Self Taught 10 years old guitar player at Open Mic Classical / May 17, 2015

REPORT - Open Mic Classical, 3rd edition, May 17th, 2015

Our May edition “Open Mic Classical Cape Cod” opened strong with the beautiful Piano Sonata No.12 in F-major, K.332/300k by W. A. Mozart.

This sonata was published as part of a set of three sonatas, likely composed while Mozart visited Salzburg in 1783 to bashfully introduce his new wife Constanze to his father. In the 1994 film Immortal Beloved, Giulietta Guicciardii is heard playing this sonata during a piano lesson with Beethoven.

The sonata was beautifully played by our featured performer Lisa Gross. Unlike Mozart's father she had no trouble in getting our approval!

Henry Thrasher (see photo bellow), 10 years old, self-taught classical musician who came with his family all the way from Truro, played by memory “Estudio” for guitar by Francisco Tárrega. Francisco Tárrega was a Spanish composer and classical guitarist of the Romantic period, and was only ten years old when he ran away from home to start a musical career on his own by playing in coffee houses and restaurants in Barcelona.

Let's continue to support Henry, so he doesn’t follow suit and run away as well!

Henry was followed by Monika Woods’ beautiful rendition of Bartok’s “Three Hungarian Folksongs from the Csik District” for clarinet solo. She loves to perform this piece which connects her to her roots and the places she grew up. Did you know her mother's maiden name is Bartok?

This was followed by Lisa Gross with the fiery and sensual tango piece for piano “Francia” by Argentinian composer Octavio Barbero.

Eli Woods (husband of open-mic coordinator Monika Woods) played a piano improvisation, into which spontaneously creeped some of the melodies he and Monika use in their private teaching of music, some odd-ball plagal cadences, and some melodies that probably grew from music he's creating for a poet's recordings.

A special feature of this Open Mic Classical was the appearance of local composer and radio DJ Canary Lee Burton from Seabird Studio.

Her internationally recognized music was recorded locally, performed by Cape musicians. Two of her CDs were won in a raffle held at the end of the Open Mic.

Visit her website seabirdstudio.com to learn more about her.

As usual, the lovely afternoon culminated with a pleasant social mingling of performers and audience, with tasty refreshments provided by First Parish Brewster UU church.

Here performers weaved plans for our next month's Open Mic, which will be held at the First Parish Brewster UU church on June 21

Thank you to our own collaborative pianist Lucy Banner, who donated her time.

Having a collaborative pianist on site ready to accompany our performers makes us unique.

Thank you First Parish Brewster UU Church Brewster Music Committee members: Donna Pihl (retired music teacher) and Linda Delorey (singer), who so delightfully greeted our guests at the door, and Tavia Ossala, who prepared us healthy refreshments.

Thank you First Parish Brewster for the space and special thanks to the public for the enthusiasm, support, and the donations which help us inviting local guest performers.