Concord Community Music School

David Surette Mandolin Festival Concert 2025
2025-03-08 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | CCMS Recital Hall
Join us on Saturday, March 8 at 7:30 PM for the David Surette Mandolin Festival Concert, featuring Carlo Aonzo, Sharon Gilchrist, Will Patton and Neil Pearlman with special guests Susie, Isa and Julianna Burke. This concert takes place in the Music School Recital Hall, and tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for older adults (ages 65+) and ages 18 and under. Tickets can be purchased at the link below, in person at the Music School or over the phone by calling 603-228-1196. Note: admission to the Saturday evening concert is included for all festival participants; registration for the weekend workshops is available online HERE or by calling 603-228-1196. For questions regarding registration, please contact Registrar Nicole Laurin at nlaurin@ccmusicschool.org.
Online ticket purchase no longer available – limited tickets available at the door!

ABOUT THE ARTISTS
As some of you know, Carlo Aonzo experienced last minute visa problems which kept him from joining us from his home in Italy for the 2024 festival. We are so happy to tell you that Carlo will be joining us in 2025! Carlo’s illustrious career began with learning from his father in his native Savona. He is now is a world-renowned player and teacher of traditional Italian classical mandolin repertoire, but his interests and skills span across many genres. Carlo’s deep interest in outreach activities focused on his instrument is witnessed by his countless collaborations with mandolin orchestras and chamber orchestras around the world, as well as collaborations with a great number of fellow musicians including Beppe Gambetta and David Grisman. He is also regularly invited to judge mandolin contests, give lectures, and teach workshops in many countries. In the last few years he has toured Japan, USA, Panama, Australia, India, Switzerland, France, Norway and Germany. He has been awarded both the first prize at the Concorso Internazionale “Pitzianti” in Venice, and first prize at the Walnut Valley National Mandolin Contest in Winfield, Kansas! In 2006 he founded the International Italian Mandolin Accademia in Genoa Nervi, where David Surette taught in both 2018 and 2019. https://www.carloaonzo.com/

We are pleased to welcome into our mando family Nashville mandolin player Sharon Gilchrist! Our festival founder David had hoped to hire Sharon for a number of years, and we’re thrilled that our schedules have finally meshed. Sharon Gilchrist began touring the national bluegrass circuit in her home state of Texas before earning a BA in Mandolin Performance at Belmont University in Nashville, TN. For two decades, Sharon has performed with many of the groundbreaking legends in bluegrass and new acoustic music including The Peter Rowan and Tony Rice Quartet, Scott Nygaard and John Reischman in The Harmonic Tone Revealers, Darol Anger, Tony Trischka, The CA Bluegrass Reunion Band, Laurie Lewis and the Right Hands, Uncle Earl and many others. She is also a respected and influential music educator offering private mandolin instruction, online mandolin courses at http://www.pegheadnation.com, and teaching at music camps internationally. In 2024, Sharon joined the John Hartford Fiddle Tune Project as a featured artist and co-producer on their Vol 2. album, which will be released in early 2025. Sharon currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee. https://linktr.ee/sharongilchristmusic

Last year, with just days before the festival, Maine’s Neil Pearlman filled in for Carlo with fabulous mandolin and piano playing. We asked him to come back for 2025 and are glad he said yes! Multi-instrumentalist, producer, step dancer and host of the TradCafe podcast, Neil Pearlman is a vital and distinctive voice in contemporary folk music. While he is best known for his groundbreaking approach to the piano in Celtic music, Neil is also a fantastic mandolinist, as anyone who attended the 2024 mandolin festival can attest. Neil’s playing is continually evolving and spontaneous without losing its roots in the traditional piano styles of Atlantic Canada, New England and Scotland. He has appeared internationally at major festivals such as the Newport Folk Festival, Celtic Connections in Glasgow, Celtic Colours in Cape Breton and the Orkney Folk Festival and has recorded or performed with luminaries of traditional folk music including Natalie MacMaster, Darol Anger, Seamus Egan and Alasdair Fraser. Neil plays with the wonderful Maine-based quartet the Pine Tree Flyers, in addition to his solo work and other collaborations. His medley of Scottish tunes was a memorable concert moment in 2024. https://neilpearlman.com/

And last but not least, it will be great to welcome back after a long absence our Vermont friend, Will Patton. Will has taught at the mandolin festival several times over the years, always to rave reviews. Will plays everything from Brazilian choro music to bluegrass to the Beatles. He has been playing music since the age of 6, starting on piano and taking up guitar at age 12. Mandolin and bass soon followed, and he’s been leading bands since he was thirteen. He studied at Middlebury College in Vermont and discovered a deep connection with the rural landscape there, but his travels have taken him to Rio, Paris and the Caribbean as well as all over the U.S. and Canada. During the last twenty years he has been visiting and playing in Paris, and has been recording and collaborating with legendary manouche guitarist Ninine Garcia. He also has a passion for Brazilian music, exploring the music known as choro with his band Estrela do Norte, and in the last 5 years he has been performing with the Vermont Mandolin Trio featuring Matt Flinner and Jamie Masefield. (Susie fondly remembers the duets David and Will did over the years and recalls even more of their ear-to-ear grins, as seen in his photo.) https://wpatton.com

