CORNER HOUSE CONCERTS

live music in a living room

Hey, it’s our THIRD SEASON—
check out our 2023-2024 shows!

CORNER HOUSE CONCERTS

live music in a living room

Hey, it’s our THIRD SEASON—
check out our 2023-2024 shows!

What's a house concert?

  • Welp, it's exactly what's on the label: a live music performance that happens in a private home.

  • It's an intimate and immediate way to experience live music, and you get to share that experience with other cool people who are there to listen.

  • You get some time to hang out with the audience and the artists, with the accompaniment of complimentary drinx and snax.

  • Very cool, right?

Okay, what are YOUR concerts like?

  • We try to offer a wide range of music genres—blues, folk, classical, traditional; acoustic or boosted; soloists or small ensembles—and we love to get suggestions!

  • Most concerts happen on a Saturday or Sunday evening at 7:30 (sometimes 4:30 instead).

  • Come a half hour early for complimentary refreshments and hanging out with other guests.

  • Performances are usually two 40-45 minute sets with a 20-minute break in the middle—refresh yourself and your drink!

  • Everybody's welcome to hang out for a bit after the show—always great to chat with the artists, right?

  • There might be merch from the artists; could also be some cool crafts or artwork for sale by our talented pals.

Who are you?

  • Corner House Concerts offers live performances five-six times a year.

  • Our 150-year-old neo-Gothic Victorian house was once called the Corner House.

  • We got started in the fall of 2020—this is our third season, woohoo!

  • The humans are Rebecca & David Thornburgh, musicians/singers & lovers of all kinds of music

  • The doggos (who are generally not invited to the concerts) are Nemo & Typo

  • Our living room is a perfect space for performances of all types of acoustic and (smaller) amplified music.

  • We have seating for about 35 chairs and a handful of standing spaces.

  • We have a pretty decent upright piano, a soon-to-be tuned handcrafted harpsichord, a good PA system, a marble fireplace, a trompe l'oeil ceiling, and a lot of twinklights.

Where are you?

  • The Corner House sits on a corner in the Chestnut Hill neighborhood of northwest Philadelphia.

Do I need to buy a ticket?

  • Nope, but you do need to register in advance because space is limited.

  • Each event listing has a link to its own google signup form—fill it out to get a confirmation with directions and parking info.

Okay, but how much does it cost?

  • It's up to you!

  • We ask our guests to make a contribution of some amount of their choice. $15 or $20 person seems about right to us.

  • All the $ goes, with our big thanks, to the performing artists.

  • You can throw some cash into the basket the night of the show, or you can Venmo us anytime!

What are you doing about Covid?

  • We follow Philadelphia's guidelines for public gatherings.

  • Our artists are all fully vaccinated and will not wear masks during their performance.

  • No need for guests to show proof of vaccination, though we strongly encourage everyone to get vaxxed and boosted.

  • We'll address our masking requirement for each event in the upcoming season; be assured that we will keep you up to date as things develop/change.

Can I perform at Corner House Concerts?

  • Thanks for asking!

  • We're thrilled that lots of people have checked in to ask about performing

  • right now we're planning only five or six events a year

  • we want to offer a variety of genres and ensembles

  • let us know who you are and what you do (links to recordings are super helpful)

  • we'll be in touch when we can

Yeah, but I actually have more questions! What should I do?

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We all need more live music in our lives, right?We invite you to The Corner House for an intimate experience of music of all types. We've got some truly spectacular concerts coming up, and we’re making plans for more!Check out our schedule for events in our THIRD SEASON!Concerts last about 90 minutes, with a 20-minute break. Come a little early for snacks and drinks. We ask only that you make a free will donation—amount is up to you, but we think $15-$20 sounds about right, right? All that loveliness will go, with our big thanks, to the performers.Stay tuned and stay in touch by joining our mailing list.And if you're a musician who'd like to perform, we'd love to hear from you!

