GUILFORD — For its 46th season in 2011-12, Friends of Music at Guilford plans an exciting series of programs.
The season opens with one of their signature events, the annual Labor Day Weekend Festival. On Saturday, Sept. 3, at 7:30 p.m., guest organist Ken Olsson plays an all-Bach program on the Guilford Tracker Organ at the Organ Barn, assisted by soprano Lesley Cotter and the Guilford Chamber Players.
On Sunday, Sept. 4, at 2 p.m., David Kidwell conducts the Guilford Festival Orchestra and Guilford Chamber singers in a program of works by Mozart, Wagner, and three Guilford composers in honor of the town's 250th anniversary.
Admission to these concerts is by donation.
On Sunday, Sept. 25, at 4 p.m., the first of their house concerts at a private home in Guilford will be presented. Metropolitan Opera tenor Irwin Reese and pianist Julia Bady perform a program of African-American art song and spirituals, songs of Schubert, and Broadway selections. Hors d'oeuvres and desserts is provided. A minimum donation of $35 helps support their season of events and community outreach programs.
On Saturday, Nov. 26, at 6:30 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 27, at 4 p.m., at the Guilford Center Meeting House, Friends of Music collaborates with Vermont Performance Lab to present the premiere of “Broad Brook Anthology, a Play for Voices” with script by Verandah Porche, music by Don McLean, and photographs by Jeff Woodward. This work, too, celebrates the town's 250th anniversary.
The 41st annual Community Messiah Sing will be held at 1 p.m. at Centre Congregational Church in Brattleboro on Saturday, Dec. 3. Clark Anderson conducts soloists and audience in the Christmas portion of Handel's Messiah, with Christian Huebner as organist. Donations benefit Morningside Shelter and the Brattleboro Area Drop In Center.
The 39th annual “Christmas at Christ Church” is “A Guilford Christmas,” with the Guilford Chamber Singers performing holiday music from New England and Don McLean reading a new story of that title by town resident Mimi Morton. Performances are Friday and Saturday, Dec. 9 and 10, at 8 p.m. Door donations are shared with the Christ Church Preservation Fund.
On Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012, at 7:30 p.m., at the Guilford Community Church, the Friends will present “Winter Songs,” a recital of opera and song by soprano Julie Johnson Olsson, pianist Ken Olsson, and assisting artists.
On Saturday, April 29, 2012, at 4 p.m., is theoir other house concert of the season, this one at a private home in Brattleboro. This third annual Celebration of Women Composers features mezzo-soprano Kathleen Shimeta's presentation on the works of Canadian-American composer Gena Branscombe, as well as the Guilford Chamber Players performing works by other women composers. Minimum donation is $35 for this evening of musical and gastronomic delights.
Their fourth annual spring organ recital and barbecue is on Sunday, May 27, 2012, at 3 p.m., at the Organ Barn. Founding organist A. Graham Down returns to give a varied program. The season concludes on June 9, 2012, at 7:30 p.m., with “A Cappella a la Carte” at the Guilford Community Church, with music for unaccompanied voices by several regional ensembles.
In addition to these events, the Friends sponsor two outreach programs.
The Guilford School Music Enrichment Program provides musicians' residencies at the school; this year the program has partial support with grants from the Vermont Community Foundation and the Max Y. Seaton Trust.
The world music group Ensemble Datura returns to the school this year, and will present a public performance in early spring. Also, their Senior Concert Series brings local musicians to perform at senior centers and residencies in the area.
For more information, go to the Friends of Music at Guilford website at fomag.org