Musical Headwaters: Garden
Join us for our fifth year of commissions for Musical Headwaters with Year of the Garden ft. new songs by Owen McIntosh, performed by Nightbirds and Fire & Grace.
Musica Sierra is thrilled to present "Musical Headwaters: Garden," the fifth commission in its innovative series. This year's program bridges nature-based education with the visual and performing arts, featuring newly composed songs by Owen McIntosh inspired by the Sierra Valley. In collaboration with Fire & Grace and Nightbirds, led by Jade Hendrix, these powerful and moving songs are designed for our youngest learners, ages 4-6, yet resonate with audiences of all ages. Join us for a week of educational concerts and two public shows integrating Earth Science, Ecology, Language Arts, and the Arts. This commission, following Rob Wade's Outdoor Core Mountain Kid curriculum, will be recorded for educational use, enriching our next Musical Field Journal. Don't miss this unique opportunity to deepen environmental stewardship through the arts.
Schedule (Tentative):
March 26, 27, 28: Educational Assemblies at Sierra Plumas-Joint Unified Schools, Plumas Schools, Washoe County Schools, and Tahoe Truckee Unified School District
March 28 & 29: Public shows tbd
NIGHTBIRDS
United originally by their California roots and love for folk music, Nightbirds emerged out of the shared experience of newfound motherhood. Each member recognized their precious free moments after the little ones were put to bed when creative musings could finally be explored. The powerful new chapters in their lives called for a deeper well of expression. The band’s collective sound is poignant, yet it evokes a sense of innocence, a quality inspired by the presence of their children.
Jade Hendrix brings her soulful vocals and insightful songwriting to the ensemble. Instrumentalists Sam ‘n Ash (an established folk duo comprising of accordion and mandolin) complement Jade’s crooning with their inventive melodies and effective arrangements. The trio fuses classic folk themes with expressive vocals, resulting in a unique and compelling blend that can only be described as a sound all their own.
FIRE & GRACE
Fire & Grace is an eclectic collaboration between guitarist William Coulter and violinist Edwin Huizinga. This unique duo explores the connective musical elements of classical, folk, and contemporary traditions from around the world. Fire & Grace’s repertoire is vast, ranging from Bach to Vivaldi, tango to Celtic tunes, traditional Bulgarian to American fiddle tunes and waltzes, all played with a sense of discovery and commitment to the elements of passion and virtuosity — fire and grace — found in these diverse traditions. Recent and upcoming performances have included engagements at the Carmel Bach Festival, the Mozaic Festival, the Santa Cruz Baroque Festival, the Electric Earth Concerts, the Monterey Museum of Art, and with Tomaseen Foley’s A Celtic Christmas. In March and April 2017, Fire & Grace toured to New Zealand with appearances at the UPSURGE Festival, the Festival of Colour, and the New Zealand School of Music. The group’s self-titled debut album combines melodies from Argentina, Bulgaria, and Western Europe with dance elements from baroque and folk musical traditions.
OWEN MCINTOSH
Described by the New York Times as a "lovely, tender high tenor" in one concert and "appropriately brash" in another, three-time Grammy nominee and Gramophone Award-winning tenor Owen McIntosh is widely known for the color and creativity he brings to the stage as a soloist and chamber musician. Having performed for fifteen years, McIntosh now dedicates his time to his family and inspires the next generation through SEL-focused music education, emphasizing healthy singing, musicianship, and music literacy. As Tk-12th grade music director in Loyalton, California, McIntosh's dream is to one day bring music education back to the level of importance of all the other liberal arts pillars, providing the youth once again with a complete education experience.