Wed 8/8 & Thu 8/9 @ 7:30PM
Before they take off for the UK and Ireland on their 5th international tour, Cleveland’s baroque orchestra, Apollo’s Fire, gives its hometown audience one more taste of the ensemble they have grown to love and support over the last 26 years.
The ensemble will give northeast Ohioans two more chances to hear one of its favorite Apollo’s Fire programs, “Sugarloaf Mountain — An Appalachian Gathering,” conceived, arranged and directed by AF founder Jeannette Sorrell. It’s the same program they’ll be taking on tour so these could be considered a dry run for the new version of the program the group is taking overseas. It’s an intriguing choice of a tour program, focusing on American southeastern folk music, whose roots are in the British Isles.
“The rich repertoire of renaissance English and Scottish ballads and fiddle tunes took on its own life in Appalachia during the 17th, 18th and early 19th centuries.,” says Sorrell in the concert press release. “As the old songs came across the water, they evolved into different versions reflecting the Appalachian psyche and experience. 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.”
These send-off concerts take place at the Cleveland Institute of Music’s Kulas Hall on Wed 8/8 and at the Bath Church UCC near Akron Thu 8/9. There’s a reception following each where concertgoers can bid the musicians “godspeed.” Tickets are $22-$45.
Cleveland, OH 44106
Akron, OH 44333