| | | |
|---|
| | From Schumann to Chicago
Shores of Song Festival Concert One
Tuesday, May 7, 2024 at 7pm
KOVAL Tasting Room (Ravenswood)
Fourth Coast’s Shores of Song Festival is our 10th Anniversary celebration of the city that has nurtured our art making for a decade. Focusing on the four major components of our repertoire, song, poetry, and composition, the festival spans four concerts.
From Schumann to Chicago kicks off the festival with Robert Schumann’s quintessential 1849 song cycle for four voices, Minnespiel, followed by a curated second half of songs by Chicago composers, each chosen in direct response to a corresponding movement of Minnespiel.
Pianists Andrew Rosenblum and Maria Sumareva join the quartet at the beautifully appointed KOVAL Tasting Room in Ravenswood. The program lasts 90 minutes, and each attendee will receive a drink ticket for one cocktail at the bar. | Buy Tickets |
| | WordSong Chicago
Shores of Song Festival Concert Two
Friday, May 10, 2024 at 6pm
Curtiss Hall, Fine Arts Building (Loop)
Fourth Coast Ensemble explores how one poem can be interpreted in multiple ways by readers, composers, and performers. Shores of Song Festival Director Mark Bilyeu moderates this program featuring four musical settings of Chicagoan Christina Ramirez's poem "benediction". Performances will be given by Fourth Coast Ensemble and Grammy nominated guest soprano Laura Strickling. Audience members will receive an interactive guide to write down thoughts, reactions, and insights throughout the program.
This 90 minute program is followed by a post-concert reception in Eugenia Cheng's Liederstube studio, where anyone can grab a Schubert anthology off the shelf and perform their favorite Lied with a supportive community of song lovers cheering them on. | Buy Tickets |
| | Off the Bench: Songs from the Pianist Perspective
Sunday, May 10, 2024 at 3pm
Ganz Hall, Roosevelt University (Loop)
Off the Bench: Songs from the Pianist Perspective, the third concert of the Shores of Song Festival, centers the pianist perspective in art song, inviting the audience to enjoy the multi-talented collaborators who perform with vocalists from the piano bench. Fourth Coast Ensemble singers perform pieces programmed by four guest pianists: John Bitoy, Alan Darling, Yasuko Oura, and Marianne Parker. The four pianists each select 20 minutes of songs that are meaningful, important, or interesting to them, and join a discussion hosted by Oliver Camacho (WFMT).
The concert duration is 2 hours and includes a 10 minute intermission. Audience members are invited to join the artists for a complimentary reception to follow the performance. | Buy Tickets |
| | Fifth Annual songSLAM Chicago
Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 7pm
The Promontory (Hyde Park)
The Shores of Song festival culminates in the fifth edition of the songSlam Chicago competition for emerging composers, presented in cooperation with Sparks & Wiry Cries. Ten composer/performer teams premiere new art songs live for the voting audience who, in the poetry slam tradition, award $2,000 in cash prizes to their favorite teams. This year’s competition is emcee'd by beloved Chicago composer Stacy Garrop for the third consecutive year, and features a performance by Fourth Coast Ensemble with pianist Kuang-Hao Huang as votes are tabulated at the end of the night.
The performance takes place at The Promontory in Hyde Park and lasts approximately 2 hours. Patrons are encouraged to enjoy drinks from the bar throughout the evening. | Buy Tickets |
| | End of Season Kabarett
Sunday, June 23, 2024 at 3pm
iO Chicago (Lincoln Park)
Inspired by the post-World War I Weimar cabaret of Berlin, the quartet presents its third comedy revue about art song and musical improv. Starring Tyler DeLoatch, Brad Pike, Andi Sharavsky, Robbie Ellis (composer), and Gretchen Eng (host), alongside Fourth Coast Ensemble and Kuang-Hao Huang (piano). Come laugh with (and at) the institutions of classical music.
End of Season Kabarett takes place at 3:00pm on Sunday, June 23, 2024 at the iO Theater. | Buy Tickets |