The warm weather often brings with it musical outings; enter the Emmanuel Church 2016 Summer Concert Series. Weston’s Emmanuel Episcopal Church will kick off this season with a night of music from the Greater Bridgeport Symphony’s Brass Quintet, coupled with an ice cream social in the church hall, on Wednesday, June 22 at 7:30 pm. A follow up concert featuring jazz musician, Dr. Joe Utterback, and vocalist, Kristin Huffman, will take place on Wednesday, July 13, also at 7:30 pm. Both musical programs will last one hour, sans an intermission. Admission is free (though donations are welcomed) and the event is open to the public. Emmanuel Church is located at 285 Lyons Plain Road, Weston.
The Greater Bridgeport Symphony (GBS) Brass Quintet has been brought back by popular demand -- the group was featured and hailed a success at Emmanuel’s standing room only ‘Broadway Bound,’ salute held this past February. Members of the group include John Charles Thomas, Jens Larsen, Jaime Thorne, Scott Cranston and Stephen Perry. Thomas has been a New York-based trumpeter for over 30 years, having played in premieres at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, as well as worldwide as a soloist and chamber musician. Larsen is a teacher and freelance trumpet player based in Connecticut, but has also performed extensively in the Southeast, as well as in the pit of various Broadway productions. Thorne teaches french horn and brass ensembles and serves as a quest artist at the University of Rhode Island. She has performed with many New England orchestras and is a founding member of the Connecticut Woodwind Quintet in New London. Cranston has been the Principal Trombonist of the GBS since 1993. He plays regularly with area orchestras, on Broadway tours in Hartford, and is the Band Director at New Canaan High School. Lastly, Perry is the Principal Tuba player of both the Hartford and Springfield Symphony Orchestras. He has also freelanced at the New York City Ballet, The Metropolitan Opera, The American Symphony Orchestra and for the Broadway musical, Barnum.
The Quintet’s eclectic program will include the following: “Canzona Bergamasca,” “Contrapunctus IX,” “A Bricolage of Brahms,” “Allegro Moderator” from Symphony for Brass, “Simple Gifts,” “The Entertainer,” “Stardust,” “Rosetta,” “Tin Roof Blues,” “Black Orpheus,” “So What,” “Eleanor Rigby,” and “Beyond the Sea.”
The July 13 summer concert will appeal to jazz enthusiasts and beyond, featuring a popular music duo whose set is titled, “We Have Comedy in our Blood,” drawing from Broadway comedy scores. Dr. Joe Utterback has been a compelling artist on the American jazz scene for more than 50 years, marked by longterm ‘gigs’ at the jazz centers of Kansas City, St. Louis, San Francisco and currently, New York City. Utterback has also taken part in extensive European and American tours and has nearly 400 published compositions. Pianoforte, London said, “Utterback brings...what might best be described as a composite of the greatest American and jazz piano styles of the century...”
Acclaimed actress, teacher, and singer, Kristin Huffman, will team up with Dr. Utterback for Emmanuel’s July 13 jazz event. Huffman appeared as “Sarah” in the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, Company, and her two-decade career is marked by professional performances with operas, theaters, and symphonies throughout the United States. Huffman also played “Christine” in the European tour of Phantom of the Opera and is the Founder and Producing Artistic Director of The New Paradigm Theater (NPT). Additionally, she’s a professor at the University of Hartford.
“At Emmanuel, we celebrate the spirit of community, and are thrilled to bring events that both invite neighbors and celebrate local culture. Our Summer Concert Series has proven to be a local favorite and this year’s musical happenings will surely deliver,” said Steve Lewis, Musical Director, Emmanuel Church.
The June 22 and July 13 concerts will offer family-friendly music followed by ice cream: a true summer win-win. For more information, visit www.emmanuelweston.org or call the parish office at (203) 227-8565.
PHOTO CAPTION: The Greater Bridgeport Symphony Quintet will kick off the Emmanuel Church 2016 Summer Concert Series, commencing on Wednesday, June 22 at 7:30 pm. The event features family-friendly music, followed by an ice cream social. Admission is free and all are invited. For details, visit www.emmanuelweston.com.