Scrag Mountain Music presents "Pig Dreams"

pastel by Liebe Coolidg

Following a successful season of concerts, Central Vermont’s growing non-profit presenter of innovative chamber music, “Scrag Mountain Music” offers a summer program on August 6 and 7.  Entitled “Pig Dreams” these concerts will be presented in two Central Vermont barns:  The Green Mountain Girls Farm (923 Loop Road, Northfield) on Wednesday, August 6 at 7pm and Phantom Theater (970 Dump Rd, Warren VT) on Thursday, August 7 at 8pm.  Scrag Mountain Music’s motto is “Come as you are.  Pay what you can.”  No need to dress up for these concerts and admission is by free-will donation taken by passing a basket at intermission.

The program will feature the composition Pig Dreams: Scenes from the Life of Sylvia by Susan Botti for soprano, flute, and harp with poetry by Denise Levertov.  This work features six charming and whimsical songs from the perspective of Sylvia, a pet Hampshire pig who lived with the artist Liebe Collidge in the Northeast Kingdom in the 70's.  A brilliant animal, Sylvia was enfolded into her human household. Each song portrays Sylvia’s perspective on different parts of her life from sledding with “her humans” in the song “Winterpig” to being bred in the song “The Bride.”

Also on the program is Artistic Director, Evan Premo's Seasonal Song Cycle for double bass and soprano which consists of four songs, each celebrating a different season with poetry by E.E. Cummings, Elinor Wylie, Rose Fyleman, and Basho.  “These songs were the first music I wrote for my wife Mary when we met at the University of Michigan,” says Evan, “She chose some of her favorite children’s poems and I set them to music for the two of us.” 

Soprano and Artistic Director Mary Bonhag and Montpelier flutist Karen Kevra will perform John Corrigliano's unusual arrangements of three familiar Irish folk songs and Karen and Burlington Harpist Rebecca Kauffman will perform the evocative sonata for Flute and Harp by Lowell Liebermann.

On Wednesday August 6, the 7pm concert will be preceded by a farm dinner inspired by the “Pig Dreams” theme.  The meal will include barbecued pork and turkey and summer salads and dessert.  At $20 for adults and $5 for children this delicious meal prepared with the farm’s humanely and organically managed meats and veggies will be offered from 5:00 to 6:30pm.  Please visit www.eatstayfarm.com to RSVP for dinner.

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