One Little Whiff of Success

One Little Whiff of Success

Noralee-Walker-sm

Noralee Walker, viola

Review in the Boston Musical Intelligencer — “Rebecca Clarke Celebrated”  

Second performance — will feature special  guest Robert Sherman:

FRIDAY, MAY 3 — 7:30 P.M.   FOLLEN CHURCH, 755 Massachusetts Ave. in Lexington, MA

Performances of Rebecca Clarke’s greatest chamber works – the monumental Viola Sonata of 1919, Midsummer Moon for violin and piano, and the Prelude, Allegro, and Pastorale for Viola and Clarinet of 1941 — are framed by audio excerpts from the 1976 interviews of Clarke with Robert Sherman.  Broadcast on WQXR radio, these interviews launched her dramatic rediscovery.  We also include a rare performance of her stunning and newly published Nocturne, written in 1909 for two violins and piano.

Noralee Walker, viola.  Scott Nicholas, piano.  Todd Brunel, clarinet. Laura Bossert, violin.  Robert Merfeld, piano.  Anya Shemetyeva, violin.  Mariel Bossert, piano.  On May 3, Mr. Sherman will attend as an honored guest.  

General admission — by suggested donation, all are welcome.   Reserved seating — $20, purchase at left.

Produced by Liane Curtis and the Rebecca Clarke Society and supported by the Women’s Studies Research Center, Brandeis University. Part of the Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Creative Arts (Brandeis University).

Download Poster (pdf)

The British-born composer Rebecca Clarke (who lived the last decades of her life in NYC) wrote nearly a hundred pieces of music. Most of these were not published in her lifetime, and despite some recognition, all were eventually forgotten. The astounding recovery of her work began when she was 90 years old. Her story – and some of her music – are brought to life  with a concert performance, enhanced with audio from interviews.