On Sunday, March 15 at 4:00 p.m., the Christ Church Concert Series will present one of the finest choral ensembles from the nation’s capital, The District Eight.

Acclaimed by The Washington Post for its “fine singers who blend and balance” and its “consistently beautiful performances,” The District Eight brings a lucid and colorful sound to a wide and fascinating repertoire, ranging from renaissance polyphony and English church anthems to modern American compositions and contemporary spirituals.Their sensitive and evocative interpretations of choral music have captivated audiences since 2010, “because of their exotic inscrutability…”

The District Eight has appeared at the Washington Early Music Festival, with the Norfolk Chamber Consort, The College of William and Mary, and the University of Tampa; as well as at St. James Methodist Church, Greenville, NC, St. John’s Cathedral in Jacksonville, Christ Church in Bradenton, Sarasota, FL, and St. Mary Mother of God in Washington, DC. In 2010 the ensemble joined forces with The Orchestra of the Seventeenth Century to present the Monteverdi Vespers of 1610.

Sunday’s concert will be held at the Academy Art Museum due to ongoing renovations to Christ Church. The museum is located at 106 South Street in Easton. A freewill offering will be received. The Christ Church Concert Series is supported in part by the Talbot County Arts Council and the Maryland State Arts Councils.

For more information, call 410-822-2677.

The Christ Church Concert Series continues this Sunday, January 25 at 4:00 p.m. with three outstanding artists in a concert featuring some of opera’s greatest moments. A program for all music lovers, one doesn’t have to be an opera buff to find something to like in this captivating lineup! The program will include “Musetta’s Waltz” from Puccini’s La Boheme along with the composer’s passionate “Vissi d’arte” from Tosca, “Kuda kuda” from Eugene Onegin by Tchaikovsky, and “I Got Plenty of Nothin’” from Gershwins’s Porgy and Bess. Other composers represented in the program are Verdi, Mozart, Wagner, Massenet, and William Bolcom.

Thomas Beard

The artists, all of which are familiar to Easton audiences, will be featured in both solo roles as well as in combinations of the three. Georgiann Gibson, soprano, can be heard regularly with the Christ Church Choir as well as in solo roles with the Easton Choral Arts Society and the United States Naval Academy and maintains a voice studio in the Easton area. Joshua Baumgardner, tenor, is known throughout the Washington D. C. area for his lead roles with the National Cathedral Choral Society and his appearances in the opera scene. Last year, Mr. Baumgardner sang for their Excellencies the Ambassadors of Russia and Ukraine as a soloist in the Cathedral Choral Society’s performance of Rachmaninov’s Vespers. Lyric Baritone, Thomas Beard, also well known in Talbot County, became the first and, thus far, the only African-American male singer to be personally chosen by Maestro Placido Domingo  to be a part of Washington National Opera’s Placido Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program. Mr. Beard has performed for numerous dignitaries, including U.S. Senators, governors and ambassadors in many concerts at embassies and concert halls across the country. He was also invited to perform as special guest soloist by former First Lady Laura Bush at an invitation only event at the White House.

Due to renovations at Christ Church, Sunday’s concert will take place at the Academy Art Museum on the corner of South and Harrison Street and refreshments will be served following the concert. A freewill offering will be taken. The Christ Church Concert Series is partially funded by a grant from the Talbot County Arts Council with funds provided by the Maryland State Arts Council.

Christ Church in Easton continues its 2014-15 concert series on Sunday, November 9 at 4:00 p.m. with the award-winning duo, Pictures on Silence.

A harp and saxophone chamber duo, Pictures on Silence explores the diverse musical possibilities of their instrumental combination through compelling programming and a dedication to excellence in performance. The ensemble has an ever-expanding repertoire driven by the commissioning of new works, the exploration of repertoire written throughout the twentieth century, and the adaptation of existing music. Harpist Jacqueline Pollauf and saxophonist Noah Getz each bring a wealth of interpretive experience to the duo, having performed extensively as chamber musicians and soloists throughout the United States. The ensemble works to further the perception and abilities of their instruments through concertizing and educational initiatives.