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Here's where we share good news about things musical—so let us know what's going on in your musical world!MARY AMATO SONGWRITING WORKSHOPS
The accomplished and extremely wonderful singer/songwriter, author, and teacher Mary Amato offers terrific online classes—learn more
More about Mary's music

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OUR THIRD SEASON!
Great new music from friends old & new
in 2023-2024

(with even more cool stuff in the works—to be announced soon)


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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 |
KEISHA HUTCHINS & SEAN MARKEY

7p doors open | 7:30p music

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Singer-songwriters Keisha Hutchins Hirlinger and Sean Markey will take you away—to a sun-drenched patio, to the lulling rhythm of a tranquil train ride, to a romantic walk on a scented summer evening...Keisha's captivating voice will transport you to memories of love, loss, and redemption, while Sean's dynamic and nuanced guitar playing and poignant vocals will invite you to reach into the tender deeps of your own heart.Hear their original music along with songs by some of the greatest singers and songwriters of our time from Joni Mitchell to Stevie Wonder, Billie Holiday and Sam Cooke to The Weepies.learn more

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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11 |
THE SATURDAYS

7p doors open | 7:30p music

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A trio based in northwest Philadelphia, The Saturdays play a fresh mix of singer-songwriter fare and melodic pop songs. The group features Philly veteran musicians Buck Buchanan on percussion and vocals, Dave Arms on bass, and Rich Nourie on acoustic and electric guitars and vocals.The Saturdays draw on indie artists like David Mead, Sarah Jarosz, and Josh Rouse as well as their own home-crafted pop fare, and they simply love playing great songs together.The Saturdays played to a packed house at our very first show in the Corner House Concerts series in 2021!WE'RE THRILLED TO HAVE THEM BACK WITH US!

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 20 |
ROB SANDERS & FRIENDS

7p doors open | 7:30p music

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Rob Sanders & Friends is a quartet of musicians who have played together for a decade and more in various configurations.They are Rob Sanders (violin), Emmett Drueding (guitar/vocals), Matt Hagele (guitar/bass/vocals) and Buck Buchanan (percussion).This accomplished quartet offers a a broad range of music: jazz standards, western swing, Brazilian choros and sambas, Mexican ballads and boleros, jump jazz, country blues—and Emmett's and Matt's remarkable originals.Enjoy a special musical road trip that makes stops in New Orleans, New York City, Austin, Texas, the Mississippi Delta, Rio de Janeiro, Oaxaca, Mexico, and Odessa, Ukraine.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 14 |
JOCELYN PETTIT & ELLEN GIRA

7p doors open | 7:30p music

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Jocelyn Pettit & Ellen Gira are a dynamic North American fiddle & cello duo. Their new album All It Brings has been hailed as "dazzling" (FolkWorld Magazine), and "simply exquisite" (Folk London).You're gonna love this evening of high-energy tunes and soulful songs, with nuanced fiddle-cello interplay, vocal harmonies, lively stepdancing, and French Canadian foot percussion!Give a listen to these beauties! Fleur Reels and All It Brings

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We've got even more in the works! Stay tuned for more shows and dates soon!


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Check out these fantastic events from 2022-2023!


SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 | JOCELYN PETTIT & ELLEN GIRA
7p doors open | 7:30p music
learn more about this amazing duo


SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22 | STEVIE and THE BLUESCASTERS
7p doors open | 7:30p music**

A Philadelphia acoustic blues and roots trio, Stevie and the Bluescasters play unique arrangements of all kinds of blues (Chicago, Delta, Piedmont, folk, country) mixed with some international styles, some old gospel and old country, with a pinch of R&B thrown into the mix.what an awesome combination of great stuff—more deets heresample some of the Bluecasters' excellent music


SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19 | RUSS RENTLER
7p doors open | 7:30p music

"A gifted songwriter and fine musician," (Sing Out Magazine) Russ offers live performances with a mix of folk, celtic and blues-inspired tunes with multiple instrument changes, interspersed with his off-beat humor and wry observations about life that keep the audiences coming back for more.more about Russhear this amazing and versatile musician/singer-songwriter live at The Minstrel Coffeehouse


