On May 8, 2016, at 4:00 pm, Amherst Glebe Arts Response, Inc. (AGAR) presents Of Winds and a Siren, a baroque music concert featuring soprano Laura Heimes and woodwind virtuosi Gwyn Roberts, co-director of Tempesta di Mare Philadelphia Baroque Orchestra, and Meg Owens, baroque oboe player who is a featured artist with REBEL Baroque Ensemble, Washington Bach Consort, Tempesta di Mare and numerous other early and baroque music ensembles. Supporting the soloists will be Anthony Harvey on theorbo and Barbara Blaker Krumdieck on baroque cello. The concert will take place at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 670 Patrick Henry Highway in Amherst, VA 24521. Concert composers will be Montéclair, Charpentier, Telemann, Lambert and Handel.
Featured on the program is Pan et Sirinx, (Pan and Syrinx in English), a cantata by Michel Pignolet de Montéclair. Renowned soprano Laura Heimes returns to Clifford to sing the roles of both the wood nymph Syrinx and the satyr Pan, who is half-man and half goat. Meg Owens on oboe and Gwyn Roberts on recorders and traverso are also prominently featured in this work. In the words of musician Anthony Harvey, “They serve as Laura Heimes’ companions, reflecting her emotions in their solos as the story unfolds.”
In this 18th century French setting of a Greek myth, Pan sees the lovely Syrinx and pursues her through the forest. Syrinx, not at all pleased to be so pursued by a half-man, half-goat, flees to the river gods and asks to be protected. The river gods turn Syrinx into river reeds. Pan runs up and gathers the reeds to make a “Pan Pipe” that he plays as he continues through the forest. Syrinx protects her honor. Pan enjoys making music with her in reed flute form.
Additional works on the program will be a trio sonata for baroque flute, oboe d'amore, and continuo by Georg Philipp Telemann, and ensemble arias for all five performers by Michel Lambert and Marc-Antoine Charpentier, and several of the German arias of George Friderich Handel.
Tickets are $15 and can be purchased in advance from LynchburgTickets.com or on the day of the concert one hour before the concert at the door of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Clifford. Information at www.agararts.org. AGAR’s Amherst Music Series receives support from the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Greater Lynchburg Community Trust.
