The Thurston Consort will be presenting a concert  “Celebrating Spanish Music” on Saturday, May 11, 2024, at 2 pm at the Rollstone Congregational Church, 199 Main Street, Downtown Fitchburg;   This is the second concert of the Thurston Consort’s 2024 Concert Season presenting a program of music from Spain and the Spanish speaking Americas.

The consort will perform 15th-century music from the court of Queen Isabella leading into the passion of 16^th century Spain with the music of composer Josquin de Perz.  The music of 17^th century Spain will be explored through Spain’s brilliant composer for the guitar, Gaspar Sanz. The program will also feature a 19^th century Danza Habanera by Mexican composer Jose Maria Bustamante and from 19th century Puerto Rico, three selections by Juan Morel Campos, the Mozart of Ponce; a recognized genius who, like Mozart, tragically died young but not before he was acknowledged by his island and the rest of Latin America to be the finest Danza composer. The consort will also be performing music by composer Sabastin de Yradier; a Spanish musician whose music was most likely the first Latin American to English-speaking American crossover hit that, in the 19^th century, was measured in sheet music sales.

The Thurston Consort will be joined by our guest artist, Berit Strong. Berit launched her performing career as one of the winners in the 1986 Guitar Foundation of America International Competition, bringing this cum laude graduate of the Hartt School of Music as well as a distinguished graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music many performance opportunities in cities across Europe and North America.  Berit has been an award-winning international performer of classical guitar for over three decades, with repertoire ranging from Renaissance through contemporary music.  Berit’s classical guitar performances have been featured on National Public Radio, World Service Internationals, Swiss Radio, and many other media outlets

Locally, Berit has performed several times as a special guest artist at the National Flute Association Conventions and as a soloist in concert with the Indian Hill Symphony, the Wellesley Symphony Orchestra, and now the Thurston Consort.  Berit also teaches classical guitar at the Groton Hill Music Center

This concert is the second of the Thurston Consort’s Fifth Concert Season.  The Thurston Consort is named for Fitchburg’s long-admired musician, teacher, and singing master Cyrus Thurston.  The city of Fitchburg has a long, dynamic musical history.  Fitchburg organ and piano makers, gifted  Fitchburg composers, and the city’s thriving musical ensembles from the past.  In Augustine S. Belding’s memoir of 19^th century Fitchburg “Musical Reminiscences”  he writes about the numerous visiting musicians and the city’s many chamber music ensembles of which the Thurston Consort is the city’s latest iteration for twenty-first century Fitchburg.

The Thurston Consort will be presenting a concert  “Celebrating Spanish Music” on Saturday, May 11, 2024, 2 pm at the Rollstone Congregational Church, 199 Main Street, Downtown Fitchburg; presenting a program of music from Spain and the Spanish-speaking Americas.