James Leland will play a harpsichord recital Thursday, Feb. 27, at Southwestern College. The recital begins at 7:30 p.m., in Messenger Recital Hall in the Darbeth Fine Arts Center. The public is invited to attend and there is no admission charge.

Sponsored by Southwestern’s Community Music School as a part of its faculty concert series, the program features music by Handel, Bach, Scarlatti, and Elisabeth- Claude Jacquet de la Guerre.

Leland is an adjunct faculty member at Southwestern and organist at Grace United Methodist Church in Winfield. A graduate of Oberlin College, he holds a doctorate in music from Northwestern University. His organ and harpsichord studies include two years in Salzburg and Berlin. For 34 years he was professor of music at Hollins University in Virginia.

For this program Leland will play the harpsichord built for him by John Phillips in Berkeley, Calif. It is patterned on 18th-century Florentine instruments.

The Community Music School at Southwestern is a group of college students, faculty, and local musicians who teach private lessons, master classes, and ensembles to students of Winfield and surrounding communities. Begun in 2008, the school is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization affiliated with the college.

“Dr. Leland’s recital will be a treat for the Winfield community,” says Dylan Moore, director of the Community Music School.  “For anyone not familiar with the harpsichord, this is a wonderful opportunity to hear a world-class performer.”

For more information, call (620) 229-6272.