MIDDLEBURY — Heliand Consort presents “Distant Mirrors — Music between the wars, 1918-1939,” a program of music for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, piano and vocal selections, on Sunday, Feb. 21, at 3 p.m. at Middlebury College’s Mahaney Center for the Arts. A pre-concert talk is at 2:30. The Vermont chamber music ensemble is known for its musically diverse programs that blend classical instrumental music with song.
The “Distant Mirrors” program features music from the interwar period including novelty piano, French Impressionism, the American songbook and Francis Poulenc’s spectacular Sextet for Piano and Winds. This vibrantly creative program captures the dramatic contrasts of the period from the heights of the Roaring ’20s to the depth of the Depression.
Heliand consort members Berta Frank, flute; Katie Oprea, oboe; Elisabeth LeBlanc, clarinet; and Cynthia Huard, piano, will be joined by guest artist Joy Worland, horn, and Julian Partridge, bassoon. As a special feature, Heliand Consort welcomes Rebecca Mitchell, PhD., assistant professor of history at Middlebury College, who will be presenting a pre-concert talk titled “Music in the Interwar Time.”
Mitchell has advanced degrees in piano performance. Her special interest is the intersection of music, poetics and identity in history. Her monograph, “Nietzsche’s Orphans: Music, Metaphysics and the Twilight of the Russian Empire,” is to be published in January 2016 by Yale University Press.
Now in its ninth season, Heliand Consort is a unique wind and piano chamber group, featuring both native Vermonters and long-time residents. The group is known for its engaging and heartfelt performances of classical music, from the Baroque era through 20th century and contemporary repertoire. The group returns to Middlebury College to present “Distant Mirrors,” its first appearance at the college since 2010.
For further information, call (802) 735-3611 or visit heliandconsort.org.