First Impression: One More Before the New Season
The final lull before the resumption of the concert season in full will hopefully bring more to talk about; there was an excellent meeting of the minds in the new music community, bringing together composers, creative leaders, and musicians from within and outside of the classical music community. I have events for you to look forward to, and I hope I wind up having to update this soon!
MAY SHE LOVE
At Studio 5N in Station North on August 2, there will be a concert celebrating the words and lives of two of the most famous lesbian writers in history: Sappho and Gertrude Stein. The program includes three pieces, all composed by Baltimore’s Peter Dayton; a song cycle that sets completions of Sappho’s poetic fragments, imagined by poet Jordi Alonso; a setting of Gertrude Stein’s epic poem “Stanzas in Meditation,” and a concert performance of Dayton’s chamber opera “MAY SHE | SHE MAY” about Gertrude Stein’s first lesbian love affair, a pivotal point in her life that took place in Baltimore in 1900, the events of which culminated in Stein moving to Paris and becoming a writer. The show is at 8, the suggested donation is $15, and the long list of performers can be found on the Facebook event.
AN ELEGANT RENDEZVOUS
The Peale Center and Afro House presents an exploration of the alien landscape of 25th century music with composer, pianist and Baker Artist Awardee, Scott Patterson. He will perform his compositions on a 140-year-old Knabe piano, serving as the Knabe’s official debut at The Peale Center since relocating from the Baltimore Museum of Industry in 2018. Attendees are encouraged to bring a pillow, as there will be mostly floor seating, though chairs will be provided to those who prefer to not sit on a pillow on the floor. A champagne toast with the composer/performer will precede the performance at 7:00 PM, and doors will open for all ticket holders at 7:30 with the performance beginning at 8. Tickets and more information can be found at Afro House’s artful.ly page.
STUDIES IN GRAVITIES
Composers Jessica Keyes, James Young, and Patrick McMinn present a program of their works, as well as some improvisations, featuring a chamber orchestra of low reeds, a large ensemble of directional instruments, and a quartet of low instruments—cello, tenor sax, bass clarinet, and double bass. This will be at Current Space, August 9 at 7:30; suggested donation range is $5-10.
MIND ON FIRE SUMMER AT THE PRATT
Mind on Fire‘s Summer at the Pratt concert series continues with a performance on August 15 featuring clarinetist Jenny Hughson and saxophonist Tyrone Page. This will be at the Govans branch on Bellona Ave and starts at 6 PM. More info about the whole series can be found on the Facebook event.
A CONCERT FOR COMPOST
Flute-guitar duo 2nd Ceremony will be at the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Federal Hill on August 17 in collaboration with the Baltimore Compost Collective. Attendees are encouraged to bring their compost, which will be collected for free, their appetite, as there will be free food, and their ears, as the music is free as well! Register at the Eventbrite page.
BACH TO BARRIOS
One of the classical musicians at Artscape this year, guitarist Andrew Oswinkle presents a concert covering a wide range of musical periods at Abbott Presbyterian Church, on August 17 at 7 PM (you could have two shows to go to that day!).
IN THE STACKS: PART 6
In part 6 of this series housed at the George Peabody Library on August 21, classical works by Beethoven will be paired with the Neoclassical composers he inspired, including Germaine Tailleferre and Francis Poulenc. The performers will be cellist Katlyn DeGraw, clarinetist Erik Franklin, and pianist Hui-Chuan Chen. Doors are at 6 PM and the suggested donation is $10.
As always, let me know if I’ve missed anything!