David Surette Mandolin Festival 2025
2025-03-07 - 2025-03-09 | CCMS
Announcing the 2025 David Surette Mandolin Festival at the Concord Community Music School on March 7-9, 2025.
There will be workshops on Saturday and Sunday for all levels on things like specific styles and skills, waltzes, how to play tasty back-up for songs, and more. There are classes each period for beginners to advanced levels. Each teacher will offer something for each level so you will get to be with every teacher by the end of the weekend. As always, a set of group tunes will be sent out in advance for you to work on for us to play together. The Saturday concert is included with your fee for the weekend. The Friday night concert in Kittery, Maine will be a separate ticket.
Instructors for the 2025 David Surette Mandolin Festival are Carlo Aonzo, Sharon Gilchrist, Will Patton and Neil Pearlman. Read more about the instructors here.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday, March 7, 7:30pm – David Surette Mandolin Festival Kickoff Concert at Kittery Dance Hall featuring Carlo Aonzo, Sharon Gilchrist, Will Patton and Neil Pearlman with special guests Susie, Isa and Julianna Burke https://www.thedancehallkittery.org/ (note: this is a separate ticket from Saturday and Sunday events at the Music School).
Saturday, March 8 – Participatory workshops and jams, 9:30am-5:00pm (all Saturday and Sunday events at the Concord Community Music School, Concord, NH)
Saturday, March 8, 7:30pm – David Surette Mandolin Festival Concert featuring Carlo Aonzo, Sharon Gilchrist, Will Patton and Neil Pearlman with special guests Susie, Isa and Julianna Burke. Online ticket purchase no longer available – limited tickets available at the door!
Sunday, March 8 – Workshops 9:30am-1:00pm
Lodging is available at the Concord Courtyard by Marriott in Concord, New Hampshire, with a special festival rate of $139 per night. Please book by February 14, 2025 by using the following link: Book your group rate for Concord Community Music School Mandolin Festival
Additional Notes: As in years past, there will be a jam session at the Concord Courtyard by Marriott after the Saturday concert open to all festival participants. And as always, we will be offering the option to order a delicious lunch to be delivered to the school on Saturday for an additional fee. Coffee, tea and afternoon cookies will be freely provided.
Click Here to Register for Mandolin Festival Workshops
For questions regarding registration, please contact Registrar Nicole Laurin at nlaurin@ccmusicschool.org or call 603-228-1196.

Bach's Lunch: The Roots of John Barleycorn: Myth, Folktale, Riddle, and Song
2025-03-06 12:10 - 12:50 | CCMS Recital Hall
A beloved song of the Anglo-Celtic folk song tradition, “John Barleycorn” parodies the traditional murder ballad style as it traces the life cycle of barley as it grows, is harvested, and turned into beer. Guitarist and CCMS faculty Dan Faiella, in turn, will trace the cycles of rebirth of the song itself as it winds its way from a distant Celtic past, through King Arthur Legends, 17th-century pub songs, and its recent revival in the 60s and 70s.
It will be held in our historic Recital Hall. It is free of charge and open to the public, thanks in part to the generosity of the Walker Fund. Donations are appreciated.

CCMS Integrated Arts Recital - Feb 20, 2025
2025-02-20 19:00 - 20:00
Join us on February 20, 2025 to support our students! Student recitals are part of the Music School’s multi-level curriculum for private lesson students. These frequent performance opportunities help our students perform more easily, broaden their musical skills, and help them make new musical friends.
This performance is extra-special because participants have the opportunity to display visual art they have created, using their music as inspiration. These images will be projected on screen as they perform.
This event will be held in our historic Recital Hall. It is free of charge and open to the public. Donations are appreciated.

NEW DATE! Bach's Lunch: Making Magic with Ken Burns
2025-02-20 12:10 - 12:50 | CCMS Recital Hall
Photo by Daniel B. Friedman

RESCHEDULED! Pianist Jacqueline Schwab spins musical stories out of the myriad strands in the American quilt and with the spirit of community music making at their heart. Her signature playing features in over a dozen of Ken Burns’ documentaries, including his Grammy-winning Civil War, Baseball, Lewis and Clark, Mark Twain, The War and Benjamin Franklin, as well as The Irish in America—The Long Journey Home and other PBS documentaries. She has performed at the White House for President Clinton and twice on PBS with the American Pops Orchestra and has accompanied Scottish singer Jean Redpath on public radio’s A Prairie Home Companion and on CBS’s Late Show with David Letterman. As a solo pianist, she has performed vintage music in almost every state of the Union. She is well known to the traditional dance world for her groundbreaking playing with the Bare Necessities ensemble. Her recently-released solo album I Lift My Lamp—Illuminations from Immigrant America celebrates vintage music from American immigrants. A recent project has been a collaboration with Alliance for New Music-Theatre, Washington, DC, where Jacqueline performed Ukrainian traditional music to accompany readings of recently translated plays about the war in Ukraine. Jacqueline graduated from New England Conservatory, majoring in piano improvisation. She grew up in Pittsburgh and has since lived in Boston and on Cape Cod.
Making Magic with Ken Burns, featuring pieces from Jacqueline’s Burns soundtrack performances, as well as pieces from her own work inspired by Ken’s piercing window into American history. From Burns’ documentaries, you will hear Jacqueline’s interpretation of Jay Ungar’s well-loved “Ashokan Farewell”, along with well-known vintage American standards, such as “Be Thou My Vision”, “Tenting on the Old Campground” and “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”, as well as lesser-known period tunes, such as the traditional Scottish “Sae Merry As We Hae Been”. Jacqueline speaks about Ken’s unusual way of working with music—how he elicits emotive performances and uses music to amplify his messages and shed historical light on our lives today.
This event will be held in our historic Recital Hall. It is free of charge and open to the public, thanks in part to the generosity of the Walker Fund. Donations are appreciated.

