Andrew Nalley, Baritone, Set to Perform August 2nd

Outstanding, Emerging Baritone from the University of Alabama set to present the next concert for the Music at Messiah Classical Concert Series.

Concert Information
Sunday, August 2nd, 2015 at  4:00 pm
Messiah Lutheran Church
7741 Hwy 72 West
Madison, Al 35758

Cost of the concert is free. Donations are welcome. A reception will be held after the performance.

Baritone Andrew Nalley is a senior at the University of Alabama where he is a student of Dr. Paul Houghtaling. At Alabama, Andrew has been heard in a variety of roles with the UA Opera Theatre including the title role in Don Giovanni, John Sorel in The Consul, Archibald Grosvenor in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Patience, and the Bailiff in the world premiere of Amir Zaheri’s The Raven’s Revenge. Also with the UA Opera Theatre, he was a finalist in the National Opera Association’s 2011 Collegiate Opera Scenes Competition in San Antonio, Texas. In 2014, he appeared as Guglielmo in Così fan tutte and Rapunzel’s Prince in Into the Woods with Opera in the Ozarks in Arkansas.

 He has been a winner and a finalist in numerous competitions including Alabama’s MTNA Young Artist Voice Competition, the Alabama Federation of Music Clubs, Birmingham Music Club Guild, Alabama Music Teachers Association, NATS, and the Montgomery Symphony’s Vann Vocal Institute Emerging Artists Competition. Additional performance credits include Dick McGann in Street Scene with the Harrower Opera Workshop and Robert Livingston in Huntsville, Alabama’s Independent Musical Theater’s production of 1776.

Andrew began his vocal studies with Martha Brouse at Belle Voce Studio in Huntsville. With Belle Voce he was seen as Count Almaviva in the Marriage of Figaro and Marius in Les Miserable. He has also studied at the Westminster Choir College’s CoOperative training program and has coached with David Cangelosi, Laurie Rogers, Alan Held, and Steven Crawford.

AGO Organ Recital at Messiah Lutheran at Noon on April 9th

The console of Messiah Lutheran's  newly installed pipe organ
(Photo / illustration by Meredith Kilby)

The local AGO (American Guild of Organists) will be presenting an organ concert on Thursday, April 9th at 12:00 Noon at Messiah Lutheran Church, 7740 Hwy 72 West in Madison, Alabama.

Organists Susan Fletcher and Mary Williamson will be the recitalists.

Messiah's pipe organ is just into its first full year of enhancing the worship and music ministries at Messiah Lutheran Church. The church was built in 1993 and a pipe organ was installed shortly thereafter, but a 2011 sanctuary expansion necessitated the need for a larger instrument to be located.  The Organ Search Committee sought an instrument that would not only support Messiah's worship services but also serve as a quality performance and recital organ for the community and the newly formed Music at Messiah Classical Concert Series.  After an extensive search and intensive build process during the summer of 2014,  Messiah dedicated the organ on October 26th, 2014 and held its first recital. 

The organ features over 800 pipes and is located within the upper level of the east transept of the choir area.  This custom built, refurbished organ was designed by Miller Pipe Organ Services with the rich textures of a solid foundation, adding tonal variety and color with reeds and mixtures.  The fine workmanship of the organ builders and the acoustics of the sanctuary combine to give the pipe organ a lively presence and glorious sound.

The event is presented by local American Guild of Organists members, in coordination with Lois Graff, who is the Organist and Director of Music at Messiah Lutheran Church.  Lois also serves on the board of the Music at Messiah Classical Concert Series.

The April 9th concert was originally scheduled March 5th as part of a noontime organ recital series during the Lenten season, but was cancelled due to wintry weather.

The concert is free and all are welcome to attend! 

Countdown to First Concert of 2015. Debra Saylor - January 11th at 4 PM.

Solo Piano Concert, "Piano at Twilight" Sunday January 11th at 4 PM.

The Music at Messiah Classical Concert series extends Happy New Year blessings to all followers and friends,  and look forward to seeing everyone at the upcoming January 11th  at 4 PM concert which features the extraordinary talent of pianist Debra Saylor.

Debra will be interviewed live on classical radio station WLRH this coming Friday, January 9th at 11:00 a.m. by regular morning host Ginny Kennedy.  WLRH can be found at FM/HD 89.3 or by listening online at http://www.wlrh.org/  

Saylor, a finalist in the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition for amateurs in 2000, took third place for her awe-inspiring performance of Debussy's Claire de Lune. Fellow Van Cliburn competitor Carl Tait described her semi-final performance in this entry from his March 2001 blog post as follows.

"The most memorable pianist of the entire competition made her first appearance at 4:15 that afternoon. Steve Cumming introduced Debra Saylor without fanfare, in much the same genially professional way he introduced all of us. We saw the long white cane first. There was a collective gasp. Debra Saylor was blind. Shea made her way to the piano bench with surprising speed and adjusted it quickly with well-practiced motions. She spread her arms widely across the keyboard several times to judge both height and proximity. My mind was awash in conflicting emotions. This was remarkable, brave, commendable - but would it be any good?

