Concordia Baroque: Celebrating Robbie Burns, Feb 17 in Concord

Concordia Baroque celebrates the 260th birthday of Scotland’s acclaimed and beloved poet Robert Burns on Sunday, February 17, 2019 at 4 PM at Trinity Episcopal Church, 81 Elm Street in Concord. The program takes place in Trinity’s Parish Hall and will last about 50 minutes.

Concordia Baroque — Eileen Cecelia Callahan, soprano; Sheila Beardslee, recorder; Douglas Freundlich, lute; and Alice Mroszczyk, viola da gamba — will perform songs on poems written or collected by Burns as well as other traditional Scottish songs. The program includes Scottish airs played on viola da gamba; several Scottish songs arranged for recorder by Barsanti, and a survey of lute solos. In a forward look, program will also feature Arvo Pärt’s setting of Burns’ poem My heart is in the the Highlands, adapted for voice, lute, contrabass recorder, and viola da gamba.

Robbie Burns is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who have written in the Scots language; much of his writing is also in English and a light Scots dialect, accessible to an audience beyond Scotland. Burns also wrote in standard English, and in these writings his political or civil commentary is often at its bluntest.

Celebration of his life and work became popular in Scotland and beyond during the 19th century, and his influence on Scottish literature has been strong. As well his own writings, Burns also collected folk songs from across Scotland, often revising or adapting them. His poem (and song) Auld Lang Syne is often sung at Hogmanay (the last day of the year).

Light refreshments follow the recital. $20 suggested donation — $15 for students, seniors, early music society members — supports this program. On-street parking is available. Trinity Episcopal Church is fully handicap-accessible.