Sun. March 16 - Wachet Auf!
"Wachet auf!", or "Awake, the voice calls to us", is one of the most beloved hymn tunes of all time. Written by pastor, poet, and composer Phillipp Nicolai in the 16th century as a "Mirror of Joy" in a time of plague and loss and fear, it gives us inspiration and hope still today.
Our concert, for voice, vocal ensemble, and organ, follows the tune from its inspiration in a tune by Meistersinger Hans Sachs, through the Nicolai hymn, to its culmination in selections from the magnificent Bach Cantata 140; and later, as it inspired Mendelssohn, Wagner, Hugo Distler, and on to the present day.
Featuring the professional vocalists of the Amethyst roster, the Amethyst Project singers, and the magnificent organist Sean Fleming, join us for Distler's strangely beautiful and playful "Wachet auf!" motet, Theodore Best's extraordinary organ transcription of the overture to Mendelssohn's St. Paul, the Distler "Wachet auf" partita, and even a brief chorus from - yes - Wagner's "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg".
Sunday, March 16, 4pm
St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Brunswick
Suggested donation $15
Ticket reservation at amethystchamberensemble@gmail.com
This Amethyst concert event is graciously hosted and offered by St. Paul's Episcopal church. Proceeds to benefit St. Paul's Outreach Programs.
Tue. Feb 18th - February Salon
Homegrown: An evening of American Song
Join us as we delve into the rich musical heritage of American and African American music, spanning from early American compositions to contemporary works by living composers.
The monthly series located at the Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick, brings together the worlds of visual art and music, with a vision to showcase the vast repertoire of poetry set to music, featuring local professional singers and instrumentalists.
Free to the public. More info at amethystchamberensemble.com
Mon. Jan 13th - January Salon
Nachtmusik: An evening of German Song
Monday, January 13th at 7pm
Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick
We're kicking off 2025 with delightful evening, illuminating the surprising beauty of the German language in song. Featuring sweeping melodies of Brahms, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Mahler, Strauss and more…
The monthly series located at the Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick, Songs at Curtis brings together the worlds of art songs and chamber music, with a vision to showcase the vast repertoire of poetry set to music, featuring local professional singers and instrumentalists.
Free and open to the Public. Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick, ME
More information on our Salons page.
Dec 27, 28 & 29 - A Ceremony of Carols & other seasonal tunes
Prolong the festivities to enjoy Benjamin Britten's Ceremony of Carols & other seasonal tunes.
Featuring the Amethyst Project Singers, anchored by the professional singers of the Amethyst Chamber Ensemble, harpist Virginia Flanagan and organist Sean Fleming.
$15 suggested donation
Students/children FREE
FRIDAY, Dec 27th at 7:00 PM
St. Andrews Episcopal Church
11 Glidden St. Newcastle, ME
SATURDAY, Dec 28th at 4:00 PM
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church
678 Washington Ave, Portland, ME
SUNDAY, Dec 29th at 2:00 PM
St. Paul Episcopal Church
27 Pleasant Street, Brunswick, ME
Sun. Dec. 22 - Messiah sing-along
“The orchestra was so fine, and the soloists were amazing – and all from Maine! … I can’t even put into words the feeling of singing together – there was a glow that filled the room. It made my whole holiday season!”
Amethyst presents the 4th annual Messiah sing-along!
Organized by Amethyst Chamber Ensemble and hosted by St. Paul's Episcopal Church of Brunswick, the annual Brunswick Messiah-Sing strives to celebrate the holiday spirit by joining the Brunswick community-at-large with Maine professional musicians all the while raising funds for a great cause.
So come celebrate the season by belting out the great tunes - and enjoy superb vocal soloists and a 20-piece chamber orchestra too, led by Maestro Sean Fleming at the keyboard, and concertmaster Dean Stein of the Portland String Quartet.
The Amethyst Chamber Ensemble fourth annual Messiah-Sing will take place on Sunday, December 22 at 7:00pm, at the St. Paul Episcopal Church located at 27 Pleasant St, Brunswick, ME.
We'll sing Part I plus the Hallelujah Chorus - with just a few beloved gems from Parts II and III.
Bring your own score or borrow one when you come.
Singers and merry-makers alike are welcome to join!
Suggested donations: $15 Adults & $5 Students
Limited Seating. For tickets and information: amethystchamberensemble@gmail.com
Proceeds to benefit MCHPP
Proceeds from this concert go to the Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program (MCHPP), due to the generosity of our hosts St. Paul's Episcopal Church of Brunswick, and the generosity of our professional singers and orchestra players, who donate their time and talent for this occasion.
We were proud that last year, we donated $1500 through this event, to help address food insecurity in the greater Brunswick area.
Mon. Dec. 9th - December Salon
Yuletide: Songs of the Season and Carol Sing
All (well, lots anyway) of the carols and all the chestnuts, and a fresh take on a couple of old favorites. And a tiny taste of Messiah. Carol books will be provided, hum along, bellow lustily, or just listen and enjoy!
The monthly series located at the Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick, brings together the worlds of visual art and music, with a vision to showcase the vast repertoire of poetry set to music, featuring local professional singers and instrumentalists.
Free to the public. More info at amethystchamberensemble.com
Sat. Nov. 16th - The Amethyst Project concert!
Saturday, November 16, 2pm. Bowdoin College Chapel, Brunswick
The community singers of the Amethyst Project, along with the singer mentors from our professional roster, meet in a workshop format each week to work on vocal technique and chamber musicianship.
