Hillyer Festival Orchestra “Pops” concert at Maudslay Arts Center -The Alex Minasian Jazz Quartet swings on Saturday night
Maudslay Arts Center Summer Concert Series (MAC) favorite The Hillyer Festival Orchestra and MAC newcomer the Alex Minasian Jazz Quartet join the 29th season, followed by a full line-up of Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon concerts featuring something for every musical taste from Big Band to jazz, from opera to country to the Great American Songbook.
Come to Maudslay to hear the high-energy Alex Minasian Jazz Quartet performing jazz classics by Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, and Miles Davis as well as the Great American Songbook when they take to the stage on Saturday night. “We’ll be swinging,” Alex said. “It’s finger-snapping music.”
Come back on Sunday afternoon for a very special “Pops” concert with a full orchestra – The Hillyer Festival Orchestra.
“The Hillyer Festival Orchestra cannot wait to get back to the Maudslay Arts Center on July 17, to bring the best of fun and familiar opera arias to their receptive audience,” says Conductor Dr. Dirk Hillyer. “It is the most beautiful music ever written and we get to perform it at Maudslay’s wonderful venue.”
Returning to MAC this year are tenor Yeghishe Manchuryan and soprano Erin Smith, both veterans to great opera. Enjoy vocal highlights from Carmen, La Traviata, La Boheme, and The Merry Widow with orchestra interludes by Victor Herbert and George Gershwin.
This program is supported in part by a grant from the Newburyport, Newbury, West Newbury, Amesbury, Merrimac, and Salisbury Cultural Councils, supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
The MAC Summer Concert Series continues with MAC favorites The Don Campbell Band, guitarist Bobby Keyes, and jazz vocalist Donna Byrne. New to the line-up this season are The Deep Blue C, Mike Monaghan Jazz Quintet, and Beantown Swing Orchestra.
Whether you’re sitting under the stars on a moonlit evening or lounging on a blanket on a Sunday afternoon, the Maudslay Arts Center Summer Concert Series provides the perfect setting for your entertainment pleasure.
“With your help, we continue to make upgrades and improvements and as a result, there is not a bad place to sit at Maudslay,” MAC Executive Director Nicholas C. Costello said. “On the lawn, patio, or inside the concert venue, the acoustics are wonderful.”
Saturday concerts begin at 7 p.m. and include Alex Minasian Jazz Quartet on July 16, Mike Monaghan Jazz Quintet on July 23, The Don Campbell Band on July 30, and The Deep Blue C on Aug. 13.
Sunday afternoon performances begin at 2 p.m. and include Hillyer Festival Orchestra on July 17, Beantown Swing Orchestra on July 24, Bobby Keyes on Aug. 7, and Donna Byrne on Aug. 14.
Maudslay Arts Center is located at 95 Curzon Mill Road, Maudslay State Park, Newburyport MA 01950. The concerts are held rain or shine, moving to the indoor performance hall adjacent to the patio when weather dictates.
“There’s never a ‘rain out’ at Maudslay Arts Center,” Costello said. “We just go inside.” All current COVID-19 protocols will be followed.
Concertgoers are encouraged to bring a picnic dinner, which can be casual or as elaborate as a gourmet meal with tablecloth and flowers, whatever suits the patron’s fancy. Delicious desserts and cold beverages may be purchased during intermission, all served by dedicated MAC volunteers, who continue to make this non-profit series happen.
Saturday performances start at 7 p.m., with gates opening at 6 p.m. Patio seating (tables and chairs) is $30. Lawn seating (bring your own chairs or blankets) is $25. Children 12 and under are free.
Sunday performances start at 2 p.m. with gates opening at 1 p.m. General admission is $20 with open seating on the patio and lawn. Tables and chairs are provided on the patio. Special group rates may be arranged by calling 978-499-0050. Children 12 and under are free.
For the complete summer schedule, to purchase tickets online, or for further information about the performers, visit the MAC website at www.maudslayartscenter.org. Tickets also may be purchased at the gate (check or cash only) or by calling (978) 499-0050. There is no reserved seating. Gift certificates are available.
The series is supported by The Newburyport Bank, dedicated MAC volunteers and patrons, and the staff of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). The Saturday evening performances are sponsored by The Newburyport Bank. Additional support for the Hillyer Festival Orchestra concert was provided by the Massachusetts Cultural Council and its local chapters in Newburyport, Newbury, West Newbury, Amesbury, Merrimac, and Salisbury.
