Move over Andrea Bocelli and John Legend. University of Richmond President Ronald A. Crutcher is sharing his music with the world as well.

As talented musicians and performers across the globe are hosting informal concerts via the internet to bring joy to people sheltered in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Crutcher, a classical cellist, will present a free performance at noon Friday, April 17, from his home on the UR campus. The performance will be broadcast via Facebook Live on UR’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/urichmond.

“This is a terribly challenging time for everyone,” stated Dr. Crutcher, who began studying the cello when he was 14. “It is also a time filled with disappointment of various types, particularly for our graduating seniors. It feels appropriate for me to share this with our community at this difficult moment.”

Dr. Crutcher stated that, through the years, music has helped him rise above the challenges and disappointments in his own life.

A native of Richmond, Ky., Dr. Crutcher has been president of UR since mid-2015, where he also serves as a professor of music. He is a former member of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra among others, and currently serves on the board of the Richmond Symphony. He made his musical debut at Carnegie Hall in March 1985.

He also performs around the United States and Europe as a member of The Klemperer Trio, a chamber ensemble formed in 1980 that has a repertoire spanning musical styles from classical to contemporary.

On Facebook Live, Dr. Crutcher will perform two pieces, including the first movement of the Eccles Sonata in G minor and “The Swan,” which comes from “The Carnival of the Animals,” a musical suite by the French Romantic composer Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns. It has been a favorite of Dr. Crutcher’s since his youth.

“It is a piece I love to play and that I frequently employ as I am warming up or practicing,” Dr. Crutcher said. “I hope it will provide some small measure of inspiration, encouragement and comfort.”

Here is a link to the performance: https://vimeo.com/408972764