NEW DATE! Bach's Lunch: Love Heals (The Family Hodes with Kent Allyn)
2025-02-14 12:10 - 12:50 | CCMS Recital Hall
Yes, we’re having a Bach’s Lunch on a Friday!
The Family Hodes returns for their annual Valentine’s Day Bach’s Lunch, with Kent Allyn.
Peggo and Paul Hodes have been musical partners with Kent Allyn for going on three decades…YIKES! As a trio, they have been performing, recording multiple albums and sharing beach bonfires for years. Following an award-winning run of albums for children and families as Peggosus, Peggo and Paul teamed up with Kent to record a series of acoustic oriented albums, “Patchwork Quilt, A celebration of The American Spirit”, which earned them a trip to perform at the White House, “Summer Nights” and the classic Holiday album, “Winter’s Light”. They released Peggo’s solo Jazz record, “In Love” on Parma’s Big Round Records imprint. Their performances are always light-hearted and heartfelt featuring original and folk songs extolling the wonders of love. As the Family Hodes, Peggo and Paul are joined once again by their talented daughter, singer-songwriter Ariana Hodes. Ariana tore up the indie country charts a while back and writes catchy songs about love and love lost. Her latest EP as “Ariana Hodes and The Longest Year” is on its way to cyber space.
This annual “Valentine’s Day” show has become a tradition to lift your spirits and make your heart sing in the depths of winter. It will be held in our historic Recital Hall. It is free of charge and open to the public, thanks in part to the generosity of the Walker Fund. Donations are appreciated.

NE Roots and Branches - "Contradance Music: The New England Contradance Repertoire"
2025-01-25 18:00 - 21:00 | City Wide Community Center, 14 Canterbury Road, Concord, NH, 03301, United States
Explore the roots of New England’s unique and beautiful folk music tradition via Concord Community Music School’s new “New England Roots & Branches” series. Some of New Hampshire’s premier folk musicians will combine concerts, jam sessions, and contradancing into lively celebrations of a variety of traditions. Folk musicians of all levels are invited to bring their instruments to play along with performers (and CCMS faculty) Audrey Budington, Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki, and Liz Faiella, fiddles and Dan Faiella, guitar at the start and end of each session. However, it is not necessary to play an instrument or have contradance experience to attend and enjoy the events.
The “New England Roots & Branches” series will kick off on Saturday, January 25, 2025 with “Contradance Music: The New England Contradance Repertoire”, honoring the genre’s melding of a variety of folk traditions. This event will be held at the Citywide Community Center (Concord, NH.) It begin with an open slow jam session at 6:00 p.m., followed by a contradance called by David Millstone at 7:00 p.m. For the second half of the dance, starting at 8:00 p.m., musicians are invited to join the band and play along.
And save the date for our other two “Roots and Branches” events, both held at CCMS:

Saturday, April 5, 2025 – 6 PM – “Transatlantic Tunes: Celtic & British Isles Folk Tunes,” celebrating music from across the pond that has made its way into the New England folk repertoire.
Friday, June 13, 2025 – 6 PM – “Music From North & South: Canadian & Appalachian Folk Tunes”

The “New England Roots and Branches” series is free and open to the public. It is made possible in part through a Folklife and Traditional Arts grant from the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts.

CCMS New Horizons Band 2025 Winter Concert
2025-01-23 19:00 - 20:00 | Concord High School, 170 Warren St., Concord, NH, 03301, United States
Get ready to experience the warmth of music this winter!
The New Horizons Band is a community band that welcomes adults of all ages who play woodwind, brass, or percussion instruments. No auditions, no requirements, just reasonable comfort on your instrument to get started. Under the direction of Maria Isaak, New Horizons at CCMS is a supportive group for those who have always wanted to learn an instrument, those who haven’t played in years, and even players who have kept their music making current and desire to play in a concert band setting. Learn more about the Band at ccmusicschool.org/new-horizons-band/
This concert will be held at Concord High School. It is free, open to the public, and made possible in part due to the support of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation and the Ellen Downing Waite and Edward Osgood Waite Fund.