In 2011, Pictures on Silence released their debut CD, featuring several works written for them. The duo has performed throughout the Mid-Atlantic region including performances at the Mansion at Strathmore in Washington D.C., An Die Musik in Baltimore, Maryland, and the Stella Adler School in New York City. Many works have been commissioned by the duo, including pieces by Peabody Conservatory faculty member, David Smooke, Great Noise Ensemble Director, Armando Bayolo, and Catholic University faculty member, Stephen Gorbos. Pictures on Silence is an American Composers Forum Encore grant recipient. The name of the duo is taken from a quote by Leopold Stokowski: “Musicians paint their pictures on silence.”

Following the concert, audience members may meet the artists over refreshments in the parish hall. The concert is free and open to the public, and a freewill offering will be received. The Christ Church Concert Series is sponsored in part by the Talbot County Arts Council with funds from the Maryland State Arts Council.

The Capital Reeds of Washington, D.C. will perform at the Academy Art Museum in Easton this Sunday, October 5 at 4:00 p.m. The concert is the second in a series of eight concerts in the Christ Church Concert Series.

Comprised of an oboe, clarinet, and bassoon, the musicians are active performers in the region, having appeared individually with such ensembles as the National Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Richmond Symphony, Wolf Trap Opera Company, Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, Alexandria Symphony Orchestra, the American Balalaika Symphony, Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, Maryland Symphony Orchestra, United States Army Orchestra, United States Naval Academy Band, and many others. With regular performances at such venues as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and George Washington’s Mt. Vernon Estate, the series is delighted to host Capital Reeds premier performance in Easton.

With the current renovations occurring at Easton’s Christ Church, this year’s series will feature concerts in both the fellowship hall of the church as well as the Academy Museum. The final concert of this year’s series will premiere the installation of a new organ in Christ Church with world-renowned organist Hector Oliver scheduled for late May. The series is very grateful to the Academy Museum for its support and also to the Maryland State Arts Council and Talbot County Arts Council for their continued financial support. The concert is free and open to the public. A freewill offering will be received. For information, call 410-822-2677 or visit www.christchurcheaston.org.

Christ Church Easton will begin its 2014-2015 concert series this Sunday, September 14 at 4:00 p.m. The concert will feature the dynamic harp and flute duo Beau Soir.

Founded in 2007, this dynamic duo will perform a diverse and compelling concert featuring a myriad of genres and styles. Known for its exquisite and passionate performances of standard literature, Beau Soir also embraces recent compositions having premiered a new chamber work by Christopher Dietz (2012), “The Angel Underneath” by flautist Carrie Rose (2013), and numerous arrangements by composer David Miller. In addition to discriminating audience throughout the United States, Beau Soir has also played to a global audience when it recorded a one hour performance for the “Hope Network” which aired internationally in the winter of 2008.

The concert is free of charge and the public is invited. A freewill offering will be received, and doors will open at 3:30 p.m. For more information, contact Christ Church Easton at 410-822-2677. This series is sponsored in part by The Talbot County Arts Council and the Maryland State Arts Council.

Christ Church Easton has announced auditions for its 2014-2015 Choral Scholars.

The group comprised of high school and college students from throughout the eastern shore offers students a unique opportunity to perform in both small and large ensembles accompanied by a broad range of instrumental combinations while singing a variety of literature spanning more than six centuries.

Successful applicants also have the opportunity to hear and observe other musical styles and genres in some of the region’s most prestigious venues including the U. S. Naval Academy and The Washington National Cathedral.

Most recently, choral scholars had the opportunity to perform in a July concert at the historic Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg, Virginia.

As a limited number of applicants are chosen, interested students should promptly contact Christ Church in Easton at 410-822-2677 to schedule an audition.