Apollo’s Fire Brings Back Its Popular ‘Sugarloaf Mountain’ Traditional Folk Program

ApollosFire

Sat 7/16 @ 6:30PM

Sun 7/17 @ 3PM

Fri 7/22-Sat 7/23 @ 8PM

Every summer, Apollo’s Fire, Cleveland’s baroque orchestra, lightens up, switching from the classical music that makes up the core of its mission, to traditional folk music, rooted in the British Isles.

This year it’s bringing back its popular “Sugarloaf Mountain: An Appalachian Gathering” program, tracing in song, dance and storytelling the roots of southeastern American folk music, which blended British folk ballads with hymns and black spirituals.

AF founder Jeannette Sorrell, who created the program, explains in the press release, “The rich repertoire of renaissance English and Scottish ballads took on its own life in Appalachia during the 17th, 18th and early 19th centuries. As the old songs came across the water, they evolved into different versions reflecting the Appalachian psyche and experience. Likewise, the lively fiddle tunes of the British Isles appear in Appalachian sources in differing versions. And then, these people encountered the African slaves and their spirituals. I think at that point, when the British Isles music met the influence of the spirituals, that’s when Appalachian music came fully into its own as a unique and distinctive repertoire.”

The program features soprano Amanda Powell, tenor Ross Hauck, hammered dulcimer player Tina Bergmann, fiddler Susanna Perry Gilmore, wooden flute player Kathie Stewart, cellist René Schiffer and Brian Kay on lute, guitar and banjo.

The ensemble will perform Sat 7/16 at the Laurel School’s Butler campus where the concert is preceded by a picnic supper and silent art auction, with the concert @8pm; at the Avon Lake Church UCC on Sun 7/17; at Bath Church UCC on Fri 7/22; and at Geauga Lyric Theatre on Sat 7/23. Tickets range from $20-$40.

Apollo’s Fire

Avon Lake, OH 44012

Akron, OH 44333

Chardon, OH 44024

 

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