Medieval Bande concert to benefit Higher Ground

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At 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 3^rd, the Woodbinde Medieval Bande will present a program titled "Circa 1215: English Music from the Period of the Magna Carta" 

The performance takes its cue from the upcoming visit of the Magna Carta to Williamstown. That document, which the much-despised King John was forced by his barons to seal at Runnymede in 1215, limited the monarchy and granted certain basic freedoms; it is considered to have laid the groundwork for constitutional monarchy in England, and later to have become the basis for the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights in the United States. One of only four extant copies of the Magna Carta will be on display at the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown from September 6^th through November 2^nd, before returning to Lincoln Cathedral in England in time for a celebration of the 800^th anniversary of the document.

Music in England in the 13^th century was varied and exciting. At the “Circa 1215” performance, Woodbinde members Eric Buddington, Sue Matsui, Doug Paisley, Marc Simpson, and Karen Swann will present (on voice and period instruments) monophonic love songs, early polyphony, dance tunes, political songs, and songs that expound on the certainty of death, exhorting listeners to live chaste and virtuous lives. There will be one sing-along song for everyone who would like to join. Come and experience an hour in the sound-scape of 13^th-century England, and help celebrate the Magna Carta’s visit to the Berkshires! The performance is free and open to the public. 

Admission is free; dontations may be made at the door to benefit Higher Ground.

Jazz standards performed by Bill Wooters (piano), Jimmy Bergin (viola) and Ted Gilley (bass), with Evita Cobo (vocals)  Munch on snacks, chat with your friends and enjoy the music.  

New York-based musicians Nicole Schoeder (flute) and violinist Emily Kalish (violin) return to the Summer Concert series accompanied by North Adams native Scott Bailey (piano).  The concert will begin at noon and last for 45 minutes. Audience members are invited to bring a bag lunch; St. John's will provide drinks and cookies.

Nicole Schroeder is a freelance flutist in New York City and Pennsylvania who performs a wide range of musical styles on flute, piccolo, alto flute, and bamboo flute. She is principal flutist of the Northern Tier Symphony Orchestra and also performs with Aerie Winds, the Branchfield/Schroeder Duo, The SymphoNYChorus, and the symphonic rock band Symfinity. An avid musical theatre fan, Nicole has played in numerous pit orchestras at theatres in New York and Pennsylvania. 

Violinist Emily Kalish is committed to bringing audiences thoughtful, imaginative and emotionally honest interpretations of the classical repertoire as well as new works written by twenty-first century composers. She makes her home in New York City and has performed and taught throughout the tri-state area. She is a member of the Binghamton Symphony and is on the faculty of Concordia Conservatory of Music and Art.

Pianist Scott Bailey is staff accompanist/coach at Westfield State University. He has served as staff accompanist at UMass Amherst and MCLA, and as Director of Choral Activities at Bay Path College. He served as music director at the First Congregational Church of North Adams, UCC, where he coordinated the North County Music Series and directed the North County Ecumenical Choir. 

Violist Michael Strauss and guitarist Wiktoria Strauss are the featured performer's in the third concert of our annual Summer Noontime Concert series.  The concert will begin at noon and last for 45 minutes.  Admission is free; donations are gratefully accepted.  Audience members are invited to bring a lunch to eat; St. John's will provide drinks and cookies.

The program includes the Capriccio for Solo Viola of Henri Vieuxtemps; Sonata in A minor for Viola and Guitar of Georg Phillip Telemann; Sonata Op. 25 #1 for solo viola of Paul Hindemith; and the Fugue in F by J.S. Bach.

Concerts continue on Mondays through August 25th.

Free organ recital Monday, July 14 at noon

Click here to hear samples of Matt's playing.

North Adams organist Matthew McConnell will perform organ music by Froberger, McConnell, Ferrari,Ligeti, and Cooman in a free concert Monday, July 14th.  The concert will begin at noon and last for 45 minutes.  Audience members are invited to bring a lunch to eat during the concert; St. John's will provide drinks and cookies.  Admission is free; donations are gratefully accepted to help defray concert expenses.

This is the second concert of our annual summer series, which continues on Mondays throughout July and August.

Dr. Matthew McConnell is the current Minister of Music at the First Baptist Church of North Adams.  He has been a guest organist at numerous churches throughout Massachusetts, has been featured in the First United Methodist "Summer Organ Sounds" concert series, and presents regular benefit concerts at St. Andrew's Episcopal Chapel in North Adams, MA.  He has been organist/choir director at several churches, including the First Baptist Church (Cheshire, MA), Good Shepherd United Methodist Church (Malden, MA), and All Saints' Episcopal Church (North Adams, MA). Dr. McConnell was a Teaching Fellow at the New England Conservatory of Music, and now teaches composition, piano, organ, orchestration,keyboard harmony, and music theory.  He is a Schillinger scholar and teaches The Schillinger System of Musical Composition to students in Berkshire County.  He is a professional Composer Mentor with Music-COMP (formerly the Vermont MIDI Project).

Kobayashi-Siepkes Duo
Monday, July 7th - 12 p.m.
FREE

The New York-based Kobayashi-Siepkes Duo will perform music for violin and piano by Bach, Prokofiev, and Mozart in a free concert Monday, July 7th.  The concert will begin at noon and last for 45 minutes.  Audience members are invited to bring a lunch to eat during the concert; St. John's will provide drinks and cookies.  Admission is free; donations are gratefully accepted to help defray concert expenses.

This is the first concert of our annual summer series, which continues on Mondays throughout July and August. 

New York-born violinist Akiko Kobayashi is an enthusiastic solo and chamber music player, noted by the IBLA Grand Prize Competition for her “remarkably precise and honest playing, with no artificial effects” and The Boston Musical Intelligencer as “excellent…top-notch.”  She has appeared as a soloist with the Yonkers Philharmonic Orchestra, Tokyo Suginami Kokaido Chamber Orchestra, and Interharmony Festival Orchestra. She won First Prize in the American Protege International Piano and Strings Competition, the Richmond County Orchestra Concerto Competition, and a Distinguished Musician Diploma at the IBLA Grand Prize Competition.

New York-born violinist Akiko Kobayashi is an enthusiastic solo and chamber music player, noted by the IBLA Grand Prize Competition for her “remarkably precise and honest playing, with no artificial effects” and The Boston Musical Intelligencer as “excellent…top-notch.”  She has appeared as a soloist with the Yonkers Philharmonic Orchestra, Tokyo Suginami Kokaido Chamber Orchestra, and Interharmony Festival Orchestra. 

Her recital appearances include Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall in the Young Musicians Concert sponsored by the MTNA League; Steinway Hall in New York; Cathedral of St. John in New York; the All-Mozart Fall Festival Gala Concert near Pittsburgh, PA where she co-presented lecture concerts; the Gala Chamber Music Concert at the Nyack Academy of Music Summer Festival where she collaborated with founding member of the American String Quartet; and a benefit concert for the Annie Le Memorial Fellowship Fund which she founded and coordinated, sponsored by the Association of Yale Asian American Alumni. Season highlights include a debut appearance in Chicago and solo with the West Islip Symphony.

Pianist Eric Siepkes made his debut at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall as prize winner of the Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition in New York.  His recent appearances include the Baruch Center of Performing Arts in New York and the Allegheny Riverstone Center for the Arts in Pennsylvania. He has performed in master classes for Richard Goode, Angela Hewitt, Natalya Antonova, and has performed in chamber music master classes for London Baroque, the Avalon String Quartet, and the Eroica Trio.  Please visit www.ericsiepkes.com for more information.