From Hildegard to Trond Kverno, through Mendelssohn and Brahms, Bach and Bernstein, Debussy and close harmony jazz, we'll offer deeply musical performances, thoughtfully and collaboratively crafted by the workshop. Enjoy traditional and contemporary settings of the beloved Psalm 23 text, and the beautiful tune "What Wondrous Love is This?", and a few of our favorite spirituals.
Working with a leader, but without a conductor, the project makes beautiful music and a radiant sound. Come see what we're up to!
Free and open to the public
Sun. Nov 10th - Chansons d'amour
Join us for a lovely afternoon of chamber vocal music with
with GRAMMY nominated baritone Aaron Engebreth,
and
Joëlle Morris, mezzo-soprano
Laura del Sol Jiménez, flute
Ben Noyes, cello
Randy Day, piano
Featuring
Chansons Madécasses – Ravel
Don quichotte à dulcinée – Ravel
Let us Garlands Bring- Finzi
Chanson d’amour - Amy Beach
Piano Trio in G - Debussy
Tickets: $25 suggested donation
Wed. Oct. 30th - October Amethyst Salon
Join us to our spooktacular October Salon at Curtis on Wed. Oct 30th at 7pm!
From the spooky to the profound, we celebrate mortality and the great transition, our connection to those who came before us, and those who have gone beyond.
The monthly series located at the Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick, brings together the worlds of visual art and music, with a vision to showcase the vast repertoire of poetry set to music, featuring local professional singers and instrumentalists.
Free to the public. More info at amethystchamberensemble.com
Sun, Sept 22 - Amethyst at Searsport
The professional singers and instrumentalist of Amethyst Chamber Ensemble offer a program of gorgeous melodies, French jazz, and piano four-in hands fireworks!
Sunday, Sept. 22, at 3 p.m., at the First Congregational Church in Searsport.
Appearing in a vocal quintet form, the ensemble will feature music of Brahms, Mozart, Debussy, Faure, Bernstein and others.
The concert is a free will offering. Proceeds go toward furthering the outreach concert series to the wider community.
More information can be found at searsportfcc.org
Fall Salons Calendar
We're kicking off the Amethyst season to a spirited start, with a little bit of everything we do - art song, opera, musical theater, jazz, vocal and instrumental, solo and ensemble, and of course poetry selections you provide. Enjoy a sneak peek into our formal concerts for the season, and find out what our artists are up to this year!
The monthly series located at the Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick, Songs at Curtis brings together the worlds of art songs and chamber music, with a vision to showcase the vast repertoire of poetry set to music, featuring local professional singers and instrumentalists.
Free and open to the Public. Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick, ME
More information on our Salons page.
Sun, April 21 - Salut Printemps!
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Warm German Concert Series
Come indoors to the lovely, warm space at Curtis Library’s Morrell Meeting Room on three Sunday afternoons this winter and spring – and enjoy gorgeous melodies and beautiful poetry set by Brahms, Schumann, Mahler, Wagner, and Richard Strauss.
Songs, duets, and trios, along with piano and four-hand piano selections on the lovely [make and model of the piano here] at the library. Get to know each of the composers individually, through a selection of their most beautiful vocal works.
Along with the music, enjoy musical, historical, and biographical information about our composers and their time, researched and presented by the musicians in the friendly and informal style of Amethyst performance offerings.
Commencing our Sunday concert series on Sunday, January 28th at 4pm, we will delve into perennial favorites by Johannes Brahms and Robert Schumann, along with the delightful Lieder contributions of Clara Schumann. The journey continues to encompass the lush and sweeping melodies of Richard Wagner, as well as the evocative works of Gustav and Alma Mahler interpreted by soprano Sarah Tuttle and mezzo-soprano Joëlle Morris on Sunday, February 25th, at 3 pm.
The final installment of our German series will conclude with the exquisite lieder by Richard Strauss with Mary Sullivan, Joëlle Morris and Molly Harmon on Sunday, March 17th at 3 pm.
Suggested donation: $15. Students and children free.
Ceremony of Carols
The Ladies of the Amethyst Project, anchored by the professional singers of the Amethyst Chamber Ensemble, perform Benjamin Britten’s Ceremony of Carols and other seasonal tunes.
Come hear this gorgeous and inspiring music performed by a small vocal chamber ensemble, in some of the most beautiful churches in Maine. A pre-concert talk on ancient tunes and texts, starting 15 minutes before each performance.
THURDAY, Dec 28th at 7:00 PM
Episcopal Church of St. Mary, 43 Foreside Rd, Falmouth ME
Suggested donation $15, students and kids FREE
FRIDAY Dec 29th at 7:00 PM
St. Andrews Episcopal Church, 11 Glidden St. Newcastle, ME
Suggested donation $15, students and kids FREE
SATURDAY Dec 30th at 4:00 PM
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 678 Washington Ave, Portland, ME
Free and open to the public; an offering by the community of St. Peter’s
Sun, Oct 27 - In a Soprano Hue
A fresh take on the art song recital, In a Soprano Hue offers art song through a new lens. From the rarely performed Vier letzte Lieder (Four Last Songs) of Richard Strauss, through music of Rodrigo, Fauré, Bernstein, and living American composers Rosephanye Powell, Dan Sonenberg (world premiere), and Steven Finch, we explore art song through the unique vocal colors and artist gifts of the singers in our ensemble.
Featuring the women of the Amethyst Chamber Ensemble:
Mary Sullivan, Molly Harmon and Caroline Koelker,soprano
Joelle Morris, Jazmin DeRice and Jenna Guiggey, mezzo-soprano
Randy Day, piano
$25 tickets at the door or pay-as-you-can. Free to children and students.
