WOMEN IN SONG Series Returns to The Plaza Live for 25th Anniversary of Orlando Philharmonic

The Women in Song Series is returning to The Plaza Live for the 25th Anniversary Season of the Orlando Philharmonic with three female singer-songwriters and guests performing on the harp, banjo, and piano along with members of the orchestra. The series allows live collaborations and special arrangements between the singer-songwriters and orchestra with a focus this season on folk-jazz fusion, folk, bluegrass, pop, and jazz music, as well as percussive dance.

"Celebrating the great tradition of singers, songwriters, storytellers and poets through the lens of Women in Song brings a new concept and tradition to the offerings of the Orlando Philharmonic," said Eric Jacobsen, music director. "The creativity and originality of the series is truly breathtaking and heroic."

Wednesday, October 11, 2017 at 8 p.m.

Maeve Gilchrist with Nic Gareiss

Described by one critic as "a phenomenal harp player who can make her instrument ring with unparalleled purity," Maeve Gilchrist has taken the Celtic harp to new levels of performance. She maintains a widely-acclaimed duo project with Nic Gareiss, a Michigan-born percussive dancer. Sharing a deep respect for traditional music and culture while drawing on contemporary elements of music, dance, rhythm, and improvisation, Maeve and Nic have emerged from the vibrant new acoustic scene as innovators in their fields.

Wednesday, January 17, 2018 at 8 p.m.

Kaia Kater

As a new generation takes the reins, American roots music is needed more than ever to remind us of the troubled pathways of our own history. Born of African-Caribbean descent in Quebec, Kaia Kater grew up in two worlds: one of her family's deep ties to Canadian folk music in her Toronto home; the other the years she spent learning and studying Appalachian music in West Virginia. Her acclaimed debut album Sorrow Bound (May 2015) touched on this divide, but her new album, Nine Pin (May 2016), delves even further, and casts an unflinching eye of the realities faced by people of color in North America every day.

Wednesday, March 14, 2018 at 8 p.m.

Heather Masse with JEd Wilson

Although trained at the New England Conservatory of Music as a jazz singer, New York singer-songwriter Heather Masse is equally versed in a variety of American Song traditions, which influences her more prevalent work in folk, pop and bluegrass. A member of the Billboard-charting folk group, The Wailin' Jennys, she has been a frequent guest on Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion, both as a solo performer and as a member of The Jennys. Pianist JEd Wilson first gained attention for his musical abilities as a teenager on the Portland, Oregon jazz scene. A lifelong student of the art of accompaniment, he may be best known for his collaboration with Masse, whom he met while both were studying at the New England Conservatory of Music, and with whom he has toured widely. He has also performed with singer Aoife O'Donovan, cellist/composer Rushad Eggleston, and guitar legend Dean Magraw.

Single tickets for each Women in Song Concert are $22 in advance and $27 at the door. A special discount is offered when purchasing all three concerts. Tickets are available online at orlandophil.org, by calling 407.770.0071, or in person at the Box Office, located at The Plaza Live (425 N. Bumby Avenue, Orlando). The Box Office is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Ticket prices subject to change.)

The Orlando Philharmonic is Central Florida's professional orchestra, comprised of accomplished musicians recruited from around the world. Presenting over 125 events each year, the orchestra provides captivating musical experiences and education programs to people of all ages, and is committed to building a rich, sustainable future for symphonic music in Central Florida. Learn more at OrlandoPhil.org.

ARTISTS

Maeve Gilchrist: http://www.maevegilchristmusic.com

Nic Gareiss: http://www.nicgareiss.com/Welcome.html

Kaia Kater: https://www.kaiakater.com

Heather Masse: http://www.heathermasse.com

JEd Wilson: https://jedwilson.wordpress.com

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