Teen Chorus 2025 Winter Concert
2025-01-22 19:30 - 20:30
Join us for a recital by our Teen Chorus. This ensemble is led by Jennie O’Brien and Maria Isaak and will be accompanied tonight by pianist Kathy Southworth.
This chorus is designed for students in grades 9-12 who have a passion for singing and a desire to develop their vocal skills in a collaborative and supportive environment. Our program offers a comprehensive choral experience that includes a variety of musical styles, performance opportunities, and vocal training.
This event is free and open to the public. Donations are appreciated.
For additional details about the Teen Chorus, call 603-228-1196 or visit ccmusicschool.org/teen-chorus-program/

Purple Finches 2025 Winter Concert
2025-01-22 18:00 - 19:00
Join us for a winter concert by our Purple Finches Youth Chorus. This group is led by Maria Isaak and will be accompanied tonight by pianist Kathy Southworth.
The ensemble is composed of three divisions to allow for an age-appropriate sequence of musical development. Participants learn basic music elements through high quality literature such as rhythm, solfège, ear-training, memory development, hand signs, and proper singing technique based on Kodály methods. For children also learning an instrument, it strengthens sight-reading, ear-training, and rhythmic security. For others, it’s an excellent introduction to music. And for all, it’s a rich experience of creativity and self-expression.
This event is free of charge and open to the public. Donations are appreciated.
Learn more about the Purple Finches at ccmusicschool.org/purple-finches-youth-chorus/

Bach's Lunch: "A Baroque Beatles Renaissance" (Concert)
2025-01-09 12:10 - 12:50 | CCMS Recital Hall
Emily Adams and Cody Switzer will perform songs from the English Renaissance and pair them with selections from the Beatles catalogue. Together, we’ll take a trip across time from the 1560s to 1960s!

With my love, my life was nestled (Thomas Morley; 1557-1602)
Yesterday (Paul McCartney; 1942-)
It was a Lover and his Lass (Thomas Morley; 1557-1602)
The Willow Song (William Byrd; 1540-1623)
Fool on the Hill (Paul McCartney; 1942-)
Fine knacks for ladies (John Dowland; 1563-1626)
Eleanor Rigby (Paul McCartney; 1942-)
Flow my tears (John Dowland; 1563-1626)
Blackbird (Paul McCartney; 1942-)
When Laura Smiles (Philip Rosseter; 1568-1623)
Across the Universe (John Lennon; 1940-1980)

This event will be held in our historic Recital Hall. It is free of charge and open to the public, thanks to the generosity of the Walker Fund. Donations are appreciated.
____________________
Emily Adams:
Known for her vocal flexibility and expressiveness, mezzo-soprano Emily Adams has performed in
operas, concerts, and recitals throughout southern New England. An avid early music performer,
Emily sang the Monteverdi Vespers with Cantata Singers this past October, and was a featured
soloist in their performance of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion. Recent opera performances include
Dorabella in Mozart’s Così fan tutte with Opera51. Past concert performances include the alto soloist
in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and Handel’s Messiah. Emily is also a professional pianist and
organist and has accompanied productions of La Bohème and Der Schauspieldirektor for Opera
New Hampshire’s educational initiative. As a ballet pianist, Emily worked with the apprentice
company of Boston Ballet (BBII) and the San Francisco Opera dance corps. When not pursuing
musical ventures, Emily loves sewing, embroidery, and most of all, being a mom to her two
rambunctious young children.
Cody Switzer:
Born in Mobile, Alabama, Cody Switzer began playing guitar at 10 years old starting with classical
guitar lessons from the professor at the University of South Alabama and continuing throughout
middle and high school. He continued his music education at the University of Alabama where he
obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance. Post-graduation he moved to Tallahassee,
Florida to study with Bruce Holzman at Florida State University, obtaining a Master’s Degree in Arts
Administration at FSU in 2018. During this time he was elected the president of the Classical Guitar
Society at FSU and director of the FSU Modern Guitar Ensemble. Cody moved to New Hampshire
with his wife in July 2020 and began teaching guitar for the Nashua Community Music School that
following October. In February 2023, he was hired to be the Assistant Director for NCMS, where he
gleefully works in the main office, manages outreach programs, and still teaches students a variety
of genres including classical, thrash metal, country, and neo-soul.

