The historic Annisquam Village Church presents Jacqueline Schwab, renowned pianist of Ken Burns’ Civil War documentary series, in a program entitled “150 Years Ago….”. In observation of the sesquicentennial year since the War Between the States, Schwab performs music of period, sharing the evening with Celtic musician, Michael O’Leary and a vocal set by the women’s a capella group, ‘Leven. The Annisquam Village Church, at the head of Lobster Cove (820 Washington Street in Gloucester), is only footsteps away from a Civil War monument on Leonard Street which commemorates the lives of 19 Cape Ann men who fought in the war. Songs of the times have become part of the American song book, and will come to life under the sure hand of Schwab.
The concert is the second in this summer’s series dedicated to the memory of Houston/Annisquam artist Colin Kennedy whose paintings are featured at Village Exchange Gallery on Leonard Street. A third concert takes place on September 11 with Jonathan Miller, BSO Cellist and John Gibbons, Harpsichord.
Proceeds benefit music programs at the Annisquam Village Church. Donation: $15. For information visit www.annisquamvillagechurch.com or call 978.283.6416.
150 Years Ago….. Civil War Sesquicentennial
Music for Annisquam Concert
The historic Annisquam Village Church presents Jacqueline Schwab, renowned pianist of Ken Burns’ Civil War documentary series, in a program entitled “150 Years Ago….” commemorating the Sesquicentennial year since the War between the States. Schwab performs music of period, sharing the evening with Celtic musician, Michael O’Leary and a vocal set by the women’s a capella group, ‘Leven, directed by Kristina Martin.
Jacqueline Schwab is a folk and classical improvisational pianist who plays "gorgeously spare piano" (The Boston Globe) yet "sounds as if she has an orchestra at her fingertips" (Sing Out). Chosen by the film maker Ken Burns for the emotional content of her work, Schwab has performed on the soundtracks for the Grammy award-winning Civil War, the Emmy award-winning Baseball and Mark Twain, and the recent series on National Parks: America’s Best Idea among others. She performed at the White House for President Clinton in 1997 to celebrate Burns’ Lewis and Clark series and also at the Smithsonian in 2000 celebrate its exhibition on The Presidency. In May, 2009, she accompanied Scottish singer Jean Redpath, on the Late Show with David Letterman.
Schwab’s signature style defies easy categorization, fitting somewhere in the crossover between folk, traditional, classical and new age music. She has "… an uncanny sensitivity to the moods and proprieties of music from other eras," wrote New England Folk Almanac reviewer Scott Alarik. Her solo recording, Mark Twain’s America – A Portrait in Music (on Dorian), recreates the sounds of nineteenth-century American parlor music – Stephen Foster and Civil War songs, hymns, spirituals, and ballroom dances. A Lexington Minuteman solo concert review said, "(Her playing was) full of colors and introspection which drew the listener into a musical reverie from which it was hard to return." Schwab has performed and recorded with many traditional and folk musicians, among them: Scottish fiddler Laura Risk, singer Jean Redpath (on A Prairie Home Companion), fiddler Alasdair Fraser, cellist Abby Newton, glass armonica player Dean Shostak, fiddler Andrea Hoag, singer-songwriter Dillon Bustin, and singer Jeanne Morrill. For her work with Ken Burns, she has also collaborated with fiddler Jay Ungar, bassist and guitarist Molly Mason, fiddler Matt Glaser, whistle player L.E. McCullough and others. She has played on over forty recordings.
Underscoring the Cape Ann connection with this repertoire, Michael O’Leary, singer and Celtic musician, comes ashore from the Thomas E. Lannon to join Schwab for several numbers, and the women’s a capella group, ‘Leven, under Kristina Martin’s direction, will perform a set of Civil War songs.
The historic Annisquam Village Church is an 1820’s building standing at the head of Lobster Cove (820 Washington Street in Gloucester) only footsteps away from a Civil War monument to 19 Cape Ann men. At least two houses in the Village are said to have been part of the underground railroad during the war, one with a tunnel leading to the Annisquam River.
The concert is the second in this summer’s series dedicated to the memory of Houston/Annisquam artist Colin Kennedy whose works are featured at the the Village Exchange Gallery. A third concert takes place on September 11 with Jonathan Miller, BSO Cellist and John Gibbons, Harpsichord. Donation: $15. Proceeds benefit music programs at the Annisquam Village Church. For information visit www.jacquelineschwab.com or www.annisquamvillagechurch.com or call 978.283.6416.
Good Morning Gloucester 