Brochure MFAM 2015.pub - Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village

Th_ M[in_ F_stiv[l
of @m_ri][n Musi]:
Or^_r Your Ti]k_ts To^[y!
Early ordering is recommended, as seating is
limited. Tickets can be paid by check payable to
United Society of Shakers or online at
www.maineshakers.com Students age 21 or
under are admitted free with reservation.
Its Roots and Traditions
Wednesday, June 24, 7pm Adult @ $20 x ___ = $___
C_l_\r[ting Our
Musi][l H_rit[g_
Student FREE x ___
Thursday, June 25, 7pm
Adult @ $20 x ___ = $___
L[n^ of Pur_ D_light
Student FREE x ___
Friday, June 26, 3:30pm
FREE event x ___
Friday, June 26, 7pm
Adult @ $20 x ___ = $___
L_[rning To P_rform
Eng[ging th_ Spirit of
Sh[k_r Musi]
Student FREE x ___
Saturday, June 27, 2pm
FREE concert x ___
Saturday, June 27, 7pm
Adult @ $20 x ___ = $___
Singing Tog_th_r in
Full Voi]_
Exploring Our Roots
@n^ Dr_[ms
Student FREE x ___
Total $ ____
Name
Email (for confirmation of reservation)
Phone
Mail form and check
payable to United Society of Shakers to:
Maine Festival of American Music
attn: United Society of Shakers
707 Shaker Rd
New Gloucester, ME 04260
or purchase online at
www.maineshakers.com
Follow us on Facebook and sign up for our email
list to stay up-to-date on our concerts, festivals,
events, and workshops!
facebook.com/SabbathdayLakeShakerVillage
United Society of Shakers
707 Shaker Rd
New Gloucester, ME 04260
Address
Jun_ 24-27, 2015
Presented by
Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village
Th_ M[in_ F_stiv[l of @m_ri][n Musi]: Its Roots and Traditions
“The Maine Festival of American Music: Its Roots
and Traditions” provides a rare opportunity to experience Shaker music and history in the context
of the wider world of classical and folk music,
while also celebrating American musicians, composers, historians and craftsmen. The Shakers host
the festival with all concerts taking place in their
1794 Meeting House, one of Maineʼs most beautiful and acoustically superb venues for vocal and
instrumental performances.
Shaker music, received mostly by spiritual inspiration
rather than deliberate composition, is a product of one
of Americaʼs most unique
communal religious experiences. The majority of Shaker songs originate from the
mid-19th century and have
been preserved by the Shakers through oral tradition.
There were at one time in
excess of 25,000 Shaker
Elder Joseph Brackett songs and, today, as many as
1000 remain a part of the
active repertoire of the Sabbathday Lake Shakers.
One of these living songs, “Simple Gifts” has
achieved lasting significance outside of the Shaker
Church. Written originally in 1848 by Maineʼs Elder Joseph Brackett, “Simple Gifts” in its best
known adaptations has been used by Aaron Copland to create “Appalachian Spring” and by Martha Graham for her avant-garde dance performance “The Shakers.” By its quintessential nature,
this song ties together the performances presented
throughout the Maine Festival of American Music.
Wednesday, June 24th, 7pm
C_l_\r[ting Our Musi][l H_rit[g_
Friday, June 26th, 7pm
Eng[ging th_ Spirit of Sh[k_r Musi]
Under the direction of the Portland
String Quartet, Matthew Szemela, fusion violinist/violist, performs contemporary interpretations of classical composers and incorporates tradition Shaker music through his unique improvisational style. Matt joins the Portland String Quartet in Antonin Dvorak's Quintet Op.97. Tickets $20
This performance is the culmination of a
multi-week workshop led by Chris Moore of
317 Main Community Music Center, in
which students will have explored modern
folk songwriting inspired by Shaker music in
addition to other deep-rooted American folk
music traditions. The students will perform their original
compositions to demonstrate a musical and spiritual adaptation of Shaker song craft in contemporary expression. The
performance will also feature contemporary and traditional
songs and instrumentals performed on mandolin and guitar,
including Chris' thought-provoking, original songs. The
sound is that of a simpler time: an acoustic style of Americana music with 19th-century traditional American roots and
influences. Tickets $20
Thursday, June 25th, 7pm
L[n^ of Pur_ D_light
Composer Kevin Siegfried leads The
Portsmouth Singers in a program of
Shaker songs. Through research of
original, historic Shaker hymnals and
manuscripts, Siegfried presents to the
public audience many songs that had
previously disappeared from the Shakersʼ repertoire along
with songs still sung by the Shakers today. Brother Arnold
Hadd shares insights about the Shaker songwriters, the motivation for the songs, and the application of the songs within
Shaker life. Audience participation will be encouraged. The
Portland String Quartet will perform Siegfriedʼs “Land of
Pure Delight,” a composition for string quartet based exclusively on Shaker songs and dances. Tickets $20
Friday, June 26th, 3:30pm– 5pm
L_[rning to P_rform
The Portland String Quartet coaches
student string quartets as they bring
scores to life and prepare for a culminating Master Class performance. Participants will perform chamber music
selections from the classical era to the
modern American repertoire. This student performance is offered FREE OF CHARGE to the general public.
Contact United Society of Shakers for more information
(207) 926-4597 usshakers@aol.com
Purchase tickets online: www.maineshakers.com
Saturday, June 27th, 2pm – 4pm
Singing Tog_th_r in Full Voi]_
Similar to the Shakersʼ alternative musical notation system of the 19th century, Shape Note musical notation was
designed for congregational singing
using a system of shapes in place of
standard musical notation. The Maine
Shape Note Singers will provide instruction and demonstration prior to an open sing-along of songs from the oldest
music book in print in the United States, Sacred Harp,
along with a selection of early Shaker songs adapted to the
Shape Note tradition. This performance is offered FREE OF
CHARGE to the general public.
Saturday, June 27th, 7pm
Exploring Our Roots [n^ Dr_[ms
While highlighting aspects of world renowned composers to contextualize 18th,
19th, and 20th century American music,
The Portland String Quartet continues its
40-year-long history of performing in the
Sabbathday Lake Shaker Meeting House.
In addition to the Schubert Quartetsatz
and Beethovenʼs masterpiece Op.59, No.3, "Rasoumofsky,"
the Portland String Quartet will perform String Quartet
No.1, "American Dreams," by Peter Schickele. Well known
for his humorous invention of "P.D.Q. Bach," this work
demonstrates the composer's gift for legitimate composition
while celebrating a full palette of Americana. The concert
concludes with an encore performance of “Simple Gifts”
arranged by the Portland String Quartet. Tickets $20