Bach Ascending Bach Marathon Judge, February 24, 2024
Anne had the honor and pleasure of serving as a judge for the Annual Bach Marathon organized by Bach Ascending at the Lutheran Church of the Ascension in the historic district of Savannah! A variety of students and professionals played works by Bach on varied instruments and/or vocally, utilizing piano, harpsichord, guitar, flute, and violin. Ages covered the spectrum from very young to in the 80s! It was a pleasure to spend several hours listening. The other judge and myself came to a quick decision for the winners of the various categories: Most Promising Young Artist (17 and under), Most Creative Performance, and Best Performance Overall.
Author’s Note in children’s book about Beethoven and Nannette Streicher by Laurie Lawlor
Back in 2020, I answered an email and then had a long phone conversation with a marvelous award winning children’s book author, Laurie Lawlor answering questions about Nannette Streicher, Beethoven, Nannette’s pianos, my friend Margaret Hood, and Margaret’s last replica of a Streicher piano that I completed.. Much to my surprise, I received an email from Laurie that the book was being published this month and I was in the Author’s Note. She asked for my address so she could send me an advance copy. I was stunned to find an entire page devoted to Margaret and me! The book itself is fantastic! Laurie’s research is up to date and thorough. She amazingly took the wealth of accurate information and made it into a beautifully told book suitable for children with marvelous and period and instrument accurate illustration by Rebecca Statlandler. What Music! The Fifty-Year Friendship Between Beethoven and Nannette Streicher, Who Built His Pianos, for readers age 6 and up, is being released October 23 by Holiday House.
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.
Boston Early Music Festival Exhibition June 15-18, 2011
I’ll be holding down the fort with Carey Beebe, discussing TPW kits showing instruments and kits from The Paris Workshop at the Boston Early Music Festival Exhibition at the Radisson hotel in downtown Boston from June 15-18.
Come see a stage 1 kit as it comes, and a completed French single!
For more information see: www.bemf.org andThe Paris Workshop
Harmoniques 2010, Lausanne
September 8-12, 2010
Attending Harmoniques 2010 in Lausanne, Switzerland. The topic is Chopin and his Times, with special emphasis on his pianos.
March 25, 2010: Anne’s German harpsichord plays with The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Players in Thomasville, GA
John Gibbons performed with a fine array of other soloists from the The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in the historic Cultural Center in Thomasville, Georgia. The all baroque program was recorded and should appear on the air at some point. John and the harpsichord sounded divine. I’m always very pleased with how well this instrument holds its own, while blending, and how well it records.
Savannah Children’s Choir Performances in England
We had a wonderful whirlwind trip to England, staying in one of the dorms at the historic Sherborne School.
I had the pleasure of accompanying the choir for their beautiful performance at the Sherborne Abbey. We had the youngest choir both in ages of the children and years of existence of the choir. They performed so beautifully, the other conductors were moved to tears.
The joint concert of all the visiting choirs at Wells Cathedral the next night was beyond spectacular!
Photo Shoot for Kohl’s / Mudd Jeans at Wormsloe Plantation
My 1884 upright Chickering piano was selected as part of a national level photo shoot. It was certainly an interesting and long day.
Well, I’m always pleased when pianos or harpsichords get attention.