Free concert series beginning

By LORRAINE THOMPSON

 SAINT AUGUSTINE  – St. Anastasia Catholic Church music director Peter Morin has put together an outstanding concert series for the 2017-18 season.  The good news is that the concerts are open to the public with free admission and parking.

Soprano Suzanne Nance and Irish born musician Desmond Earley will open the church’s 8^th concert series at 7 p.m. Saturday, October 21 with classical songs of love, From Gershwin to Ireland.

Music highlights will include classicals like Mozart’s In uomini from Cosi fan tutte, Handel’s Piangerò la sorte mia from Giulio Cesare, Puccini’s Donde Lieta from La Boheme. On the more modern side, Nance will perform favorites from The Sound of Music, The Phantom of the Opera, Kiss Me Kate, and others.

Concerts in St. Anastasia Catholic Church’s 2017-18 Concert Series are free. A free-will collection will be taken for those who wish to contribute to the concert expenses. Free parking is provided at the church which is located at 5202 A1A South on Anastasia Island. The church seats more than 1400. For information call 471-5364.

About Suzanne Nance–

American soprano Suzanne Nance consistently delights and inspires with her artistry and musical excellence on the operatic, concert and recital stages. Recognized in 2016 as a “Favorite Artist” by Artslandia Magazine, Nance has been hailed for her “crystalline voice” (Bangor Daily News) with “volcanic power” (Downeast Magazine) and exceptional dramatic abilities and comedic timing.

Making her operatic debut in Chicago as Despina in Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte (Intimate Opera Company, 2006), Nance garnered success as a young artist at various festivals and programs around the world, including La Musica Lirica (Novelfeltria, Italy) where she performed the role of Ottavia in Monteverdi’s L’Incoronazione di Poppea.

She is currently performing the sounds of Ireland and America in recitals across the United States.

In addition to her singing and stage career, Nance created the Emmy-award winning TV series MaineArts! She is currently the Vice President of Programming and afternoon radio host at All Classical Portland in Portland, Oregon and was recently named one of Portland’s best radio personalities in the Willamette Week’s 2017 “best of” survey. She is also the Managing Producer of the nationally syndicated radio program about film music: The Score. www.allclassical.org

About Desmond Earley–

Described by the Irish Times as “enterprising and wide ranging,” Dr. Desmond Earley has established a reputation as one of Ireland’s foremost choral directors and early-keyboard specialists. Desmond is the founding Artistic Director of the Choral Scholars of University College Dublin. He holds a DMus Performance degree on the harpsichord from the Royal Irish Academy of Music. He is also the founding director of The Earley Musicke Ensemble, a group that specializes in the performance of lesser-known works by Baroque composers. He has worked with some of the world’s great musicians including Konrad Junghaenel, Christopher Hogwood, Roy Goodman, Sir James Galway and the late Dr. Bernadette Greevy.

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St. Anastasia Catholic Church 2017-18 Concert Series Schedule

7 p.m., October 21                   Suzanne Nance and Desmond Earley

Soprano, Classical Songs of Love, Gershwin to Ireland

7 p.m., November 4                 Paul Brock Band

                                                Traditional Irish Band from County Clare

7 p.m., November 17               Ecumenical Choral Concert

3:30 p.m., December 17           Christmas Concert and Living Nativity

7 p.m., January 20                    Duo B                                                                                                                                     Hirono and Philip Borter, Violin and Cello

7 p.m., February 17                  Helen Morin with Special Guests Randy Tinnin and Curtis Powell

Violin, Trumpet and Piano

7 p.m., March 24                     Scott Marosek                                                                                                                       Solo Classical and Jazz Piano in Celebration Hall

7 p.m., April 7                          Peter Simon                                                                                                                            Spiritual Music of the Great Composers

Solo Classical Piano featuring works by Liszt and Beethoven

6 p.m., April 22                        Jacksonville University Orchestra

All concerts take place in St. Anastasia Catholic Church, 5202 A1A South on Anastasia Island. Parking is free.  A free-will collection will take place for those who wish to contribute to the concert expenses. For information call 471-5364.