Westfield Center Guest Presenter at Cornell CCHK Workshop
July 30-August 2, 2024: I was delighted to be invited to do a presentation at the Cornell Center for Historic Keyboards under the auspices of the Westfield Center for Keyboard Studies with my Hood Acker replica of an 1816 Nannette Streicher fortepiano. Attendees at the Workshop included many piano technicians wishing to learn about early pianos as well as students of and performers on early pianos. I gave a slide presentation and discussion of the place of a piano like my replica both within the Stein/Streicher piano building legacy and instruments of today, along with views into the process of construction. I then played 3 compositions by Nannette Streicher on my piano that demonstrated how it reflected well the Stein/Streicher touch and tonal aesthetic choices and design.
Hilton Head Symphony League Musicale Performance April 21, 2024
I was invited to give a private concert and talk as part of the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra League’s Musicale Series so I a took my 2009 Anne Acker Flemish Double harpsichord to Hilton Head, SC into a lovely private home to give a presentation with talking and performing to a very appreciative and music-loving audience of about 60 members of the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra League. A number of them showed up to help bring in the harpsichord, and then take it back to my van as rain started and storm clouds loomed!
Works included ranged from the earliest published, to variations on an Elizabethan bawdy song, to Elizabeth Jacquet, to Scarlatti and more.
While knowledgeable about music, like many such otherwise educated and curious people, they knew little about how harpsichords work and their history. They were most appreciative and we had a good time!
Pre-Concert Lecture for Concert by Jory Vinkour for Bach Ascending April 12, 2024
I was honored to give the pre-concert lecture for my dear friend’s Jory Vinikour’s brilliant performance at the dedicatory concert of the Richard Kingston double manual harpsichord acquired in 2023 for Bach Ascending programming.
Inaugural Concert of 2021 Acker harpsichord commissioned by Central United Methodist Church of Florence, SC
Savannah Baroque Members Anne Acker, harpsichord and Marcy Brenner, viola da gamba and tenor viol will play works by anonymous, Dowland, Kerll, Froberger, Marais,Sweelinck, Bach, and Vivaldi and others, for the inaugural concert of the 2021 Acker harpsichord commissioned by Central United Methodist Church of Florence, SC. In person limited attendance. 265 West Cheves Street, Florence, South Carolina 29501 | p: 843-662-3218 April 17, 2021 Central United Methodist Church 265 West Cheves St. Florence, SC 29501 3 p.m.
The Boston Early Music Festival Exhibition 2019
As part of the Boston Early Music Festival Exhibition, Anne rented the Charles Shubert ballroom at the Courtyard Marriot Downtown Boston with the dream of turning it into a unique display and performance space for keyboards, builders, and players. She included builders Doug Maple (clavichords), A. David Moore (organs), and Robert Hicks, as well as two early keyboard organizations, The Westfield Center for Historic Keyboard Studies and The Historical Keyboard Society of North America. The center of the room was set up for concerts which occurred daily. It turned out to be an amazing salon that went on all day every day of the exhibition! It was also the debut of the Hood/Acker replica of an 1816 Nannette Streicher piano.
Jan. 30, 2018 Spivey Hall Young People’s Concert with Savannah Baroque
Jeana Melilli has talked me into doing a program at Spivey Hall’s Young People’s Concert and I have to say I’m really exited!
With Ashley Adams, soprano, and Marcy Brenner, viola da gamba, Jeana on traverso, and myself on harpsichord.
Savannah Baroque: Young People’s Concert
Spivey Hall at Clayton State College
2000 Clayton State Blvd, Morrow, GA 30260, USA
Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018
11:15 am -12:15 pm
http://www.clayton.edu/spiveyhall/Education?OccuranceId=341&ctl=ViewEvent&mid=132104
Nov. 9, 2017 Savannah Baroque Interview on WTOC: Live in the Morning
On Nov.9 at 10 in the morning, Eric Caines, baroque oboe and myself will appear on WTOC’s Live in the Morning show to talk about Savannah Baroque and our upcoming concert on Nov. 12 at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Savannah. We plan to make a little live music too. Wish us luck!
2017 Boston Early Music Festival Exhibition
I had the great pleasure of exhibiting at the 2017 Boston Early Music Festival Exhibition with display of the beautiful instruments from the AMD line from Atelier Marc Ducornet along with two kits from The Paris Workshop and a clavichord of my own making. Julien Bailly and Lucie Ducornet came from France to help at the booth. We had a wonderful time, saw so many old friends, made new friends, and sold some instruments and kits!
Attended The Westfield Center Conference: The Forte/Piano, Cornell University, Aug. 5-9, 2015
I attended Forte/Piano, a once in a lifetime gathering of the world’s many of the greatest lovers of the historical piano including performers, scholars, and builders. Words cannot express. It was an honor and a privilege.
Boston Early Music Festival Exhibition, June 9-13, 2015
I once again have the great pleasure of exhibiting for myself and The Paris Workshop at The Boston Early Music Festival Exhibition.
I will be showing kits as well as debuting the AMD Logo line of harpsichords from the Atelier Marc Ducornet.