Location: Bolton Hill
Hosts: Lisa Summers and Chris Ryder
Sponsor: Creative Alliance Trustee Emerita Kristin Seeberger
Join soprano Natanya Sheva Washer and guitarist Sean Brennan for an evening rooted in connection and compassion – celebrating the underrepresented voices of the Americas. From the lyrical depth of African American composers Harry Burleigh and Rosephanye Powell to the beloved melodies of Mexican composers Maria Grever and Consuelo Velazquez, the repertoire bridges histories and traditions. These works speak across borders and generations, reminding us that loving our neighbor begins with listening – deeply and respectfully – to one another’s stories. The setting will be the classic formal spaces of a well-preserved Bolton Hill “Grand Dame.” Heavy hors d’oeuvres and drinks are provided as you explore the less heard sounds of these incredible musicians.
Venue Accessibility: No Pets. Not Accessible.
Parking Info: Street Parking
“At the sound of her voice the audience is immediately charmed” (BmoreArt 2014).
In roles ranging from Monteverdi to Puccini, international soprano Natanya Sheva Washer has had the pleasure of singing for renowned venues such as the Vatican and Carnegie Hall.
Natanya has appeared with Maryland Opera, Maryland Lyric Opera, Bach in Baltimore, CenterStage, Young Victorian Theater Company, Baltimore Annex Theater, Peabody Opera Theater, New Lyric Theatre, and The El Paso Opera Company. Such roles range from Poppea in Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea, Pamina in Mozart’s The Magic Flute, to Pitti-Sing in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado. In February
2015, Natanya performed the role of Maria Bertram in the US premiere of Jonathan Dove’s opera, Mansfield Park, at Baltimore’s Theater Project. And in February 2016, she performed the role of Elsie Whinthrop in the World premiere of Paul Crabtree’s opera, The Ghost Train, at the B&O Railroad Museum.
Experienced in solo recitals and oratorio, Natanya had her solo debut by the age of 15 with El Paso Symphony at the “Music Under the Stars” in front of an estimated 17,000 attendees. She later made her international soloist debut in October 2013 singing with “Britain’s Got Talent” winner, Paul Potts, and the Juarez Symphony Orchestra. She has since performed as the soprano soloist for Verdi’s Requiem, Poulenc’s Gloria, Mozart’s Solemn Vespers, Handel’s Judas Maccabeus, Handel’s Messiah, Haydn’s Creation, and Mozart’s Exsultate Jubilate. With the Tiffany Concert Series, her solo voice has been recorded and archived for posterity by the Maryland Historical Society as part of the official tribute to J. Spenser Hammond. She is excited to make her return to the Tiffany Series.
Sean Brennan is a multi-disciplinary guitarist, arranger, and educator hailing from Baltimore, Maryland. He specializes in the arrangement and performance of music that reimagines what the guitar is capable of, with a special interest in percussion music. From concert halls to hospital lobbies to graffitied alleys, Sean performs regularly as a soloist and a chamber musician in the Baltimore area. Recent engagements have included the In The Stacks series, Baltimore Flower Mart, and The Tower Series.
Sean believes strongly in the importance of community engagement, and in using music as a vessel for connection and healing. He was recently selected as an artist for the Sound Rounds program, where he provides bedside music for patients in the Johns Hopkins Hospital system. His work with the Sound Rounds program was recently featured in The New York Times. During his graduate studies, he co-authored the Guitar PD study, which studied the impact of guitar instruction on functional movement and well-being in Parkinson’s Disease. More recently, he has collaborated with the Maryland Association for Parkinson Support.
As an educator, Sean has extensive experience over a wide range of students and teaching environments. He currently serves on the faculty of Peabody Preparatory, Peabody Conservatory, and Notre Dame of Maryland University. His students have been accepted to the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, Penn State University, University of Tampa, and the Interlochen Center for the Arts. Sean completed undergraduate, graduate, and GPD studies in performance and pedagogy from the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, where he studied with Julian Gray and Ray Chester.
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