Grab your holly, cast aside your bahs and humbugs, and dash over to the historic Omni Parker House this holiday season for a live reading of Charles Dickens’ timeless holiday classic “A Christmas Carol.” The tale about curmudgeonly old Scrooge and his encounters with the ghosts of holidays past, present, and future is brought to life by veteran actor Johnny Kinsman, soprano Ann Moss, violinist Justin Ouellet, and is directed by award-winning Bryn Boice. The performance will take place in the historic Press Room and will be preceded by a talk about Dickens and his connection to the iconic landmark hotel by Susan Wilson, House Historian.

Concord Orchestra presents “Love Lingers”

Zeke Fetrow, Conductor

PROGRAM
Jennifer Higdon — Blue Cathedral
Jeff Beal — The Paper Lined Shack
Sergei Prokofiev — Romeo and Juliet: Suite No. 2, op. 64

Concord Orchestra presents “Love Lingers”

Zeke Fetrow, Conductor
Pre-concert conductor talk - 7:15PM

PROGRAM
Jennifer Higdon — Blue Cathedral
Jeff Beal — The Paper Lined Shack
Sergei Prokofiev — Romeo and Juliet: Suite No. 2, op. 64

Tony Solitro — “Intimacy and Imagination”

This portrait recital of Tony Solitro’s vocal music highlights collaborations with living poets and librettists and lifts the stories of LGBTQ+ artists, poets, performers, and themes. The centerpiece of the program is “More Beautiful Than Night,” a deeply personal song cycle for tenor and piano featuring the homoromantic poetry of Frank O’Hara.

LONGY SCHOOL OF MUSIC OF BARD COLLEGE  •  CAMBRIDGE, MA

A special musical service for All Saints-Day Sunday

featuring
Ann Moss, Soprano
Allan Wieman, Baritone
Justin Ouellet, Viola
Jennifer Turbes, Viola
Margaret Gilmore, Cello
Zon Eastes, Cello
Ed Broms, Organ

The Saint Thomas Choirs
Miranda Bergmeier, Soprano Section Leader
Lorna Jane Norris, Alto Section Leader
Ed Broms, Music Director and Organist

In Her Words — American Songs Inspired by American Women Poets

Art Song is a genre of Western classical chamber music that fuses poetry and music, typically composed for the duo of voice and piano. While the genre came into its own in 19th century Europe, it has flourished in the United States during the 20th and 21st centuries, with many fine examples from famous and lesser-known American composers. This hour-long, interactive seminar briefly familiarizes participants with the Art Song genre before delving into the poetry of three American women – Emily Dickinson, Edna St. Vincent Millay and Lisa DeSiro – whose imagery and insights have inspired composers past and present to set their words to music.

GARRY EISTER — Songs for Soprano and Guitar
Carrie Smith, Guitar; Alberto Hernandez, Producer/Engineer
OPUS STUDIOS  •  BERKELEY, CA

Smith & Moss premiere moody compositions by Southern California guitarist/composer Garry Eister alongside touching tunes by Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Stevie Nicks, Don Henley and Tom Petty. Presented the immersive environment of Slate Contemporary Gallery’s “Always, Already, Again” a solo exhibition, featuring paintings by Maya Kabat.

An artist-to-artist talk with composer Garry Eister, visual artist Maya Kabat, Ann Moss and Carolyn Smith will follow the performance.

SLATE CONTEMPORARY GALLERY  •  OAKLAND, CA

Welcome to an evening celebrating some of the finest songwriters in America ranging from Sondheim & Ellington to Joni Mitchell & Carole King. This exhilarating ensemble will showcase their arrangements, spotlighting recordings that were released during the Pandemic.

Ann Moss - vocals
Justin Ouellet - violin
Rob Reich - piano
Patrick Anseth, Carrie Smith - guitars
Joe Kyle Jr. - bass
Marlon Aldana - percussion

THE SOUND ROOM  •  OAKLAND, CA

Composer Nancy Bachmann releases her debut album featuring Diane Maltester, clarinet and Ann Moss, soprano

Release Date: August 11, 2023
Label: Navona Records

Composer Nancy Bachmann’s temperate and pastoral writing shines on WILD SWANS from Navona Records, her natural style traveling to American shores and beyond with novel instrumentations that are certain to invoke curiosity and discovery alike. The album presents itself unbound to any shorelines, a voracious journey through time and place centered by the distinct musical style of Bachmann, whose voice is always ahead of her time. WILD SWANS could not be a more appropriate descriptor: both wild and full of grace, there is a wide-appealing slice of beauty within Bachmann’s compositions.

LEARN MORE

Songs speak to us on many levels. As listeners, we are drawn in by a haunting melody, a thought-provoking lyric, a clever rhyme, or a soul-stirring accompaniment. But with so many beautiful songs in the world, how do singers choose the repertoire that best suits them? This hour-long performance explores one singer’s journey through centuries of song literature, revealing unexpected and enchanting intersections between classical Art Song and the Great American Songbook. Joined by multi-instrumentalist Justin Ouellet and pianist Miranda Loud, soprano Ann Moss presents music by composers and songwriters ranging from Debussy to Duke Ellington, Schubert to Sondheim, and Mozart to Joni Mitchell.

After Everything presents Matthew Cmiel, Ann Moss & Jessie Nucho

PROGRAM
J.S. Bach — Cantata BWV 60 (arranged and adapted by Matthew Cmiel)
Du Yun — An Empty Garlic (for bass flute and electronics)
Ambroise Akinmusire — The Beauty of Dissolving Portraits
Gérard Grisey — Quatre chants pour franchir le seuil (pour voix de soprano et 15 musiciens)

*Pre-Concert Discussion at 6:30PM

a performance responding to artwork
by Kim Manfredi and Peter. St. Lawrence

With immersive seating amid Slate Gallery’s exhibition “A Place of Wonder” this meditative exploration of music from the Lifeline album features live singing and amplified music commingled with oration about Hildegard's 12th century life and times. Performance lasts 40 minutes without intermission, followed by an artist talk-back session.

Lifeline is a modern-day interpretation of the music of Hildegard Von Bingen distilled through the lens of the artist's experiences in quarantine.