BRATTLEBORO — The Brattleboro Music Center once again offers its annual March Musical Madness Salons.
Moby Pearson - violinist, ensemble coach, and orchestra conductor - invites music lovers into his home in Brattleboro to enjoy a vast array of musical treats with other music lovers. Be prepared to pick up new musical perspectives along the way.
“The sessions give everyone a chance in a relaxed atmosphere to experience the wonders of music from different angles,” Pearson said in a news release. “It may be delving into one great piece or sampling from the broad range of an artist. From Bach to the Beatles, it is always fun...and sounds great!"
He adds: “Salons are presented in a way that is accessible to all. You don't have to be a musician to attend -- open ears are all that is required.”
Sessions include:
• Thursday, March 5, Schubert's Two Cello Quintets: Just two months before he died, Franz Schubert wrote one of the most extraordinary works in the chamber music repertoire, the C major string quintet of 1828.
Each of its movements is unique in structure and emotional sentiment and the group will hear several ensembles and their interpretations of this wonderful masterpiece.
• Thursday, March 26, King of Choral Conductors: Robert Shaw's work remains to this day the gold standard for choral repertory. Maestros Toscanini and Szell both handpicked him to be choral director of their respective orchestras.
Shaw's choirs had a very special blend of sound and attendees will find out how he did it, thanks to a treasure trove of recordings and rehearsal videos.
• Thursday, April 2 (a.k.a., March 33rd), Music History 101, Part 1: This is the first in a series of programs walking through music's timeline, starting in 1397 when the composer Guillaume DuFay was born, then up to Bach and Handel, both born in the year 1685. It is fascinating to hear how music evolved over these three-and-a-half centuries.
The cost is $25 per session, or $60 to sign up in advance for all three salons. Call the BMC at 802-257-4523 to register and get directions.