Library fills with music as Chamber Singers perform

By Owen Boss

GARDNER — The Levi Heywood Memorial Library held its first of three free musical performances Sunday as The Monadnock Chorus Chamber Singers put on a concert that featured classical, madrigal, spiritual and contemporary music, as part of “The Sweet Sounds of Sundays,” an initiative aimed at bringing adult programming to the library. Library Director Gail Landy said that the library has offered a lot of programs for children in the past, and this summer she is making a conscious effort to start offering activities geared toward older members of the community. “Since we moved into this new building, we have never done adult programming before, and that is one of the things we are targeting this year,” said Ms. Landy. “This concert series is something that we have wanted to do because of the nature of the architecture in the building — we thought it would be wonderful for music.” The concert was held using the proceeds raised by The Friends of the Library’s book sale, and Ms. Landy said she couldn’t have done it without them. “The Friends of the Library made this concert possible and we really are so thankful to have all of their support,” Ms. Landy said. The chamber singers are part of the larger Monadnock Chorus, which is a group of 80 singers that operates out of Peterborough, N.H. and is directed by Dr. Carroll Lehman, professor of music at Keene State College. Dr. Lehman said that the chamber singers were created because it had become difficult for the larger chorus to find places that could house so many singers. “One of the reasons this chamber singers group was formed is to go to smaller venues like this — you really can’t bring 80 people to most locations,” said Dr. Lehman. “When we travel as a group of 20, we have more options for places we can perform.” The group, which was formed in 1999, performs a wide range of chamber music, which includes classical, sacred, madrigals, spiritual and modern pieces. “We sing everything from renaissance to contemporary,” said Dr. Lehman, “We enjoy performing a lot of different types music in places that may not have ever heard of Peterborough or the chorus.” The Sweet Sounds of Sundays will hold two more concerts this summer with a performance June 8 featuring the Jef Charland Quartet and June 22 with Annie Lynch and the Beekeepers. oboss@thegardnernews.com

Appeared on Page 1 on 6/2/2008 (Vol. 206 No. 130)