Musicians of the Old Post Road in the Gloucester Meetinghouse (Unitarian Universalist Church)
The Musicians of the Old Post Road will present their 6th holiday concert in the historic Gloucester Meetinghouse on Saturday, December 17, 2022 at 7:30pm called “A Moravian Christmas.’
Founded by Artistic Directors Suzanne Stumpf and Daniel Ryan, the ensemble takes its name from its acclaimed concert series, originally entitled Old Post Road Historic Concerts.
“Musicians of the Old Post Road is a cleverly conceived and impeccably presented group of artists who render a great service in the realm of period performance. Through their scholarship, programming, and enthusiasm, they shine a light on a corner of the repertoire that is too often neglected.”
— Classical Voice of New England
Immerse yourself in beautiful music for the season by a unique 18th-century community. Experience modern-day premieres of works penned by America’s Moravian immigrants along with selections by Johann Joachim Quantz, Carl Heinrich Graun and Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach (fifth son of J.S. Bach) that they carefully imported and preserved. The ensemble performs on period instruments and will be joined by soprano Jessica Petrus and mezzo-soprano Hilary Anne Walker.
If you crave a respite from the hustle and bustle of holiday madness, give yourself and your friends the gift of exquisite chamber music by candlelight for Christmas in the warmth and Federal period elegance of Gloucester’s last-surviving Meetinghouse, built in 1806 for the first Universalist Society in America.
Preferred Seating $45, General $30, Students $10, Under 12 free
The Meetinghouse is located at 50 Middle Street, set back on the green. The accessible side entrance with a lift is located at 10 Church Street. Parking is available on the green and on nearby streets and lots. Tickets may be purchased at the door or in advance on our website: http://www.gloucestermeetinghouse.org
The Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation celebrates the music of Johann Sebastian Bach with an orchestral concert on Saturday, March 21st at 7:30pm, the 335th anniversary of the composer’s birth. The Bach Birthday Concert is performed by the Appleton Consort, led by Mark Dupere, and played on period instruments. Highlights of the performance include Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 3, the Violin Concerto in A minor, and the Harpsichord Concerto No. 5. The evening concludes with a performance of Bach’s ever popular Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F major. The ensemble, as Bach originally scored it, includes two hunting horns, three oboes, bassoon, violin piccolo, strings, and continuo. Don’t miss this spectacular evening of music by the beloved composer in the Gloucester Meetinghouse, one of the region’s finest concert venues. Tickets available in advance online at gloucestermeetinghouse.org and at the door.
THE APPLETON CONSORT
The Appleton Consort, directed by Mark Dupere, is named for the town of Appleton, Wisconsin, home of Lawrence University, where Dupere is Director of Orchestral Studies. Samuel Appleton, prominent Massachusetts merchant and philanthropist who had lived in Ipswich, was the father-in-law of the founder of Lawrence University. Appleton made a generous gift to the Lawrence University library, and in gratitude, the citizens named the town for him. Generations of the Appleton family made their home in the Boston area and on Cape Ann with many connections to the area’s businesses and institutions. For example, Thomas Appleton who was considered the finest organ builder in New England, built the first pipe organ in the gallery of Gloucester’s Unitarian Universalist Church in the 1820s.
Mark Dupere is Assistant Professor of Music at Lawrence University. His undergraduate study of the cello led to continued work at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague, The Netherlands, where he specialized in baroque cello. It was here that Mark met his wife Emily Dupere who completed her studies in baroque violin. Mark has performed extensively throughout the United States and Europe and is featured on numerous recordings. He was named New Young Artist at the Victoria Bach Festival, performed in the Leipzig Bach Competition, and apprenticed with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment in London. Emily tours frequently as a violinist in the Monteverdi Orchestra with Sir John Eliot Gardiner. As an educator, Mark seeks to share his passion for music-making and active engagement with audiences in the performance of music from all periods.
Members of the Appleton Consort include: Elisabeth Axtell and John Aubrey, horn; David Dickey, Andrew Blanke, and Joyce Alper, oboe; Allen Hamrick, bassoon; Emily Dupere, Asako Takeuchi, and Anna Griffis, violin; Lauren Nelson, viola; Mark Dupere, cello; Motomi Igarashi, bass; and Guy Whatley, harpsichord.
IN GRATITUDE
The Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation is deeply grateful to all our 2019-20 Concert and Event Series Sponsors. We extend a special thank you to H. Woody Brock and Scobie Ward for their generous gifts to underwrite the Bach Birthday Concert.
LOCATION AND INFORMATION
The Gloucester Meetinghouse is located at the corner of Church and Middle Streets. The accessible side entrance is at 10 Church Street. Weather permitting, event parking is available on the green and at parking lots nearby in the Historic District. Tickets are available in advance online at gloucestermeetinghouse.org and at the door. Preferred seating $45; general $30; students $10 with ID; under 12 free.
The Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation is pleased to present young Korean organ virtuoso Joonho Park performing an all-Bach program in a progressive organ recital. He teaches at the University of Texas at Austin and is the winner of many international organ competitions. Joonho Park has been hailed as an amazing talent with exquisite technique and exciting musicality. He will be playing some of the most technically demanding and beloved organ works of Johann Sebastian Bach.
The first half will be performed in the Meetinghouse, home of the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church, on the distinguished 1893 Hutchings pipe-organ, restored by world-renowned Gloucester organ-builder Charles Fisk in 1962. George Hutchings built the original Boston Symphony Hall organ in 1903 and his instruments are known for their beautiful tone colors and powerful foundation stops.
At the intermission, the audience will stroll next door for the second half of the concert in St. John’s Episcopal Church on the innovative 1989 C. B. Fisk pipe-organ, the firm’s Opus 97. This is the only new Fisk instrument commissioned on Cape Ann. Like the earlier Hutchings instrument it has mechanical (tracker) key action for the most responsive touch and it has a rich combination of tonal qualities well-suited to the authentic performance of Bach’s music.
A gala reception will follow the concert at St. John’s.
We are very grateful to H. Woody Brock, Lanesville resident and Bach aficionado for being the sponsor of this event, the debut performance by Joonho Park in New England.
Admission at the door and online: $20 General, $15 Seniors & Students, Under 17 free
https://gloucestermeetinghouse.org
Cape Ann Community 