The Boston Public Library (BPL) announced today that its Concerts in the Courtyard Summer Series is returning this year. As is now tradition, the iconic courtyard of the BPL’s Central Library in Copley Square — one of Boston’s most beautiful havens — will fill with music during Friday afternoons in the summertime. Amid COVID-19 restrictions, however, the 2020 summer concerts may only be attended virtually. Beginning July 10, all concerts in the series will be streamed LIVE from the courtyard to the BPL’s YouTube channel on Fridays from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Find additional details about the artists at bit.ly/BPLSummerConcerts.
“During this time, music and the arts are vital to feeding our spirits; and ensuring we continue to support our performers and artists through the Concerts in the Courtyard Summer Series felt especially important,” said David Leonard, President of the Boston Public Library. “Pivoting to virtual attendance makes it possible to sustain this much loved program, the participating artists, and the larger community of music lovers. And, by streaming the performances from the courtyard, we are able to share glimpses of the idyllic setting missed by so many of the Central Library’s regular visitors. We are truly grateful to Bank of America for its ongoing generous support.”
Sponsored by the Bank of America Charitable Foundation for the second consecutive year, the 2020 concerts will feature accomplished musicians performing styles that range from jazz and singer-songwriter to experimental and contemporary classical to Latin and African American spirituals.
“At Bank of America, we believe in the power of the arts, which is why we are making music more accessible through our partnership with the Boston Public Library,” said Miceal Chamberlain, Massachusetts State President for Bank of America. “The Concert Series fosters greater cultural understanding from one of Boston’s greatest assets.”
July schedule:
- July 10: Pianist and vocalist Jazzage describes her style as “the artful application of musical jazz sounds to the auditory apparatus and soul via vocal and instrumental flow.” Jazzage has performed in numerous venues including the Harlem’s famed Apollo Theater.
- July 17: Singer-songwriter and pianist Julia Mark carefully balances wordplay, wit, and the weight of being human. With the soft-easy vocal style of Suzanne Vega and the songwriting penchant of Carole King, she regales listeners with tales of life on the moon, heartbreak on Earth, childhood homes, and palindromes.
- July 24: In “Human Garden: Biosounds,” multimedia artist Lani Asuncion translates the biofeedback from plants into sound patterns to create original musical compositions. The project is supported by the Transformative Public Arts grant, awarded by the Boston Mayor’s Office of Arts + Culture.
- July 31: The award-winning Cochran Wrenn Duo explores connecting threads that interlace tango, contemporary classical, and jazz. Flutist Bonnie Cochran and guitarist Bryan Wrenn cover works by Ravel, Piazzolla, and Kusiak, and perform original arrangements of Bach flute sonatas and American folk songs.
August schedule:
- August 7: Colombian guitarist, composer, and songwriter Santiago Barragán studied jazz at the Conservatory of Nancy, France and at Berklee College of Music. His influences include jazz, classical, rock, pop, and Latin music. His light touch and lyrical phrasing highlight his technical qualities as a Latin musician.
- August 14: In FauxMenco, Catherine Capozzi and Rafi Sofer translate their loud and adventurous electric guitar worlds to nylon-string guitars. Drawing from rock, classical, flamenco, surf, gypsy, and the ambiance of time and space, FauxMenco strives to create exciting guitar dreamscapes that are propulsive and timeless.
- August 21: Saxophonist Seychelle Dunn-Corbin and flutist Adrienne Baker are NorthStar Duo. Passionate about works for winds and accessibility to audiences and musicians alike, they create new contemporary music and champion works by women and people of color, including African American spirituals.
- August 28: On saxophone and bass respectively, Ken Field and Blake Newman perform works from the the Ken Field Nonstandards and the Revolutionary Snake Ensemble, including Field’s original compositions and unique arrangements of traditional material, as well as improvisations utilizing looping electronics.
