An upcoming concert in Brattleboro will feature classical music, as well as a new composition.
The Sarasa Ensemble is a collective of about 100 international vocalists and musicians who perform outstanding classical music from the 17th century to the present day. They often perform using period instruments, and play for a variety of communities.
One of their outreach programs is to those in adolescent detention centers. The Ensemble believes music can overcome economic, aesthetic, and cultural barriers. Performing for young people in these circumstances will help them find opportunities for self-expression, growth, and enrichment through music.
The Ensemble performs throughout the area, and is bringing this concert to Lexington and Cambridge as well as Brattleboro. The upcoming performance features instrumental and vocal music by John Tavener, Gerald Finzi, Vaughn Williams, John Blow, and Henry Purcell. They will also play a new composition for string quartet, written by Robert Merfeld. Merfeld’s inspiration for the piece is “The Silver Swan,” a madrigal by Orlando Gibbons.
Gibbons, who was born in 1583 and died in 1625, was an English keyboard player and composer. His madrigal, which he wrote for five voices, is based on the legend that swans, who are silent throughout their lives, sing a beautiful song just before they die.
The Sarasa Ensemble will perform “The Silver Swan” and other music at the Brattleboro Music Center on September 27. Organizers of events like this will often choose to use flyer printing to create handouts for the local area.