SATURDAY, JANUARY 21 | FAIRMOUNT STRING QUARTET
7p doors open | 7:30p music

The Fairmount String Quartet has inspired and entertained audiences for decades with classical standards, music of living composers and historically under-performed composers, as well as contemporary pop music.here's the ensemble performing Jennifer Higdon's breathtaking Amazing Grace**learn more**


SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11 | CORNER HOUSE
7p doors open | 7:30p music

Very psyched to announce the date for CORNER HOUSE!**learn more**


SATURDAY, MARCH 25 | MIKE ALBRECHT & THE KELTONES
7p doors open | 7:30p music

Versatile and accomplished player Mike Albrecht convenes The Keltones to bring you a unique musical groove infused with traditional Irish, blues, jazz and funk.



THURSDAY, MARCH 14 |
JOCELYN PETTIT & ELLEN GIRA

7p doors open | 7:30p music

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Jocelyn Pettit & Ellen Gira are a dynamic North American fiddle & cello duo. Their new album All It Brings has been hailed as "dazzling" (FolkWorld Magazine), and "simply exquisite" (Folk London).You're gonna love this evening of high-energy tunes and soulful songs, with nuanced fiddle-cello interplay, vocal harmonies, lively stepdancing, and French Canadian foot percussion!Give a listen to these beauties! Fleur Reels and All It Brings

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We’re making plans for one or two cool shows in late spring 2024—stay tuned!

Questions? Thoughts? Ideas? Want to perform at The Corner House? We're here for all of that.

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Hey, if you're a musician who'd like to offer a performance at Corner House Concerts, we'd love to hear from you!We're interested in presenting music of all types and genres—from traditional to classical, singers and instrumentalists together or solo.Our space will accommodate up to four or five—okay, really six or seven—performers. We have a very good upright piano, and we can set you up with mics and speakers.We ask you to offer two 40- or 45-minute sets with a short break. Scheduling is flexible, though we prefer to plan for late afternoons on Sundays.Corner House Concerts will ask audience members for a free will donation of $15-20, with all that loveliness going to you and your fellow performers.We're just getting started here, but we’re sure we can offer you a great experience performing for people who love live music.Looking forward to hearing from you!

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If you love live music and want to hear about great performances offered by Corner House Concerts, please join our mailing list. We promise not to bug you in any way except to let you know when there's new music coming soon.

So glad you checked in! We'll be in touch soon.

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Though we recognize that we're all still living with the presence of Covid-19, we now have a mask-optional approach for house concert attendees as well as for our performers.We're assuming that at this point we're all doing what each of us needs to do to be safe and feel comfortable—so we assume you're fully vaccinated and that you'll opt to wear a mask to protect yourself and others if it should be necessary.And of course if you feel at all unwell, please stay home—we’ll see you next time!Our audience capacity is 35 seats in a space about 20 by 40 feet—chairs will be spaced accordingly.

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WHERE
Corner House Concerts lives at 491 East Gravers Lane, in the Chestnut Hill neighborhood of northwest Philadelphia. We are on the corner (yep) of East Gravers and Prospect Avenue. Remember it's EAST. (If you find yourself at 491 West, you will most likely not find a house concert going on there.)
The entrance to our house is on Prospect Avenue.PARK
There's limited parking on Prospect Avenue; go ahead and ignore the "no parking" signs—literally everyone does, and it's never been an issue.
There's also street parking on Gravers Lane and Crittenden Street (a side street just a half block away), and also in the lot at the Gravers Lane train station, just a bit over a block away.TRANSIT
The Gravers Lane stop of the East Chestnut Hill train line is just over a block away. The terminus of the West Chestnut Hill line is about a ten-minute walk.
Looking forward to sharing the excellent experience of live music with you!—Rebecca & David

SATURDAY OCTOBER 22 2022
Stevie and the Bluecasters
We were all mighty satisfied with these excellent blues tunes...


SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11 2022
Jocelyn Pettit and Ellen Gira
Featuring fine fiddling, swell cello, fancy stepdancing...


