GUILFORD — It's the 45th year for Friends of Music at Guilford's annual Labor Day Weekend Music Festival, with a pair of concerts at the Organ Barn in its picturesque rural setting. As always for this community event, admission is by donation.
On Saturday, Sept. 4 at 7:30 p.m., James Wallace appears as guest artist at the Guilford Tracker Organ for “An Organ Odyssey.” Wallace, music director of the Putney School, earned a Masters of Music degree at Westminster Choir College. He has had a distinguished career as a church organist, music educator, and composer for films and television.
For his program he has chosen solo works by Lully, Buxtehude, Bach, Hindemith, and Vaughan Williams. He will be joined by soprano Lesley Cotter in five songs by Henry Purcell. Cotter has sung featured roles for the Raylynmor Opera, in the Main Street Arts production of Gilbert and Sullivan's “The Gondoliers” in Saxtons River, and in Hugh Keelan's production of Puccini's “Suor Angelica” at the Latchis Theater. She is cantor at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Brattleboro and a member of the Brattleboro Concert Choir and the Blanche Moyse Chorale.
Also on the program is a virtuosic trio sonata by Bohemian baroque composer Jan Dismas Zelenka, played by Wallace, oboists Jessica Murrow and Zeke Hecker, bassoonist Tiffany Coolidge, and cellist Pedro Pereira. The Guilford Tracker Organ, installed in 1966, is a mechanical-action organ of the type for which most of the works on this program were composed.
The following afternoon, Sunday, Sept. 5 at 2 p.m., music director David Kidwell returns to conduct the Guilford Festival Orchestra outdoors on the lawn in “Serenades and Sinfoniettas.” Mr. Kidwell is a pianist, organist, and composer whose works have often been heard on these concerts. He has been conductor of the Holyoke (Mass.) Civic Symphony since 1997 and is Minister of Music at the Edwards Church in Northampton, Mass.
Sunday's program opens with Edward Elgar's popular “Salut d'Amour,” followed by Hugo Wolf's “Italian Serenade,” Samuel Barber's Serenade for Strings, op. 1 (in celebration of the centennial of Barber's birth), and Mozart's early Symphony #10 in G Major. After intermission comes a real rarity, the charming Sinfonietta for Winds by Joachim Raff. Raff was a contemporary of Mendelssohn, Schumann, and Brahms, and in his day was considered their equal.
The concert concludes with the traditional performance of Randall Thompson's “Alleluia” for a cappella chorus, in which audience members are invited to come up and join the singing.
On Sunday the grounds open at noon. Audience members are invited to bring chairs and blankets and have a picnic on the lawn. They can either supply their own feast or purchase a sumptuous vegetarian lunch for $10, including a variety of salads and casseroles; Vermont cheese, bread, and fruit; and a beverage. Lunch is available until 2 p.m.; reservations are not required. On sale before the concert and during intermission are giant warm chocolate chip cookies and lemonade.
Also featured at intermission is a brief auction of FOMAG-related items. Available for purchase at the sales table are T-shirts and sweatshirts, notecards, CDs, posters, and other merchandise to support these concerts.
Families are welcome, but dogs should be left at home. People needing assistance for access to the grounds may speak to a parking attendant on arrival or contact the FOMAG office beforehand.
In case of rain, the Sunday concert and lunch will be held at the Guilford Central School, 374 School Rd. Local radio stations will be notified, and signs will redirect traffic to the school.
The Guilford Organ Barn is on Kopkind Drive, off Packer Corners Road. From Exit 1 off Interstate 91, go south on Route 5 to the village of Algiers and follow signs to the concerts. Parking is ample. For detailed directions and further information, visit www.fomag.org or contact the FOMAG office at 802-254-3600 or [email protected].