Mini-Concerts: The Intersection of Art and Music
September 22, 2018, multiple times
Scrag Mountain Music infuses sound into the art-filled spaces of Vermont’s historic Kent Museum. Drawing inspiration from the exhibition theme “Backstory,” Scrag co-Artistic Directors Mary Bonhag (soprano) and Evan Premo (double bass), together with celebrated Vermont cellist Emily Taubl, showcase intimate works by Lembit Beecher, Harrison Birtwistle, and a remix of a 14th-century song by Guillaume de Machaut in four mini concerts throughout the afternoon of Sept. 22. Throughout the exhibition from Sept. 7 - Oct. 7, a video of Bonhag and Premo performing Lembit Beecher’s And Then I Remember will be available for museum goers to enjoy. 
All mini concerts are "Pay what you can" with at-will donations collected at the door. Admission to the museum is separate and by donation at the door. Advance sign-up for the mini concerts is encouraged at the links below, as space is limited. Please note that the concerts will take place on the second floor of the Kent Museum, accessible only by stairs.

CONCERT DETAILS AND RSVP

September 22, 2018
The Kent Museum
7 Old West Church Road, Calais, VT

RSVP for desired concert below. All programs include identical musical selections.

ARTIST NOTE

The pieces on this program were carefully selected with The Kent Museum exhibition's theme “Backstory” in mind. Lembit Beecher’s moving piece Three Songs of Remembered Love recounts the incredible story of his grandparents’ love during a tumultuous time in Estonia during WWII. The piece makes use of a recording of his grandmother’s voice to tell this story along with soprano and double bass. I’ve chosen four movements of Harrison Birtwistle’s piece about Black Hawk Island in Wisconsin where poet Lorine Niedecker was born and spent nearly her entire life. The music shares observations of Niedecker’s surroundings - the animals, plants, and of course, the water. As a third work, I programmed a remix of Guillaume de Machaut’s Douce Dame Jolie by friend and fellow soprano Ariadne Grief. Just as one of the artists featured in “Backstory”has collected and stitched old scraps of fabric together in new ways, this piece illuminates the old by bringing it into modern times. I look forward to exploring this music with audiences surrounded by many wonderful works of art. — Mary Bonhag

PROGRAM

Lembit Beecher Selections from Three Songs of Remembered Love
Harrison Birtwistle Selections from Nine Settings of Lorine Niedecker
Guillaume de Machaut (remix by Ariadne Greif) Douce Dame Jolie

ARTISTS

Mary Bonhag (soprano)
Emily Taubl (cello)
Evan Premo (bass)

ABOUT ART AT THE KENT and BACKSTORY

Art at the Kent has, for the past decade, presented contemporary art exhibitions at the Kent Museum in Calais, VT that engage and challenge audiences by providing unusual exposure to mid-19th century architecture enhanced by the art of our time. The museum is a state-owned historic site, administered by the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation. Art at the Kent is a program of Historic Kents' Corner, Inc., a private nonprofit partnering with the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation and the Vermont State Curator’s Office. 
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Exhibitions are unique in this empty 1830s historic setting in that the structure is partially restored, leaving split-lath walls exposed, original wallpaper revealed, and horsehair plaster in various states. Contemporary art hung against this backdrop provokes instant collaboration between old and new, with original windows that frame the reality of the rural landscape in between. The grounds around a surviving original barn, brick tavern, and wooden general store ell building contain temporary sculpture for each exhibit. 

This year, over a dozen artists respond to the theme of “Backstory” in a variety of mediums. “Backstory” is about both the artist's history as well as that of the materials used and how these elements motivate or inform each unique creation. An additional layer is added as visitors bring personal associations to what they see and hear, weaving yet another backstory into the experience.  
Picture
Poster Image: Luciana Frigerio

Artists

CONCERT PARTNER
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