Concerts

Christmas Concert – Sunday, December 10, 2017 – 3 PM

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Flyer.10Dec2017.1stChurchKBTChristmasConcert

The concert program will include Christmas music & Christmas carols with Megan Grassi, violin, Megan’s daughter Sophie Grassi, violin, Monica Bridges, vocalist, and Joyce Painter Rice, organ and piano.

Megan Grassi received her B.A. in Violin Performance from Lawrence University in Wisconsin where she studied with Calvin Wiersma. She also trained at the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, MA. In her postgraduate years she studied with Andrew Kohji Taylor, a student of Juilliard’s Dorothy DeLay. Megan was a featured soloist with the Merrimack Valley Orchestra and played at numerous summer chamber music & orchestral festivals including Apple Hill, Kinhaven, & the Pierre Monteux School. She has pedagogical training from institutes at Steven’s Point, Ithaca College, Hartt School, and Concordia. Megan was a member of Boston’s New England Philharmonic & has played & taught in Germany, Italy, & Martha’s Vineyard. Most recently she worked with coach Jodi Hagen, a tenured violinist of the Boston Ballet & Boston Lyric Opera, & a former student of Roman Totenberg. Megan currently divides her time playing with and training talented young musicians of Bowdoin’s Mozart Mentors Orchestra and maintaining a private violin studio in Kennebunkport.

Sophia Grassi began playing the violin at age 3 and is now 11 years old. She has performed as a soloist in local recitals, Ogontz Music Festival and at Phillips Andover. She is currently looking forward to playing Handel’s Messiah for the first time this Christmas as the youngest member of the Mozart Mentors Orchestra.

Vocalist Monica Bridges, soprano, is a member of her church choir. She began singing as a child with her siblings at church. Monica has sung the National Anthem for military and sporting events. She also sings in the Kennebunk Variety Show. Monica currently works for the NH Army National Guard.

Winter Concert with Joyce Painter Rice

Postponed from February 12.  The second concert of 2017 will be held on Sunday, February 19, at 2:30 p.m. in the sanctuary.  This Winter Concert will be presented by Music Director Joyce Painter Rice on the 1854 E. & G.G. Hook pipe organ and the 1905 Steinway upright piano.  It will include tributes to love in a range of musical scores from J.S. Bach to Gershwin to John Denver.

Second Sunday Concert Series – Frederick MacArthur

Our series of second Sunday concerts continues on January 8 at 2:30 p.m. The featured artists are: Frederick MacArthur, organist and Neal Ferreira, tenor/opera singer. MacArthur attended one of First Church’s August concerts and has generously offered to play in January. We are fortunate to welcome such a talented lineup of musicians from throughout the New England area. Please join us.