Bach's Lunch: "A Baroque Beatles Renaissance" (Lecture)
2025-01-02 12:10 - 12:50 | CCMS Recital Hall
“Travel through time” as Cody Switzer and Emily Adams discuss similarities between the music of the English Renaissance (John Dowland, William Byrd, Thomas Morley) and that of the Beatles! They will discuss how lute songs, as well as the music of Lennon and McCartney, translate so well to solo voice and guitar. With musical examples and stories, they will weave a tale as old as the 15th century and as new as the 20th.
This event will be held in our historic Recital Hall. It is free of charge and open to the public, thanks to the generosity of the Walker Fund. Donations are appreciated.
____________________
Emily Adams:
Known for her vocal flexibility and expressiveness, mezzo-soprano Emily Adams has performed in
operas, concerts, and recitals throughout southern New England. An avid early music performer,
Emily sang the Monteverdi Vespers with Cantata Singers this past October, and was a featured
soloist in their performance of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion. Recent opera performances include
Dorabella in Mozart’s Così fan tutte with Opera51. Past concert performances include the alto soloist
in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and Handel’s Messiah. Emily is also a professional pianist and
organist and has accompanied productions of La Bohème and Der Schauspieldirektor for Opera
New Hampshire’s educational initiative. As a ballet pianist, Emily worked with the apprentice
company of Boston Ballet (BBII) and the San Francisco Opera dance corps. When not pursuing
musical ventures, Emily loves sewing, embroidery, and most of all, being a mom to her two
rambunctious young children.
Cody Switzer:
Born in Mobile, Alabama, Cody Switzer began playing guitar at 10 years old starting with classical
guitar lessons from the professor at the University of South Alabama and continuing throughout
middle and high school. He continued his music education at the University of Alabama where he
obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance. Post-graduation he moved to Tallahassee,
Florida to study with Bruce Holzman at Florida State University, obtaining a Master’s Degree in Arts
Administration at FSU in 2018. During this time he was elected the president of the Classical Guitar
Society at FSU and director of the FSU Modern Guitar Ensemble. Cody moved to New Hampshire
with his wife in July 2020 and began teaching guitar for the Nashua Community Music School that
following October. In February 2023, he was hired to be the Assistant Director for NCMS, where he
gleefully works in the main office, manages outreach programs, and still teaches students a variety
of genres including classical, thrash metal, country, and neo-soul.

CCMS String Department Student Recital
2024-12-21 18:00 - 19:00 | CCMS Recital Hall
Student recitals are part of the Concord Community Music School’s multi-level curriculum for private lesson students. These frequent performance opportunities help our students perform more easily, broaden their musical skills, and help them make new musical friends.
This concert features our string department students.
This event is part of our 40th Anniversary Year celebration and will be held in our historic Recital Hall. It is free of charge and open to the public. Donations are appreciated.

CCMS Student Recitals - December 20, 2024
2024-12-20 18:00 - 20:30 | CCMS Recital Hall
Student recitals are part of the Concord Community Music School’s multi-level curriculum for private lesson students. These frequent performance opportunities help our students perform more easily, broaden their musical skills, and help them make new musical friends.
Tonight, we have back-to-back recitals at 6 & 7PM.
These events are part of our 40th Anniversary Year celebration and will be held in our historic Recital Hall. They are free of charge and open to the public. Donations are appreciated.

CCMS Adult Student Recital - December 18, 2024
2024-12-18 19:00 - 20:00 | CCMS Recital Hall
Student recitals are part of the Concord Community Music School’s multi-level curriculum for private lesson students. These frequent performance opportunities help our students perform more easily, broaden their musical skills, and help them make new musical friends.
This concert features our adult students.
This event is part of our 40th Anniversary Year celebration and will be held in our Community Room. It is free of charge and open to the public. Donations are appreciated.

Holiday Folk Concert
2024-12-14 19:00 - 21:00 | CCMS Recital Hall
Purchase Tickets Here
Nearly twenty years ago, singer and guitarist Susie Burke and her husband, guitarist/mandolinist David Surette, began a series of annual holiday concerts with pianist/guitarist/bassist Kent Allyn. The shows soon became part of many people’s holiday traditions. David passed away in December 2021, leaving very large shoes to fill, and is sorely missed by so many.
Last year, Susie and Kent called on multi-instrumentalist Steve Roy, one of David’s great pals and very favorite musical collaborators, to join them for a series of holiday shows. The three return this year, in a festive concert featuring selections from their holiday CD release “Wonderland,” alongside a repertoire ranging from centuries-old traditional carols to unique takes on modern holiday classics. They will also feature a guest number performed by some of David’s students, several of whom are now teacher/performers themselves.
With influences and styles ranging from folk to jazz, Celtic to rock, blues to Broadway and beyond, this trio presents seasonal repertoire with heart, humor, flair, and energy.
Susie Burke is a singer, guitarist, educator and songwriter from southern Maine. Well-versed in a variety of contemporary and traditional folk styles, Susie is best known for her work in a duo with her husband, multi-instrumentalist and composer David Surette, with whom she recorded seven albums and performed for thirty-five years. Reviews in the Boston Globe have said of Burke’s singing, “her dark crystal voice is transporting”, and “her phrasing is unerringly devoted to the lyric”. Susie continues to perform and teach throughout New England and beyond, bringing a collaborative and joyful style to sharing music.

Kent Allyn is an in-demand accompanist and studio musician, as well as a key member of several groups, including Ben Baldwin & the Big Note, and the Renovators. His stellar bass, piano, and electric guitar work have been heard on numerous recordings, Susie and David’s among them.
Steve Roy is a multi-instrumentalist from Eliot, Maine who plays and teaches upright bass, mandolin, fiddle, guitar, and ukulele. Fluent in a vast array of musical styles from bluegrass to jazz to heavy metal, he has toured with many of the acoustic world’s top acts, and is well known locally for his work with numerous groups such as Old Hat Stringband, Jazzputin and the Jug Skunks, High Range, and Steve and Dave Play Dead, his Grateful Dead tribute duo with David Surette.
The concert takes place at Concord Community Music School on Saturday, December 14 at 7 pm in the Recital Hall. Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for students/seniors, and can be purchased online or in person at the Music School. For questions, please call 603-228-1196. Please note: there are no physical tickets for this event. When you purchase tickets, your name will be put on a list and we will check you in at the door.