SUNDAY APRIL 3 2022
MAGGIE'S BOOTS
Hollis Payer, Rob Curto, Melissa Brun
Fine and fancy, deft and delightful!


SUNDAY MARCH 13 2022
JULIE SNYDER, soprano & JOANNA GATES, mezzo-soprano: _LE TOMBEAU DES NAÏADES_
with CATHY MAZZA, collaborative pianist
Such gorgeousness uplifted by these two exquisite and expressive voices...


**SATURDAY FEBRUARY 26 2022
VICENTE CASTAÑEDA, ROB SANDERS & BUCK BUCHANAN **
A night of warmth & magic...


SATURDAY DECEMBER 18 2021
ANIKA KILDEGAARD, TIANA SORENSON, ELISA SUTHERLAND: EVENING MORNING DAY
Transcendant voices intertwining...


SATURDAY NOVEMBER 20 2021
THE SATURDAYS:
Dave Arms, Buck Buchanan, Rich Nourie
Such great tunes from these amazing players....

Singer-songwriters Keisha Hutchins Hirlinger and Sean Markey will take you away—to a sun-drenched patio, to the lulling rhythm of a tranquil train ride, to a romantic walk on a scented summer evening...

Keisha's captivating voice will transport you to memories of love, loss, and redemption, while Sean's dynamic and nuanced guitar playing and poignant vocals will invite you to reach into the tender deeps of your own heart.Hear the duo's original music along with songs by some of the greatest singers and songwriters of our time from Joni Mitchell to Stevie Wonder, Billie Holiday and Sam Cooke to The Weepies.About Keisha
A classically trained musician at the Oberlin Conservatory, as well as a singer-songwriter and educator, Keisha Hutchins Hirlinger is passionate about music education and creating access to musical experiences for all children and communities. A teacher of music at Abington Friends School, she is a past recipient of the Leeway Foundation’s Art and Change grant for women who use their art to create social change. Keisha uses her platform as both a performer and an educator to bring attention to social justice issues through her own performances and educational concerts in collaboration with artist-activists from Philadelphia and surrounding areas.
Keisha’s commitment to creating music experiences for all led her to be sought out to serve as a music workshop facilitator for ARTZ Philadelphia, an organization which provides arts experiences for those living with dementia and their care partners. Soon after, she was asked to spearhead and lead the ARTZ Notes program, serving as the lead facilitator and curator for the program.In March of 2017, Keisha curated and debuted a 90-minute performance called Going Home, as a part of Intercultural Journey’s 2016-2017 season Cultural Migrations through Artistry. The concert was an artistic exploration of being a Black, female artist in America, incorporating music from a variety of genres and traditions from arias to jazz to spirituals and included her own original music.In 2022, Keisha and her husband—percussionist, composer, and educator Doug Hirlinger—were commissioned to write music for the Fairmount Waterworks exhibit, Pool: A Social History of Segregation. Their suite Water Speaks explores the experiences and connections of Black people to the water from the water's perspective.Keisha lives in Philadelphia with her husband Doug Hirlinger and their two children.sample some of Keisha's gorgeous music here and hereAbout Sean
Philadelphia-based guitarist and vocalist Sean Markey has been a fixture in the area's jazz scene for eight years. Graduating with honors from Temple University, Markey studied under the direction of Terrel Stafford, Tim Warfield, Dick Oatts, Greg Kettinger, and Dan Monahan, among others.
Markey was a protegé and friend of the late Tom Giacabetti, legendary Philadelphia jazz educator. Markey feels that “in order to strengthen our city, we need to strengthen our community.” Markey advocates this philosophy through his weekly jazz jam session at The El Bar, recently featuring Philly artists John Swana, Lucas Brown, and Hailey Brinnel.Markey has recorded with the Temple University jazz orchestra, the Lucas Brown Septet, and Sean Bailey’s Corporate Responsibility; as a songwriter he has recorded with his band Shoot The Messenger, in the studio mostly recently in winter of 2023. Sean also teaches guitar through Settlement Music School and works with Musicopia, bringing music to underserved schools.Hear Sean's excellent music with Shoot the Messenger here and here

