Nov 19th, 2017 / Featured Guest Percussionist Amy Lynn Barber

3pm at the Brewster UU Church (1969 Main St, Brewster, MA)

Percussionist Amy Lynn Barber has had a distinguished international career as a performer, teacher, arts administrator and advocate for contemporary music. Her musical activities have taken her to 5 continents. She has been a guest artist at percussion and contemporary music events throughout Europe, and has performed with American and European orchestras. A passionate advocate for contemporary music, Amy has worked with many distinguished composers and premiered over 50 near works. She is the founder and artistic director of The Percussion Plus Project, a unique contemporary chamber music group started in Prague in 1993.

Amy earned the BM degree from Boston University, the MM degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Hartt School of Music. She has taught at Texas Wesleyan University, the Interlochen Arts Academy, the Prague Conservatory, and DePauw University, where she is Professor Emeritus and former Dean of the School of Music. Ensembles which she has led have performed at many national and international festivals. Her DePauw Percussion Ensemble toured in Central Europe, Brazil, and China.

Now re-located to Cape Cod, she continues to perform as a soloist, and with The Percussion Plus Project and her ragtime marimba band Xylophonia. She has been a member of the music advisory committee for the Cotuit Center for the Arts, was the music coordinator for the Sandwich 375 year, and was the founder and artistic director of the Village Concert Series in Sandwich.

While living over 12 years in Europe, she founded and directed two non-profit organizations, one in Prague, and one in Vienna. For her “activities in contemporary music and promotion of Czech-American cultural relations”, Amy was awarded the National Music Prize of the Czech Music Council, and made an honorary member of the council. She was also the first foreign musician elected to membership in Umelecka Beseda, a Czech society of artists founded by Bedrich Smetana in 1863. She has twice been awarded Fulbright professorships for research and teaching abroad, and has also received grants from IREX and the NEH. In 2007, she received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Boston University School of Music.

So what is Open Mic Classical?

An “Open Mic” is for popular music only, right?

WRONG!

We are bringing you Open Mic Classical, a new experience in classical music, to help our community's musicians share their music with a friendly, supportive and appreciative audience.

Are you a doctor with a classical horn habit, or an orchestra member who misses playing in small ensembles? Are you an aspiring young student who doesn't ever get a chance to play with a pianist, but would like to develop your performing skills? Or a composer eager to try out your newest work?

Dust off your flugelhorn, oil your keys, drink your raw egg, and come share your talent in an intimate and casual atmosphere.

Admission is free, and classical musicians of all ages and levels are welcome.

Pianist on site is available on request to accompany you.

“Open Mic Classical” is brought to you by clarinetist Mónika Woods (winner of the Cape Symphony's 2013 Soloist Competition) and amateur violist and sculptor Robert Marcus representing First Parish Brewster, with Lucy Banner and Elizabeth Tipton as collaborative pianists.

It will be held at 3:00 pm on the third Sunday of every month through June at the Brewster Meeting House (1969 Main Street on Route 6A). Participants are asked to sign in at 2:45pm, rehearsal with pianist on request.

Whether you are an amateur musician, performing artist, fan of classical music, volunteer, venue or business seeking to sponsor a cause, please contact us.

Further information is available from Monika Woods and Bob Marcus www.openmicclassical.org or by phone (774)-353-0244.

This program is supported in part by a grant from the Brewster Cultural Council, Harwich Cultural Council, and Orleans Cultural Council, local agencies which are supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

Thank you: First Parish Brewster UU Church, Canary Burton at seadirdstudio.com, Eli Woods & Co, Monika Woods at klarinetista.com, massachusettsculturalcouncil.org, Brewster Cultural Council, Harwich Cultural Council, Orleans Cultural Council.