CCMS Student Recital - December 13, 2024
2024-12-13 19:00 - 20:30 | CCMS Recital Hall
Student recitals are part of the Concord Community Music School’s multi-level curriculum for private lesson students. These frequent performance opportunities help our students perform more easily, broaden their musical skills, and help them make new musical friends.
This event is part of our 40th Anniversary Year celebration and will be held in our historic Recital Hall. It is free of charge and open to the public. Donations are appreciated.

Bach's Lunch: Canterbury Singers 2024 Holiday Recital and Sing-Along
2024-12-12 12:10 - 13:00 | CCMS Recital Hall
“Glory Glory”

The Canterbury Singers are back with another concert of fun and traditional holiday tunes as well as selections from the Shaker, Deep South, and Gospel traditions. The audience will join in for carol singing!
All Bach’s Lunch performances are free and open to the public. They are presented in part through the generosity of the Walker Fund.
About the Canterbury Singers:
The Canterbury Singers partner with the Canterbury Shaker Village to present authentic Shaker music, expanded by arrangements of American folk songs, music of early America, and inspired arrangements by a variety of composers. One of the very few non-auditioned, high quality professionally directed choral experiences for mixed voices (men and women blended ensemble) in the Capital Area.

Bach's Lunch: "Harmonious Heights" by Zefira Trio
2024-12-05 12:10 - 12:50 | CCMS Recital Hall
Zefira Trio comprises violinist (and CCMS faculty member) Olga Patramanska-Bell, cellist Ashima Scripp, and pianist Eleanor Perrone.
The program features a dynamic mix of expressive chamber works. Robert Paterson’s Summit Trio captures the drama and beauty of nature, while Frank Bridge’s Miniatures Nos. 4-6 offer a series of intimate, character-filled piano trio pieces. The program concludes with Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio in C Minor, Op. 66, a passionate and technically brilliant work that blends lyrical beauty with dramatic intensity, showcasing the composer’s mastery of form and emotion.
The members of Zefíra have established themselves as solo artists and chamber musicians of the highest standard. They are top prize winners of many national and international competitions and appear often as soloists with orchestras or in major recital halls across the country. This commitment to excellence is the foundation of their collaboration — to combine the instrumental mastery of the soloist into the ‘many-become-one’ that defines great chamber music playing, and is achieved only by long-term association and mutuality in joint performance.
This event is part of our 40th Anniversary Year celebration and will be held in our historic Recital Hall. It is free of charge and open to the public, thanks to the generosity of the Walker Fund. Donations are appreciated.

Fall Folk Gathering
2024-11-21 18:00 - 20:30 | CCMS Recital Hall
Join us for an evening of jamming with fellow folk musicians and CCMS folk faculty, plus performances by students from the Concord Community Music School’s Folk Department! The folk gathering will take place at 6pm on Thursday, November 21 in the Recital Hall at Concord Community Music School. This event is free and open to the public.

✨ Folk Gathering Schedule✨

6:00 – 7:00pm Slow Jam | Novice/Early Intermediate, other levels welcome to sit in!
7:00 – 7:30pm Ensemble Performances & Group Tunes | All musicians are invited to join us in playing Highland Laddie / Boy’s Lament for His Dragon!
7:30 – 8:30pm Fast Jam | Late Intermediate/Advanced, other levels welcome to sit in!

✨ Group Tunes ✨
Here’s the link to sheet music and practice tracks for our group tunes medley, Highland Laddie / Boy’s Lament for His Dragon! These are the tunes that all folk musicians in attendance will be invited to join in playing at the conclusion of the ensemble performances.

Northern Lights Concert: Find a Way
2024-11-15 19:00 - 20:30 | CCMS Recital Hall
This fall, the Northern Lights Women’s Vocal Ensemble, directed by Peggo Horstmann Hodes, present songs that are uplifting and hopeful. The lyrics consider how in troubled times, we can “Find A Way” – together, singing, with kindness, and love. Highlights include a Francophone lullaby arranged beautifully for us by CCMS alum Annie Papinsick, who will also be accompanying on piano, special guests Peg O’Neil and Emilie Meadows who will be drumming on several songs, as well as guitar, mandolin, and a sheep puppet. We will close with a couple of sing-alongs, so we can all “Find A Way” singing together with joy.
The concert takes place in the Recital Hall at Concord Community Music School. Tickets are $15 by general admission, and can be purchased online, over the phone at 603-228-1196 or in person at the Music School.