SATURDAY, MARCH 25 | MIKE ALBRECHT & THE KELTONES
7p doors open | 7:30p music

Versatile and accomplished player Mike Albrecht convenes The Keltones to bring you a unique musical groove infused with traditional Irish, blues, jazz and funk.

check out this brilliant moment with Philly Jazz Ellliott Levin

lovely notes from Mike and friends at an Irish session

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11 | CORNER HOUSE
7p doors open | 7:30p music

Corner House takes its name from their shared home in Brighton, Massachusetts where the musicians met as students at Berklee College of Music. Emerging from varied genre backgrounds, the quartet’s strength is a desire to learn from one another, not only in musical skill and style, but in life experience. On their debut full-length album How Beautiful It’s Been, the band reveals the sublime result of that growth mindset, with a singular sound that incorporates old time, Scottish, progressive bluegrass, and folk.

Originally made up of songwriter and guitarist Ethan Hawkins, Scottish fiddle player Louise Bichan, and bluegrass mandolinist Ethan Setiawan, Corner House are students of a wide variety of musical traditions. In the autumn of 2017, the group debuted at FreshGrass Festival in North Adams, Massachusetts before recording a self-titled EP and touring Scotland the following year. Returning from overseas, the three invited illustrious cellist Casey Murray to join the fold, unveiling the new line up on a second EP, Smart Folks, released in 2019.

Mutually inspired, learning from one another, and open to all ideas, Corner House embraces diversity in every aspect of their music making. Listen closely, and learn from them as much as they have from one another.**learn more**

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 21 | THE FAIRMOUNT STRING QUARTET
7 pm doors | 7:30 pm show

The Fairmount String Quartet brings a mix of classical, pop, folk, and Latin-flavor music — curated just for us at Corner House Concerts!Described as “likable and warmhearted” by the Philadelphia Inquirer, and “expert to the point of perfection” by the Chestnut Hill Local, the Fairmount String Quartet — Rachel Segal and Leah Kyoungwoon Kim, violins; Beth Dzwil, viola; Mimi Morris Kim, cello — has been active in the Philadelphia chamber music scene since 1984.The Fairmount String Quartet is dedicated to bringing the intimacy and vitality of chamber music to diverse audiences, and accessibility and education are core parts of their mission. They are committed to performing works of historically under-performed composers in addition to those in the standard repertoire. They are the ensemble-in-residence at the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields in Philadelphia.Though classically trained, the musicians of the Fairmount String Quartet are fascinated by many genres of music. Their debut pop album Spoken with Strings is available on all major streaming platforms. Scheduled to release on February 3rd, their second album Unleashed features classical music by women composers.Check out selections from Spoken with Strings and more!

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"A gifted songwriter and fine musician," (Sing Out Magazine) Russ Rentler is a gifted singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, performing original and traditional tunes on guitar, banjo, mandolin, bouzouki, autoharp, dobro, hammered and Appalachian dulcimers (some he’s built himself).His songs pair dazzling instrumental virtosity with his own brand of wry humor.Russ has been playing music ever since fifth grade, when he saved enough S&H green stamps to get himself a ukulele.At an open mic on his first night at Moravian College, Russ ran into a dude by the name of John Gorka—the result of this auspicious meeting was the Razzy Dazzy Spasm Band which, with Richard Shindell and Doug Andersen, performed regularly in the Lehigh Valley, including at the legendary Godrey Daniels club.Russ kept on playing through medical school and a career as a doctor. He contributed to Gorka’s CD Gypsy Life, and has recorded six albums of his own—the two most recent achieving top air play on folk radio.Retiring from medical practice a few years back gave Russ more time to perform his mix of folk, Celtic, and blues-inspired tunes—always interspersed with his trademark off-beat humor and wry commentary.Don’t miss the mastery and magic of Russ Rentler’s music!more about Russhear this amazing and versatile musician/singer-songwriter live at The Minstrel Coffeehouse

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A Philadelphia acoustic blues and roots trio, Stevie and the Bluescasters play unique arrangements of all kinds of blues (Chicago, Delta, Piedmont, folk, country) mixed with some international styles, some old gospel and old country, with a pinch of R&B thrown into the mix. With Seth Holzman on harmonica, Paul Nolan on guitars, mandolin, and vocals, and Stevie Nolan on lead vocals and rhythm guitar.

