Connecticut River Museum In Essex To Premiere Ben Cosgrove's River-Inspired Music

ESSEX, CT. — Composer and musician Ben Cosgrove will premiere new music inspired by the Connecticut River during a Nov. 14 concert at the Connecticut River Museum, marking the conclusion of his yearlong residency as the museum's first artist-in-residence.

The concert is scheduled for 5 p.m. at the museum's Historic Lay House, 67 North St. Doors open at 4:30 p.m.

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Cosgrove will perform selections of music developed from the sights, sounds and rhythms he encountered along the Connecticut River over the past year, according to the museum.

The museum established its Artist-in-Residence program to connect visitors with the river through collaborations with artists working in different media. Cosgrove's performance will conclude the program's first year.

During his residency, Cosgrove performed aboard the museum's RiverQuest vessel and participated in its recurring RiverTales program for children.

"Ben has been a terrific inaugural artist for this program, and it's been wonderful to hear him perform at the Museum — whether it was aboard RiverQuest or with kids during the recurring RiverTales program," Elizabeth D. Kaeser, the museum's executive director, said in the release.

"We're excited to hear the world premiere of new songs that have been inspired by the landscape of the Connecticut River. This is giving the River a new voice," Kaeser said.

Cosgrove is a traveling composer and multi-instrumentalist whose work explores geography, landscapes and the environment, particularly how people understand and interact with the places around them.

He has performed solo concerts in every state except Delaware and collaborated with musicians, research scientists and other organizations.

His music has appeared in radio and film productions, including Ken Burns' documentary "The American Buffalo."

Cosgrove's previous residencies and collaborations include work with NASA, Acadia National Park, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, White Mountain National Forest, Harvard University, Middlebury College and the Schmidt Ocean Institute.

He has released seven albums, including "Topography," which came out in January 2026. His essays about sound, art, landscapes and place have appeared in publications including Appalachia, Northern Woodlands and The Harvard Advocate.