Debra began with Schubert's familiar Moment Musical in F minor. It was good. Very good. I was smiling within seconds. The performance had a cheerful Viennese lilt and real charm. Next came Debussy's Clair de lune, for which no one was prepared, or could have been prepared. Debussy's overplayed work, mutilated by several generations of piano students over the past century, glowed to new life in Debra's hands. Her tone was warm and deep, her legato singing, her phrasing impeccable, her pianissimos infinitely shaded. Anyone who claims not to have been in tears by the end is probably lying. It was one of those revelatory performances in which one feels the composer's ideas fusing with the artistry of a gifted pianist."

Titled "Piano at Twilight" attendees can expect Saylor's artistry on the piano to fill Messiah Lutheran' Church's recently expanded sancturay with piano works written by the world's finest composers.  It is sure to inspire and move audiences of all ages.  Oh and be warned, Debussy's Claire de Lune is on the program so you might want to grab a few tissues before you arrive!

Here's a wonderful performance by Debra from a later Van Cliburn competition.   We truly are blessed to have this wonderful musician perform a concert with the Music at Messiah Classical Concert Series.

Debra Saylor performs "Piano at Twilight" for January 11th 2015 Music at Messiah Classical Concert Series

Give the Gift of Music and mark January 11th on your 2015 Calender.  

On Sunday, January 11th, Music at Messiah presents pianist Debra Saylor, an award winner at the Van Cliburn Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs. The full-length concert from will feature her winning interpretation of Debussy's "Clair de Lune" along with works by Bach, Beethoven and Brahms. The concert is open to the public and will begin at 4:00 pm at Messiah Lutheran Church 

on Route 72 in Madison.

Give a gift of music for Christmas.   Series sponsorships begin at the $25 dollar level and come with a single line dedication of your choosing.  Donating with a dedication is a wonderful way to honor and recognize your loved ones!  The Music at Messiah Classical Concert Series is a self supporting series focused on presenting quality live and free classical concert performances to our community.  The date for having sponsor forms and advertising artwork in is January 4th. 2015.   Forms are available at the Welcome Center desk of Messiah Lutheran Church. www.mlutheran.org

We also offer advertising rates for any area businesses starting at $25.00.  Contact us today for more information, details. 

Solar Winds:Woodwind Quintet to perform September 21

The Solar Winds Woodwind Quintet will be performing on Sunday, September 21st at Messiah Lutheran Church in Madison, AL.  The free concert starts at 4 pm. 

The Woodwind Quintet is comprised of five members of the U.S. Army Materiel Command Band at Redstone Arsenal.  Namely, Oboe: SFC Megan Newman, Flute: SPC Robert Lambert, Clarinet: SPC Eric Flores-Ortiz, Horn: SPC Stephan Fahrlander, Bassoon: SSG Kathryn Beyer.

The full length concert is titled, "A European Tour," and will include works by Beethoven, Ibert, Stamitz, and others.   An intermission and reception following the concert is planned.

Publicity Efforts in Full Swing for Feb 16th "Michael Head" Concert

Gary Parks, Ingrid von Spakovsky to be interviewed on WLRH Feb 13th

(Update 2/13/2014 - the interview scheduled on WLRH has been cancelled due to weather / road conditions) We're pleased to announce that Gary Parks and Ingrid von Spakovsky are scheduled to be interviewed on air, at approximately 11:05 am, Thursday, Feb 13th on WLRH (89.3FM and online www.wlrh.org) by radio host Judy Watters.   In addition to the interview, MAMCCS will be recording a short Public Service Announcement with WLRH to run periodically prior to the February 16th Concert. Please tune in and if you are able, support our local Public Radio Station WLRH. We are grateful for their presence in the Tennessee River Valley.

Announcing a Facebook Page for Music at Messiah Classical Concert Series! 

We have recently created a Facebook Page for the Music at Messiah Classical Concert Series.  The ability for social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and You-Tube to extend the reach of traditional advertising is immense.  Please visit the page and "Like" it and "Share Posts"  with your users.  Here's the address:   https://www.facebook.com/musicatmessiah

Posters and Poster Cards Available at Messiah Lutheran Church!

A limited supply of posters and an ample supply of "Concert Cards" will be set out at the Welcome Center of Messiah Lutheran Church from now until February 16th.   Please take the concert cards and use them to invite co-workers or friends and place on your workplace lunch room bulletin board. The cards feature a handy "QR" code that allows the person to save the date to their smart phone calendars.

Gary Parks, Ingrid von Spakovsky prepare for Feb 16th Messiah Concert

Journey into the romantic, lyrical music of British composer Michael Head on February 16th.  Concert begins at 4 pm.

  

Oboist Gary Parks and pianist Ingrid von Spakovsky are set to perform the "Oboe Music of Michael Head." The concert will feature several delightfully pleasant and lyrical compositions by Head including Rondo, Siciliana, and the Suite for Oboe and Piano.  Also to be featured on the program will be several piano pieces of Claude Debussy, beautifully transcribed for oboe and piano by  oboist, Humbert Lucarelli. Additional works by Gershwin, Sayre and Davies will round out the performance. 

Michael Head was a 20th century British composer  well known as a singer and pianist who composed many art songs and pieces of choral literature. The oboe music featured  in this program is mostly a result of his collaboration with Lady Evelyn Rothwell Barbarolli, the first lady of the oboe in England.

Admission to the concert is free. Donations to support the Music at Messiah Classical Concert Series are greatly appreciated.   Please visit our sponsorship page for advertising and sponsorship information.