St. Alban's Episcopal Church - Music at St Alban's

From the Artistic Director

Welcome to the fourth season of Music at St. Alban’s! Once again, we are pleased to offer an exciting series of concerts, continuing to break down the barriers between artists and audiences with our intimate, welcoming seating arrangement and friendly, fun post-concert receptions. We are planning even more outreach programs to bring our guest musicians to schools and community organizations, where they share their passion and talent with those who ordinarily might not have the opportunity to experience and appreciate these musical gifts. We also are reaffirming our commitment to making great music available to young people by offering free admission to all children under 10, reaching out to schools, and programming family-friendly concerts. We are committed to keeping our admissions prices low in spite of rising costs all around us. Your subscription purchases and additional tax-deductible contributions account for more than 60% of our operating budget – please help us to continue to enrich our community through great music.

-Henry Lebedinsky

Music at St. Alban’s

301 Caldwell Lane Davidson, NC

2007-2008 Concert Series

Sunday, September 16 – 3:00 p.m.

Bach: All in the Family

The Bach family produced more than 50 professional musicians over two centuries. Our fourth season opens with music by four great Bachs, performed by an all-star lineup of musicians, including Grammy award-winning countertenor Ian Howell, baroque cellist Gyöngy Erödi, and baroque oboist William Thauer, accompanied by an orchestra of period instruments. Program highlights include C.P.E. Bach’s Cello Concerto in C minor, J.S. Bach’s Cantata Vergnügte rüh, BWV 170, as well as works by Johann Christoph and Johann Ernst Bach.

Sunday, November 18 – 3:00 p.m.

Carolina Voices Festival Singers: Spiritual Landscapes

Be touched by divine inspiration. From the darkest depths to pinnacles of joy, the Festival Singers take you on a spiritual adventure with Maurice Duruflé’s Requiem and Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Toward the Unknown Region. Under the direction of Donna Hill, this acclaimed choral ensemble brings these sacred masterworks to life.

Saturday, December 8 – 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, December 9 – 3:00 p.m.

The Beggar Boys: A Celtic Christmas

Warm up your family’s holiday season with traditional Irish and Scottish music including favorite carols and spirited, energetic dance tunes. The Boston-based band will be joined by Irish step dancers from Charlotte’s Rince na h’Eireann academy of Irish Dance. A portion of the proceeds from this concert will benefit the Ada Jenkins Center.

Sunday, January 27 – 3:00 p.m.

Music from the Appalachian Heritage

Get ready for fun as Poultry in Motion presents this program of traditional Appalachian and old-time music, from its Scots-Irish roots to present-day influences. Led by Charlotte’s own Jon Singleton playing banjo and fiddle, Poultry in Motion includes Atlanta-based ballad singer Leila Lazenby, upright bassist Robbie Link, and special guests. A toe-tapping celebration of mountain music at its best.

Sunday, March 2 – 3:00 p.m.

The Manhattan Piano Trio

Milana Bahl (Piano), Dmitry Lukin (Violin) and Dmitry Kouzov (Cello)

The Manhattan Piano Trio is rapidly gaining recognition as one of the most exciting, versatile and active emerging chamber music groups in America. Made up of three dynamic graduates of the Juilliard School of Music, this ensemble engages its audience with creative programming, energized performance, and a passion for the dramatic. The program will include Shostakovich’s Jazz Suite #1 and Ravel’s Piano Trio in A minor, along with works by Haydn, Liszt, and Piazzolla.

Sunday, April 6 – 3:00 p.m.

LYRA Vocal Ensemble of St. Petersburg, Russia

Hailed by The Washington Post as having “a pure a cappella sound that could both fill the intimate space and drop to an edge-of-your-seat whisper,” LYRA returns to Davidson for its second appearance at Music at St. Alban’s, performing Russian Orthodox Church music as well as traditional songs of Russia and Ukraine with passion, humor, and sheer vocal power. A unique event not to be missed.

(Please print this section and use it when you order your subscriptions.)

Ticket Information:

Tickets are available at the door or in advance by calling the Concert Series line at: 704-941-0650.

General admission: $15, Students & Seniors: $10, children under 10: FREE.

Visit us on the web at http://www.saintalbans-davidson.org/musicatstalbans.htm

BECOME A FRIEND OF MUSIC AT ST. ALBAN’S:

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St. Alban’s Episcopal Church

P.O. Box 970

Davidson, NC 28036

The George Stevens Organ

The history and craftsmanship of this magnificent 19th century organ is highly noteworthy. Upon initial completion, the organ had 686 pipes of various shapes and sizes. Since then, many additional “ranks” or sounds have been added and today the organ has more than 900 pipes. Each pipe ranges in size; some are as small as a pencil stub while the largest is a nine-foot cylinder big enough for a child to crawl through. Its case, which is six feet deep and 15 feet high, is finished with tiger-striped white oak, the console is black walnut and the keys are hand-carved from elephant ivory. The stops also are ivory, with ornate calligraphy carved into them in order to identify each sound or action.

The organ was originally designed and crafted in Boston, which in the 1800s, was the hub of organ building. In 1835, George Stevens, a highly regarded craftsman and a member of the prominent Boston School. The Boston School, a group of shops that worked together to create premium organs, were known for their high quality workmanship. St. Alban’s acquired the organ from the owner; a Methodist church in Hope, Rhode Island, in 2000.

To prepare the organ for its new home, it was taken apart piece by piece and carefully wrapped and shipped to John Farmer, of Winston-Salem, NC, one of the nation’s top organ restorers. Farmer was responsible for restoring the organ to its full 19th century sound and appearance. The restoration process included replacing and repairing individual parts, adding pipes, refinishing the case and adding the gold leaf trim to the molding.

The organ was installed in the sanctuary in March, 2003.

“There simply is no way to replicate these materials and this type of handwork today,” said John Farmer.

ORGAN SPECIFICATIONS

George Stevens, East Cambridge, MA, ca. 1865

Richard Hamar, Boston, MA :Restored and enlarged 1974

J. Allen Farmer, Inc. Winston-Salem NC: Rebuilt and Refurbished 2003

GREAT: 56 notes, C1-G56, unenclosed

1. Open Diapason 8’ 56 Pipes façade, spotted metal

2. Clarabella (tg) 8’ 37 open wood

3. Keraulophone (tg) 8’ 37 open metal

Stopped Diap. Bass 8’ 19 stopped wood

4. Principal 4’ 56 open metal