From Cowboy Ballads to Innovations in Classical Music, New Mexico History and Blues, Free Series Offers Something for Everyone
Silver City -- The Silver City Public Library's free, 2020 concert series offers a richly diverse selection of musical styles and performances, beginning at 6 pm this Friday with "Music of the Ranch and Open Range," a salute to cowboy music and the ranching lifestyle, when singer-songwriter Steve Cormier takes the stage, performing the songs of ranch hands from the late 19th to mid-20th centuries, as well as original works.
The series continues Friday, February 14, when Jane Voss and Hoyle Osborne present "1912: A Musical Snapshot of America in the Year New Mexico Became a State."
New Mexico achieved statehood during a fascinating and complex time in America's history. Voss & Osborne combine their extensive knowledge of historic American music with expert performance, bringing to life through music this key moment of New Mexico's history.
In 1912, the frontier was no longer open for expansion, and the U.S. was becoming a major world power. Electric power, telephones, film, recordings, radio, automobiles, and airplanes were rapidly changing life in America. Minorities, women, and workers were all agitating for more rights. Voss & Osborne will present songs from the suffrage movement and the labor struggles, about the tumultuous presidential election, and about the Titanic - all from 1912 - introduced with historical information, much of it drawn from journalism and literature of the period. The program's climax is the corrido, "Hymn to the Statehood of New Mexico." For more information, please visit www.janevoss.com.
On March 27, Gary Paul offers up folk and blues with a storyteller's craft, taking listeners on an American musical travel odyssey, with traditional and Celtic influences to knock-down blues, bebop and everything in between. Winner of the 2017 New Mexico Music Award (NMMA) for singer/songwriter, the 2016 NMMA award winner for Western music, and eight additional NMMA nominations to his credit, Paul's writing melds the songwriting traditions of his Northeast roots with influences from his travels through the South and Southwest. To listen, visit www.reverbnation.com/garypaul.
Friday, May 15, flutist Carmen Maret and guitarist Andrew Bergeron of Folias Duo will share their unique, 17-year, performer-composer collaboration with Silver City classical music lovers. Folias Duo melds characteristics of European classical music with jazz, world music and the art of improvisation. The rhythms, contours, and textures of their meticulously crafted and scenic music continue to test the technical and sonic limitations of the intimate flute and guitar combination.
Based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Folias Duo’s performing career has taken them to stages throughout the United States, South America, and Europe. The couple has produced and released seven albums of original compositions and arrangements, including five albums on the Blue Griffin Recording label in 2004-2014. More recently they released Dreaming to Live (2017) and Delicate Omens (2019) on their own label. To listen, visit www.foliasmusic.com.
Music can also be enjoyed at the April 25 "Love your Library" celebration. Performers to be announced.
All performances begin promptly at 6 pm, and the doors open 30 minutes before. Seating is limited for these free concerts, which are made possible by Friends of the Library! The Silver City Public Library is located at 515 W. College Avenue, on the corner of College and Cooper Street. For more information, please call the library at (575) 538-3672, or email programs@silvercitymail.com.