Allstate Audition Workshop for Woodwinds/Brass
2024-11-14 18:45 - 20:00 | CCMS
Join your friends for an interactive workshop specifically geared to this year’s All-State audition pieces! CCMS faculty Stephanie Jenkins will provide specific help with your performance, including tips for sight-reading and staying focused under pressure. Bring your All-State materials to the workshop.
The workshop takes place on Thursday, November 14 from 6:45-8 pm in Room 119 at the Music School. This workshop is FREE for current CCMS students or $15 for non-CCMS students.
To learn more and register for this workshop, contact Registrar Nicole Laurin at nlaurin@ccmusicschool.org or 603-228-1196.

Bach's Lunch: Kyra Zhao Piano Recital
2024-11-14 12:10 - 12:50
This solo piano recital by guest artist Dr. Kyra Zhao will feature the essential works of Ludwig van Beethoven and Franz Liszt, alongside exquisite gems from Maurice Ravel and Robert Schumann. The concert will open with the enchanting miniatures of Ravel “Jeux D’eau” (Water games), whose lush harmonies and intricate textures transport listeners to a world of vibrant colors and imaginations. Followed by one of Beethoven’s most notable piano sonatas: the “Tempest Sonata,” a work renowned for its dramatic contrasts and deep emotional resonance, capturing the essence of longing and turmoil, as well as Beethoven’s masterful structure and the counterpoint. This will be followed by Liszt’s stunning transcription of Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde,” (highly emotional love story) where the pianist will bring to life the lush, sweeping melodies and intricate harmonies that define Wagner’s operatic masterpiece. The program will also include Liszt’s captivating “Widmung,” a heartfelt tribute that embodies both tenderness and passion, and the fiery “Spanish Rhapsody,” which immerses listeners in intensively difficult And brilliant virtuosity and Spanish flair. Interspersed throughout the evening, alongside the lyrical and introspective pieces of Schumann, revealing the nuances of the human experience. This concert promises a rich tapestry of sound, celebrating the timeless beauty of piano music that resonates through the ages.
This event is part of our 40th Anniversary Year celebration and will be held in our historic Recital Hall. It is free of charge and open to the public, thanks to the generosity of the Walker Fund. (And yes, people sometimes really DO bring their lunches to enjoy while listening…) Donations are appreciated.

Allstate Audition Workshop for Voice
2024-11-13 18:30 - 20:00 | CCMS
Join your friends for an interactive workshop specifically geared to this year’s All-State audition pieces! CCMS faculty Jane Berlin Pauley will provide specific help with your performance, including tips for sight-reading and staying focused under pressure. Bring your All-State materials to the workshop.
The workshop takes place on Wednesday, November 13 from 6:30-8 pm in Room 119 at the Music School. This workshop is FREE for current CCMS students or $15 for non-CCMS students.
To learn more and register for this workshop, contact Registrar Nicole Laurin at nlaurin@ccmusicschool.org or 603-228-1196.

CCMS 40th Anniversary Year Fundraising Gala
2024-11-07 17:30 - 20:30 | Pembroke Pines Country Club, 42 Whittemore Rd, Pembroke, NH, 03275, United States
Join Concord Community Music School as we celebrate the big “4-0” with amazing music, great food, an exciting new venue, and lots of musical friendships. We hope you can join us.
Purchase Tickets Here ($125 pp; tables of 8 are $1,000)

Our gala program is a wonderful opportunity to recognize a teacher or student. Learn more here.
This event wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of our sponsors:

PLATINUM SPONSOR

GOLD SPONSORS

THE RUEDIG FAMILY

DESSERT SPONSOR

FLORAL SPONSOR

PHOTO SPONSOR

MEDIA SPONSOR

SPONSORS

The Canterbury Singers

Bach's Lunch: Kyra Zhao Lecture
2024-11-07 12:10 - 12:50
Kyra Zhao’s lecture From Page to Performance: The Literary Influences in Beethoven and Liszt’s Iconic Piano Works delves into the intricate relationship between literature and music, highlighting how renowned composers such as Beethoven and Liszt drew profound inspiration from iconic literary works.
We will begin with an analysis of Beethoven’s Tempest Sonata, which is believed to be influenced by Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Through an exploration of its tempestuous and dramatic passages, we will examine how Beethoven transformed the play’s themes of chaos, magic, and human emotion into a compelling musical narrative.
Our discussion will then shift to Franz Liszt, whose literary fascination extended to both classical and contemporary works. Liszt’s transcriptions of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde exemplify the seamless blending of literary inspiration with musical expression. By scrutinizing the motifs and emotional depth present in both Wagner’s opera and Liszt’s piano interpretations, we will uncover how the legend of Tristan and Isolde serves as a timeless muse for composers, illuminating the intensity of love and its tragic consequences.
Additionally, we will explore Liszt’s transcription of Robert Schumann’s Widmung (“Dedication”), which embodies the deep devotion Schumann felt for Clara. This piece serves as a powerful representation of love, imbued with emotional richness, yet it also conveys a sense of fear and insecurity, reflecting the complexities of romantic relationships.
Through this journey, the lecture will illuminate how literary narratives have continually shaped and inspired the creation of some of the most expressive and dramatic music, bridging two art forms and bringing timeless stories to life through sound.
This event is part of our 40th Anniversary Year celebration and will be held in our historic Recital Hall. It is free of charge and open to the public, thanks to the generosity of the Walker Fund. (And yes, people sometimes really DO bring their lunches to enjoy while listening…) Donations are appreciated.

