MIDDLEBURY — St. Stephen’s Church in Middlebury will offer to the community “A Celtic Mass for Peace — Songs for the Earth” as its third annual Good Friday Community Concert. The concert will take place at the church at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 25. All are invited to attend.
Composed by classical guitarist and Middlebury resident Sam Guarnaccia together with Scottish poet J. Philip Newell (Vicar of Iona), the work of nine songs and eight musical interludes along with an overture has been performed in simple liturgical settings as well as concert settings on both sides of the Atlantic. Locally, it has been performed in Shelburne and Salisbury. This is its first performance in downtown Middlebury.
Embracing the sacred and praising life, the music is prayerful and joyful. It expresses a longing for peace and the health of the planet on which we all live and to which we all owe our lives. It is both timely and timeless.
For this performance, 13 local Vermont musicians have come together: Sam Guarnaccia, guitar; Tim Guiles, piano; Hilary Hatch, violin; Anna Karnezos, viola; Polly Vanderputten, cello; Betsy Killorin, flute; Michelle Keller, flute and Irish whistles; Cathy Walsh and Julie James, sopranos; Deborah Felmeth and Serena Guiles, altos; Marshall Eddy, tenor; and Stephen Rainville, bass.