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Appearing over the next three months in Lowell will be some of the best regional and national musicians, bringing you jazz, chamber and classical music -- all free of charge!
UMass Lowell has launched a new concert series, Music on the Merrimack, the brainchild of Bonnie Anderson, a visiting lecturer and performance coordinator at the University.
“I have chosen musicians who are at the heights of their careers both as performers and as teachers,” says Anderson, who remembers taking flute and piano lessons at UMass Lowell when she was a middle school student in her native Westford. Anderson is also a classical pianist who will perform with trumpeter Joseph Foley on Feb. 18 and pianist Donna Gross Javel on March 4.
The concept behind Music on the Merrimack is to take the standard music master class, expand on it and add a public performance feature. In master classes, music students play their instrument of choice – piano, trumpet or violin, for example – and the master teacher listens, then critiques.
In this series, the masters – some of them UMass Lowell faculty members, others guest artists – will start the class with a short performance of their own, followed by remarks and a question and answer session.
“I wanted to offer students a more dynamic master class,” explains Anderson. “Students will be able to interact with great artists, ask questions and play for them. It’s great exposure for them.”
And in another twist, community members may attend the sessions, held from 1 to 2:45 p.m. at the University. At 7:30 p.m. on the day of the class, the musicians perform, free, for students and the public alike at Durgin Hall. (See schedule of classes and concerts.) Audience members can meet the artists at receptions following the concerts.
Concert-goers will hear distinguished musicians in this series, says Anderson, noting that many music faculty members at the University perform with the Boston Symphony, the Boston Ballet Orchestra, the Handel and Haydn Society, the Boston Philharmonic and other major groups in Boston. The guest performers are also dynamic musicians who perform around the world.
Anderson, a classical pianist, teaches applied piano and opera workshop among other courses and has been at the University for 10 years. She hopes to continue expand the series in future years with new features such as a residency.
Concert Schedule
All concerts start at 7:30 p.m. in Durgin Hall, 35 Wilder St., Lowell. Master classes are held the same day in Durgin Hall from 1 to 2:45 p.m. Concerts and classes are free and open to the public.