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Few but mighty, Stevie and the Bluescasters demonstrate without a doubt that there IS such a thing as an intimate powerhouse! Just (but not merely!) a trio, their brand of deep-fried acoustic blues will rock your soul. From Stevie Nolan's gutsy-yet-sweet vocalizing to her backdoor man Paul Nolan's inventive, driving guitar to Seth Holzman's spine-tingling harmonica (both unamplified and green-bulleted), this is a blues band with a no-nonsense take-no-prisoners craftsmanship and bone-deep conviction. Whatever your ills, the Bluescasters are your miracle cure. Wellness is just a Wild-Ox Moan away!
—Rusty Cloud (keyboards) Blues Brothers Blues Band, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes

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sample some of the Bluecasters' excellent music!

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 2022 | Jocelyn Pettit & Ellen Gira

From Canada and the US, Jocelyn Pettit & Ellen Gira are a dynamic fiddle and cello duo. First meeting in Scotland in 2018, they joined their musical forces, and have since been gracing stages and captivating audiences in both North America and the UK.Fusing together traditional and contemporary influences, Jocelyn & Ellen create powerfully uplifting and soulful music. Their instruments weave a rhythmically driving and textured sound, with nuanced fiddle-cello interplay through delicate and fortissimo arrangements. They bring life and fire into their own original melodies, and high-energy tunes from Scotland, Ireland, North America, and Scandinavia—complimented by interwoven vocal harmonies and lively stepdancing.Performance highlights include Celtic Connections (UK), Niel Gow Festival (UK), Edinburgh Castle (UK), Harrison Festival of the Arts (CAN), Northwest Folklife Festival (USA), and Folk Alliance International (USA). They have also performed for HRH Prince Charles, and live broadcasts on BBC Radio 3. Their debut duo album, All It Brings, was released in July 2022.Totally fantastic way to start our second season!save your seat now!Here's the duo performing An Síoda (I Ne'er Shall Wean Her)


Super excited to present this amazing fiddle/cello duo with their high-energy traditional tunes and songs, with vocal harmonies, lively stepdancing, and Québécois foot percussion.

Fleur ReelsJocelyn Pettit & Ellen Gira, with Adam Dobres


SUNDAY, APRIL 3 | MAGGIE'S BOOTS, with Hollis Payer, Rob Curto & Melissa Brun

Traditional Irish tunes and original music, all with a unique groove!Together since 2018, this Philadelphia-based band features Hollis Payer on fiddle, Rob Curto on button accordion and Melissa Brun on cello.Check out their terrific music here and here and here.Find Maggie's Boots at home, and on Facebook.Save your seat! (we need to have your registration in advance—thanks!)


**SUNDAY, MARCH 13 | JULIE SNYDER, soprano & JOANNA GATES, mezzo-soprano: LE TOMBEAU DES NAÏADES **
with CATHY MAZZA, collaborative pianist

Inspired by Claude Debussy’s Le tombeau des naïades from Chansons de Bilitis.The text, taken from a set of poems by Pierre Louys, tells the story of a search in wintertime for the naïads and nymphs in the woods—then, after the despair of learning they are dead, of moving forward to find consolation and hope.The artists chose this poem because it seems to describe how we have functioned in the world in the past few yearsthat—in spite of our search for magic and the despair of not finding it—we are ever hopeful.LE TOMBEAU DES NAÏADESWinter
Fiocca la neve — Pierrot Cimara
Diamonds in the Snow — Jean Sibelius
L’hiver — Charles Koechlin
Must the Winter come so soon? (from Vanessa) — Samuel Barber
Searching
Erstarrung (from Winterreise) — Franz Schubert
Where Has Summer Gone? — Ben Moore
Into the night — Clara Edwards
Death of Magic and Despair
In My Dreams (from Anastasia) — Flaherty/Ahrens
Sleep Is Supposed To Be — Aaron Copland
Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen — Gustav Mahler
Almost Real (from The Bridges of Madison County) — Jason Robert Brown
Contemplation
Back To Before (from Ragtime) — Flaherty/Ahrens
That shadow, my likeness — Ned Rorem
Clair de lune — Claude Debussy
Sunset — John Conahan
Hope
Espoir — Cécile Chaminade
Våren — Edvard Grieg
When They Come Back — Aaron Copland
No One Is Alone (from Into the Woods) — Stephen Sondheim

