Organ, Poetry and Visual Art at July 17 Concerts on the Hill

PORTSMOUTH, NH: Concerts on the Hill presents “La chemin de la croix,” at 4 p.m. this Sunday, July 17, 2016, at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Portsmouth.

This is the third of six performances in the series. There is a suggested at-the-door donation of $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. Children under 16 are welcomed and encouraged to attend at no charge.

Submitted by St. John’s Episcopal Church

“La chemin de la croix,” a pairing of organ, poetry and visual art, will feature Philip Brisson, the Director of Music at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Louisville, KY, and Portsmouth-based poet Diana Durham. Music of Marcel Dupré, poetry of Vincent Paul Claudel, and visual art from the early 20th century combine to make this concert a multi-sensory musical event that is sure to leave audiences deeply impacted.

"This event will be much more than a concert,” noted Margaret Harper, the director of Music and Liturgy, St. John’s Episcopal Church. “It is designed to be a multi-sensory performance experience that brings together music, poetry, and visual art in real time. The complex themes of Marcel Dupré’s music make it the ideal focal point for this joining of arts.”

Brisson has performed in 40 states and in England and continental Europe. He holds a doctorate from the Eastman School of Music. Durham has published several books and poetry collections. Her work has appeared in publications in the UK and the US. She was a member of the renowned poetry performance group Angels of Fire, who performed throughout the UK.

At each performance of Concerts on the Hill, audience members will have the opportunity to hear directly from the performers about the musical selections and the featured instruments.

The next Concerts on the Hill performance, “Pipes and Strings,” will take place on Aug. 14. St. John’s Episcopal Church is located at 100 Chapel Street in Portsmouth.

For more information about Concerts on the Hill or St. John’s Episcopal Church, please visit stjohnsnh.org/COTH.