Where:
Boston Public Library, McKim Courtyard
700 Boylston St
Boston, MA 02116
Admission:
FREE
Categories:
Date Idea, Music
Event website:
http://www.bpl.org/programs/concerts.htm
The courtyard of the Central Library in Copley Square, one of Boston's most beautiful spaces, is filled with music during free, one-hour concerts throughout the summer. The courtyard hosts music that ranges from jazz to classical and from world to folk. Fridays 12:30-1:30 p.m. and Wednesdays 6-7 p.m.
Concerts are moved to the newly renovated Rabb Hall in the event of inclement weather. Concerts in the Courtyard are generously supported by Deloitte, providing industry-leading audit, consulting, tax, and advisory services to many of the world's most admired brands.
June 9 | Boston Philharmonic
“Passionate music making without boundaries” is an ethos that permeates every performance, every rehearsal, and every note that the Boston Philharmonic plays. Join members of the Boston Philharmonic as they perform chamber and quartet music, taking their passion out of the concert hall to the public as part of their education and community outreach program, Crescendo!
June 16 | Project STEP
Founded in 1982, Project STEP (String Training and Education Program) recognizes that certain racial and ethnic minorities are vastly underrepresented in classical music. Their mission is to address this imbalance by identifying musically talented children from underrepresented Boston and surrounding communities and providing them with comprehensive music and string instrument instruction. For 35 years, 100 percent of Project STEP graduates have gone on to college or conservatory, and the organization was a recipient of the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award from the White House in 2014. This is Project STEP’s first Concert in the Courtyard performance.
June 23 | Francisco Roldán
Colombian-born guitarist Francisco Roldán is an active performer who plays solo and chamber music nationally and internationally. Roldán presents a concert of lyrical, rhythmic, and sensual music by Central and South American composers on the classical guitar.
June 30 | Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras (BYSO) Intensive Community Program (ICP)
In 1998, Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras created the Intensive Community Program, a rigorous instrument training program that brings quality classical music instruction to underrepresented communities. ICP accepts young students who show exceptional interest in studying an instrument and provides them with weekly music lessons, ensemble classes, and the use of an instrument, preparing them to audition into one of the BYSO orchestras. Boston Public Library is excited to welcome back BYSO students for their third Concert in the Courtyard performance.
July 7 | NorthStar Duo
Flutist Adrienne Baker and saxophonist Seychelle D. Corbin—both passionate about works for winds and creating music that is accessible to audiences and musicians alike—came together as NorthStar Duo in February 2016. Through research, transcription, commission, cutting new contemporary music, and championing works by women and people of color, Baker and Corbin have exposed audiences in Greater Boston to America’s diverse history. Celebrating the rich tradition and legacy of African American spirituals, NorthStar Duo commissioned Spirituals for Wind Duo from composer Anthony Green.
July 14 | Amaryllis Chamber Ensemble
A graduate of Boston Conservatory, flutist and composer Bonnie Cochran has performed in Washington D.C., Nashville, Atlanta, and throughout New England. She appeared in Olive Kitteridge (HBO miniseries), on WCVB’s Chronicle, and has recorded for PBS’s American Experience. A prize winner of the 18th American Harp Society Competition, harpist Maria Rindenello-Parker graduated from New England Conservatory and has performed with Discovery Ensemble, Tanglewood Institute, Aspen Music Festival, Bowdoin International Music Festival, Spoleto Festival, Callithumpian Consort, and other Boston-area ensembles. Together, Cochran and Rindenello-Parker make up Amaryllis Chamber Ensemble.
July 21 | Joel LaRue Smith
Pianist/composer Joel LaRue Smith has toured extensively, performing jazz, classical, gospel, and Afro Cuban repertoire throughout the US, Europe, Africa, Asia, Central America, and the Caribbean. His debut CD September’s Child features seven original Afro-Cuban jazz compositions. His latest CD is an Afro- Caribbean masterpiece entitled The Motorman’s Son. Smith is the recipient of six grants from Meet The Composer, and he has won the distinguished George and Ira Gershwin Award from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP).
July 28 | Properly Unprepared
Properly Unprepared is a five-piece jazz combo, consisting of two alumni and two current students from King Philip Regional High School in Wrentham, Massachusetts, and an alumnus from Foxboro High School. As members of the highly acclaimed jazz combos for their respective schools, they played at such venues as Symphony Hall in Boston and Lincoln Center in New York City. The combo is made up of leader Tyler Campbell (graduated music technology major at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh), Ryan Fess (UMass/Amherst), Isaac Seabrook (Berklee College of Music), Marcus Campbell (Berklee College of Music) and Stephen Marinelli (Syracuse University)"
August 4 | Kenn Morr Band
Inspired by Simon and Garfunkel and Jackson Browne, the Kenn Morr Band is known for vocal harmonies, fiery instrumental interplay, and Kenn Morr’s rich baritone, which enthralls audiences of all sizes, from coffeehouses to stages. They’ve played gigs of all kinds, sharing the stage with John Sebastian, Al Kooper, Eric Burdon, and John Wesley Harding. Along with Kenn Morr, the band is also comprised of percussionist Bob Gaspar, violin virtuoso and multi-instrumentalist Tom Hagymasi, and melodic bassist Pat Ryan.
August 11 | Boston Philharmonic
“Passionate music making without boundaries” is an ethos that permeates every performance, every rehearsal, and every note that the Boston Philharmonic plays. Join members of the Boston Philharmonic as they perform chamber and quartet music, taking their passion out of the concert hall to the public as part of their education and community outreach program, Crescendo!
August 18 | Night Tree
Night Tree has its roots in the Celtic folk tradition and branches into Swedish, Jewish, and American folk music to find inspiration for their original works. The Night Tree sound includes the dark resonance of the cello, baritone sax, and cajón, the drones of the accordion, and the soaring melodies of dueling fiddles. This Boston-based folk band has been awarded the New England Conservatory Honors Ensemble for 2016‒2017, and they continue to perform throughout New England.
August 25 | Boston Lyric Opera
Both locally and beyond, Boston Lyric Opera leads the way in celebrating the art of the voice through innovative programming and community engagement initiatives that redefine the opera-going experience. With four new productions coming in the 2017‒18 season, including a never-before-seen world premiere, BLO strives to build curiosity, enthusiasm, and support for opera by creating musically and theatrically compelling productions, events, and educational resources for the Boston community and beyond.
Wednesday concert schedule: http://www.thebostoncalendar.com/events/boston-public-library-concerts-in-the-courtyard--76