ABOUT THE ARTISTSSoprano Julie Snyder excels as an educator, performer, and scholar. As an educator, Dr. Snyder owns and operates Snyder School of Singing in Erdenheim, which offers private voice lessons and voice classes to students of all ages and ability levels. Previously, she served on the adjunct faculty of the Boyer College of Music and Dance at Temple University for seventeen years, and taught private voice (classical and musical theater), class voice, vocal repertoire, music theory, and vocal diction. During that time, she also served as an accompanist and advisor for several courses in the musical theater program. Dr. Snyder has also created and led camps, courses, and workshops for students of all ages at Wyoming Seminary, The Center on the Hill, Abington High School, Parkland High School, Old Pine Presbyterian Church, The Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania Youth Orchestra, The Valley Players of Ligonier, and Actors and Artists of Fayette County. Additionally, Dr. Snyder is a professional-level pianist, vocal coach, and diction coach. Her students have been accepted into top undergraduate, graduate, and Young Artist programs, and have appeared professionally on Broadway, in regional theater and national tours, and with top opera houses and choral ensembles throughout the country.As a performer, Dr. Snyder is equally at home in choral, opera, operetta, musical theater, and recital settings, and has appeared with The New York Philharmonic, Opera Philadelphia, The Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra, Variant 6, The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Chester County, The Philadelphia Gilbert and Sullivan Union, Opera Libera, The Delaware Valley Opera Company, Sarah Brightman in Concert, and The Centre Theater. She currently serves as section leader, soloist, and children’s choir director at The Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill and recently completed a five-year tenure as a core member of The Crossing.Dr. Snyder’s research in the field of Swedish vocal diction and Swedish art song has been utilized by singers and vocal scholars worldwide. She is also sought as an authority on topics pertaining musical theater pedagogy and repertoire. Dr. Snyder holds a Bachelor of Music degree in voice performance (summa cum laude) from Susquehanna University, and Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in voice performance from Temple University. Originally from Latrobe, Pennsylvania, she now resides in Erdenheim with her two children, Wesley and Natalie.
traditions.
Joanna Gates, mezzo-soprano, is an accomplished solo and ensemble singer and teacher who performs a wide range of vocal repertoire. Joanna has been praised for her “dazzling, florid technique and eloquent phrasing” on the operatic stage and in the concert hall. Recent solo performances include: Leucosia in the world premiere and recording of The Wake World by David Herzberg with Opera Philadelphia and Hansel in Hansel and Gretel with Opera Box. Other notable roles include the title role in Rossini’s Cinderella, Dido in Dido and Aeneas with Opera Box, Berta in Il barbiere di Siviglia and Zita in Gianni Schicchi. In concert Ms. Gates has been a mezzo-soprano soloist in the Verdi Requiem, the Duruflé Requiem, Messiah, Mozart’s Mass in C minor, Mendelssohn’s Elijah and has performed in recitals and chamber ensembles throughout the region.
Joanna is a core member of The Crossing, the two time Grammy award-winning vocal ensemble, fully dedicated to the performance of new music. She has recorded over 20 albums with The Crossing. Joanna can be seen performing in the area with Opera Company of Philadelphia, Opera Box, The Mastersingers of Wilmington, and The Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill. Joanna lives in Delaware with her husband and son and teaches voice and violin lessons at Sanford School.

Get on the waiting list for Mike Albrecht & The Keltones Saturday, March 25 —
let us know how many seats you want!