Local musicians Meghan De Jager, Liz Coates and Christina Edwards are beating the winter blues by presenting a concert of Classical music.
In a January 8 media release, on January 20 and 21 the three women will be performing Winterlieder (Winter Songs), a programme of Classical repertoire. This concert is the second done by the group and is in direct response to the positive feedback received at their debut performance entitled Sommerlieder (Summer Songs) from last August.
“People look at us kind of funny when we say that we planned a concert for January,” said Coates.
“January tends to be a bit of a slow month for concerts and things to do in general. So why not put on a fun concert for people to look forward to,” added De Jager.
All three performers are post-secondary graduates of classical music programs who have found their homes along Lake Huron. De Jager BMus Performance teaches privately in Goderich and also directs A Cappella Chamber Choir in Port Elgin. Coates BMusEd teaches privately and is an organist in her hometown of Kincardine and Edwards PATM, BMus in Collaborative Piano Performance is a piano teacher and school admin at Blackboard Sound in Port Elgin.
The three ladies thoroughly enjoy making music with each other and relish the opportunity to be soloists and divas instead of their usual positions as leaders and collaborators.
The concert will feature excerpts from operas, art songs and musical theatre with solos, duets, and trios. This time around the musicians decided that having two concerts in two locations might be advantageous with a concert in Saugeen Shores and Kincardine. “Double the opportunity for Highway 21 to be open and driveable,” joked De Jager who lives on the infamous highway.
Having two concerts was also a way to reach a wider audience. To comments about the antiquated nature of classical music, Coates replied, “I hear so frequently that people either love or hate classical music, and I’ve even heard that because we’re a small town that no one here likes this kind of music - which breaks my heart. We want to make this beautiful music relevant and available to everyone.”
De Jager continued, “We’d love it if we had an audience made up of people of all ages. Bring your kids - infants too. Bring your grandparents. Bring anyone who loves vocal and piano music. Dress up or dress down - we’ll be thrilled to have you no matter what.”
Both concerts will be held at 2 p.m. with the Saugeen Shores concert happening on January 20 at the Southampton United Church and the Kincardine concert happening at the Kincardine United Church January 21.
Admission is by donation and there will be a reception following each concert.
