.
Mefford, founder and artistic director of the series, emphasizes that Piano at Noon seeks to strengthen the connection between the local community and classical music. Its main goal is to offer an accessible and intimate experience that encourages audiences to return. Tickets are available online for $15, and season passes are also offered. For more information on upcoming concerts and artists, visit the studio’s website.