CCMS Student Recital - November 2024
2024-11-01 19:00 - 20:00 | CCMS Recital Hall

Trick or Treat at CCMS - 2024
2024-10-31 09:00 - 16:00 | CCMS
Whether you have little ones that are too young to go out at night or you want to relive your childhood, we have you covered.
Come trick-or-treat at the Music School on Halloween. Start at our reception desk and follow the signs to our admin staff’s offices. A different treat awaits at each spot. We can’t wait to see you and your amazing costumes! (If you can’t get here ’til after 4, there’ll be fewer places to trick-or-treat, but we’ll still have treats for you.)
You do not have to be a CCMS student to participate.

Eliot Fisk in Concert
2024-10-19 19:30 - 20:30 | CCMS Recital Hall
This concert is SOLD OUT. If you would like to be added to our waitlist, please RSVP to the WAITLIST below. Waitlist RSVPs will be admitted only if space allows beginning at 7:30 pm, and will be first come, first seated.
Concord Community Music School is excited to announce an extraordinary musical event in honor of the School’s 40th Anniversary Year and in conjunction with the new Concord Sound & Color Festival (October 18-19, 2024).
Legendary guitarist Eliot Fisk will perform a free solo recital at CCMS on Saturday, October 19, 2024 at 7:30 pm in our historic Recital Hall.
Eliot Fisk is known worldwide as a charismatic performer famed for his adventurous and virtuosic repertoire. Eliot is also celebrated for his willingness to take art music into unusual venues (schools, assisted living facilities, and even logging camps and prisons). He continues to be guided by the belief that “music is our common language, a metaphor for all that is noble in the human race.” After five decades before the public, he remains (as his mentor Andres Segovia once wrote) “at the top line of our artistic world.”
Seating is limited; reserve your seats for the concert in the RSVP below.
MORE ABOUT THE ARTIST
Eliot Fisk continues to break new ground for the guitar with marathon performances of his transcriptions of all 6 Bach Cello Suites, duo performances with guitar legend Angel Romero and with a new trio formed with virtuoso guitarists Joaquin Clerch and Aniello Desiderio. He has performed with a dizzying array of chamber music colleagues including flutist Paula Robison; clarinetist Richard Stoltzman; cellist Yehuda Hanani; violinists Ruggiero Ricci, Gidon Kremer and Joshua Bell, the Shanghai, Juilliard, Miro, Borromeo and Arditti String Quartets. He has invented numerous crossover projects with, among others, Paco Peña (flamenco guitar); Joe Pass and Bill Frisell (jazz guitar) chanteuse Ute Lemper, and Turkish music specialist Burhan Öçal. Fisk was the last direct pupil of Andres Segovia and studied interpretation with the legendary harpsichordist Ralph Kirkpatrick at Yale University, from which he graduated “summa cum laude” in 1976, and where, directly following his own graduation in 1977, he founded the guitar department at the Yale School of Music. Described by one New York Times headline as a “Fiery Missionary to the Unconverted”, Fisk teaches at New England Conservatory and recently retired as Professor at the Universität Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, where he taught in 5 languages. He is Founder and Director of Boston GuitarFest. In June 2006, King Juan Carlos of Spain awarded Fisk the “Cruz de Isabel la Católica” for his service to the cause of Spanish music. Earlier recipients of this honor have included Andrés Segovia and Yehudi Menuhin.

Concord Sound & Color Festival
2024-10-19 11:00 - 17:00 | CCMS Community Room, 23 Wall Street, Concord, NH, 03301
CCMS is proud to be a part of the Sound and Color Festival on Saturday, October 19. This FREE 2-day art and music festival takes place at venues and outdoor locations throughout the historic city of Concord, NH. Our goal is to remove all barriers to arts access and promote the importance of the arts community to the region and beyond.

The Music School FREE activity schedule is as follows, and all activities take place in our open and spacious Community Room.
Saturday, October 19
11:00 AM: Drum Circle with Matt Alling (all ages)
12:00 PM: Puppetry Demo & Crafts with Jonathan Edward Cross of Bee Skep Puppet Theatre (all ages)
1:00 PM: Folk Jam with Audrey Budington & Anders Larson (all ages) – All folk instruments are welcome (recommended to have 1+ yrs. experience on your instrument). We will have sheet music available, but will also play by ear. Come jam with us!
2:00 PM: Ukulele Class with Zeb Cruikshank (all ages) – This workshop is intended for beginners, but those who have been playing for a while are also encouraged to attend, as we will have a little something for everyone. We will have ukuleles available to use, but feel free to bring your own if you have one!
3:00 PM: Music & Movement Class with Heather Bigelow Hearne (ages 0-10)
4:00 PM: Northern Lights Women’s Vocal Ensemble Mini Concert & Singalong with Peggo Horstmann Hodes (all ages)
Come back at 7:30 pm for a FREE concert with legendary guitarist Eliot Fisk (free tickets – RSVP required)
For more information and full festival schedule, visit: https://concordsoundandcolor.com/
