About Thurston Consort
Our Mission
Our Mission
Our History
Our History
The Thurston Consort, founded in 2019 is a 501(c)3 and a recognized Massachusetts Charity by the Office of the Attorney General. The Thurston Consort performs free concerts of chamber music in Downtown Fitchburg, MA and is named for long admired 19th century Fitchburg musician, teacher and singing master, Cyrus Thurston. The Thurston Consort presents concerts that captivate and enlighten audiences. Exploring our long regional musical heritage, consort members research, arrange and perform musical compositions from our by-gone New England composers and showcase the music of New England’s diverse culture. 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 19th century Fitchburg “Musical Reminiscences” writes about the numerous visiting musicians and the city’s many chamber music ensembles including the concert seasons at Phillips Hall; the Littmann Quartet and the Kneisel Quartet, both were ensembles of musicians from the Boston Symphony Orchestra and local ensembles such as the Beethoven String Quartet, led by Fitchburg composer, C.E. Allen. The Thurston Consort is the city’s latest musical iteration for Fitchburg’s twenty-first century.
During the pandemic, the Thurston Consort perform for local cable access television; three centuries of musical composition by Fitchburg composers as a fund raiser for the Fitchburg Historical Society through the sales Thurston Consort compact discs. Post pandemic the Thurston Consort has presented several free downtown concerts of early Baroque and Elizabethan music; also were presented concerts exploring our regional musical heritage including a concert of music by the First New England School of composers and a concert of Music by Three New England Women Composers.
Thurston Consort Duet Ensemble
The Thurston Consort Duet Ensemble, a new enterprise was established as an additional cultural resource providing monthly performances free of charge allowing downtown businesses the opportunity to create uniquely, special events to draw people into their business thus affirming Fitchburg as the North Central Massachusetts regional center for the arts, culture and commerce; attracting city families and regional visitor to our thriving downtown to enjoy cultural events, stores and restaurants.
Phillips Hall
The Thurston Consort is dedicated to the full restoration, complete accessibility, and regular utilization of Phillips Hall, Upper Common, Fitchburg. Phillips Hall is a “Jewel Box” performance space with a long connection to the city’s musical heritage.
Cyrus Thurston
The Thurston Consort is named for “Uncle” Cyrus Thurston; a much-beloved nineteenth-century Fitchburg musician, teacher, and singing master.
Consort Members
Consort Members
Hannah Bitterman
Hannah Bitterman joined the Thurston Consort in 2020. Hannah is a professional flute player and educator in North Central Massachusetts. She has toured Europe and the United States as a member of the New England Conservatory Metropolitan Flute Orchestra, of which she has been a member since 1999. She performs in numerous regional bands, flute orchestras, small ensembles and pit orchestra in North Central Massachusetts. Hannah also serves as Competition Coordinator for the annual James Pappoutsakis Flute Competition. She has taught flute in her private studio as well as the Thayer Community Music School and Cushing Academy. Hannah holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Michigan State University and makes her home in Ashburnham, MA.
Noel Plouffe
Noel Plouffe joined the Thurston Consort in 2019. Noel, on hammered dulcimer, is a multi-instrumentalist and has played music in North Central Massachusetts for decades with the Medicinal String Band, Dicey Reilly, Joy After Sorrow English Country Dance Orchestra, and the Quabbin Community Band. Noel also sits in on tuba with the Fitchburg State University Concert Band. Noel studied music at the Hartford Conservatory, then continued his studies at the Beehive Lounge providing Tuba accompaniment for Joey Pal on piano and at Quinsigamond Community College. Noel makes his home in Fitchburg, MA.
Laurie Strubbe
Laurie Strubbe joined the Thurston Consort in 2021. Laurie has a Masters’ in Music Education from the University of Miami. She has been teaching violin and cello for over thirty-five years. She is performing with two symphony orchestras, including as a section leader with the Fitchburg Community String Orchestra and performs with various chamber music groups.
Richard Given
Richard Given joined the Thurston Consort in 2021. A native of New England, Richard attended the Eastman School of Music and earned a Diploma in Trumpet Performance from the New England Conservatory. While at NEC, Mr. Given studied trumpet with the legendary Roger Voisin. In his final year at the Conservatory, Mr. Given won the Principal Trumpet position with the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Eventually Mr. Given returned to Boston and started a free-lance career that continues today. He was Principal Trumpet for the Boston Classical Orchestra for 20 years and has performed with the Boston Symphony, Boston Pops, Esplanade Orchestra, Boston Opera, Boston Ballet, Colorado Philharmonic, Rhode Island Philharmonic, Springfield Symphony, Vermont Symphony, New Hampshire Symphony and numerous other New England orchestras. In addition, as a member of the Cantabrigia Brass Quintet, he performed over 1,500 school concerts sponsored by the Young Audiences of Massachusetts organization. Mr. Given has spent the last 30+ years playing Broadway shows in the pit orchestras of the Schubert, Colonial and Wang Center Theatres in downtown Boston. He played National Broadway tours of “Sweeney Todd”, “Pirates of Penzance”, “42nd Street” and “Les Miserables”.
Mr. Given has also played in the orchestras of numerous entertainers, including: Pavarotti, Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones, Three Irish Tenors, Mannheim Steamroller, Jethro Tull, Aretha Franklin, The Supremes, Perry Como, Patti Page, Wayne Newton, Johnny Mathis, and an endless list of others. His very first “professional gig” was with Stevie Wonder and Diana Ross!
He has been the Principal Trumpet with the Lexington (MA) Symphony since 2006.
Lisa Kempskie
Lisa Kempskie joined the Thurston Consort in 2021 Lisa has a degree in violin performance from UMass Lowell and has done graduate work in music education at the University of Connecticut at Storrs. Equally comfortable on violin and viola, she freelances throughout the greater Boston area and is currently principal viola of the Lexington Symphony. For 7 years, Lisa directed the elementary and middle school string program in the Winchester Public Schools and is currently on the faculty of the Westford Suzuki School. She also has studied bow-making , repair, and rehair at the Violin Craftsmanship Institute in New Hampshire, and works as a repair person for regional string companies as well as many local players. Lisa is a certified music practitioner through the Music for Healing and Transition Program which trains musicians to aid the sick and terminally ill through individually-tailored live therapeutic music.
