Modern Storytelling

It’s not very often that we have the opportunity to hear a World Premiere. And it’s even less often that we have the chance to talk with the composers of a World Premiere.  But this week Strings Music Festival brings you two World Premieres, plus another new performance and the chance to talk with the composers. 

Modern Storytelling week presents two nights of music, multimedia, dance, traditional folksongs, folklore and popular tales, all of which tell a story through music. With an original Native American inspired folk tale and a new take on Alice in Wonderland, you’re sure to be captivated by each story. Before the concert, hear the inspiration behind the compositions by attending our free Meet the Composer talks at the Bud Werner Memorial Library.

 The Elements

Meet the Composer – Tuesday August 2, 12:15pm at the Bud Werner Memorial Library

World Premiere – Saturday, August 6, 8:00pm at the Strings Music Pavilion

Marilyn Taft Thomas’s The Elements are five short sound poems representing the elements Fire, Earth, Water, Air and Space Time. Featuring strings, winds and percussion, the musical blend of instruments combined with tempo changes and dynamics depict important resources on our planet.

Eagle Girl

Meet the Composer – Wednesday August 3, 12:15pm at the Bud Werner Memorial Library

World Premiere – Wednesday August 3, 7:00pm at the Strings Music Pavilion

David Stock’s Eagle Girl is an original story inspired by Native American folktales. A small ensemble plays music similar to the haunting sounds of the Native American flute and drums. Behind the ensemble, images flip on a projector screen to bring the story to life. Throughout the piece, a narrator tells the story in the traditional folktale manner. The combination of illustration, music and narration will leave you wanting to find out what happens next.

 Alice: Reimagining Wonderland

Meet the Composer – Friday August 5, 12:15pm at the Bud Werner Memorial Library

Performance – Saturday August 6, 8:00pm at the Strings Music Pavilion

Joseph Hallman’s Alice: Reimagining Wonderland is the biggest production ever held on the Strings stage. Complete with music, dance, song and narration, fifteen dancers and musicians tell a variation on Lewis Carroll’s famous tale of Alice in Wonderland. This performance will feel like a Broadway play as well as a chamber music concert.