American Song Project: Local Treasures to debut
Anne Zwick Turner
Local singers will celebrate local composers in a program to be presented at Skidmore College by the Eastern New York State Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Titled "Local Treasures," the free program will begin at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 3 in the Helen Filene Ladd Concert Hall at the Arthur Zankel Music Center.
Skidmore Senior Artist-in-Residence Anne Zwick Turner, a voice teacher who is a founding member of the Eastern Chapter, says the 15-member group works toward ensuring that vocal music is alive in the Capital Region.
"I thought it would be good to feature both composers and singers from this region," she explains. "I've given it a project title - 'The American Song Project'm- and I'm hoping we can do this every year."
Seven or eight voice teachers will be singing at the event, and some of the composers will accompany some of the singers. The event will also honor pianist Michael Clement, "who at one time or another has accompanied all of us in the chapter," Turner claims.
Turner herself will be singing a work by composer Hilary Tann. "It's a work she has re-written for me, and it's very, very challenging. There's an acting component as well. It runs the gamut," she says.
"I'm very committed to American music, to performing music of our own country, in our own language," she adds.
Other area composers whose music will be sung in this program are: Albert Fedak, Joseph Fennimore, Adam Fine, Jane Leslie, Timothy Luby, Evan Mack, Steve Murray, Rand Reeves and Thomas Savoy.
Singers and pianists performing are: Erich Borden, Gene Marie Callahan, Michael Clement, Kara Cornell, Anne Agresta Dugan, Barbara Eckhaus, Elissa Premerlani, Corine Salon, Deborah Savoy, Josh Tanis, Frances Pallozzi Wittmann, and Mack and Reeves.
