Noel Holiday Concert: The Pioneer Consort

The Pioneer Consort performs their Noel Holiday concert featuring music from their holiday CD "Noel”, on Sunday, December16, 2012, at 3:00 p.m. at the historic Loring-Greenough House, 12 South Street, Jamaica Plain.

Continuing in their tradition of musical diversity, the Pioneer Consort’s arrangements draw from many cultures and musical traditions and uses a wide variety of instrumentation. "Noel" features a variety of colorful elements and sparkling arrangements celebrating the winter holidays. as well as music by Bach,  Brubeck, Tchaikovsky, and Mendelssohn. The Pioneer Consort describe "Noel": "We knew we wanted to arrange and record in a way that would evoke a band of Renaissance minstrels, an Appalachian cabin, a Native American fireside, even a shipboard flagon of Yuletide mead on a storm-tossed sea far from home. We chose to play a combination of the very familiar and more obscure, sometimes rustic, sometimes polished, but always authentic."

Meet the musicians of the Pioneer Consort and their guests at afternoon tea following the program.

The Sunday Afternoon at the ‘Greenough House series recreates the atmosphere of 18th and 19th century “musical afternoons” in the 1760 Loring-Greenough House, twice monthly, October to May. Tickets are available at the door: donation $15 ($10 seniors, students and JPTC members). Space is limited; reservations are suggested—call 617-524-3158 or email lghouseconcerts@aim.com.

Dissolving boundaries, and cross-fertilizing genres, The Pioneer Consort offers a kaleidoscopic sonic tour of diverse cultures and styles--classical, jazz, folk and international idioms-- on a dazzling array of instruments. The three musicians-- Chris Devine, violin, mandolin, guitar, and woodwinds; Michael Nix, guitars, mandolin, banjo and Banjar (a seven string classical banjo of his own design); and Greg Snedeker, cello and piano-- all bring their love of improvisation, arranging, and composition to intimate performances rich in warmth, humor, and funky elegance.

In a review of their 2008 release, World View, and a subsequent recital, Marvin J. Ward of Classical Voice of New England wrote, "...(Their) music is lively, full of energy, some of it high octane; the spirit is infectious – it spread through the hall during the recital...not purely classical, but neither is it purely world music or purely jazz; it ends up being a creative, light, and entertaining blend of the elements and characteristics of all three."

Built in 1760, the Loring-Greenough House, a local landmark listed on the Massachusetts and National Registers of Historic Places, is located at 12 South Street (at the Civil War Monument) in Jamaica Plain, MA. It is owned and managed by the non-profit Jamaica Plain Tuesday Club, Inc. as a historic house museum and site for art and music presentations. The Loring-Greenough House is wheelchair accessible. For more information on the Loring-Greenough House, see www.loring-greenough.org.

For reservations or directions, call (617)524-3158, or email  lghouseconcerts@aim.com.

Upcoming concerts in this series:

• Sunday, January 6: Boston Impromptu. The Boston-based jazz trio Yas Ishibashi (keyboard and vocals), Bob Wyckoff (trumpet and vocals), and Liz Horwitz (bass) present a program of songs, ballads and swing tunes from what is often referred to as “The Great American Songbook,” music from the 30's through the 50's.


• Sunday, January 20: Mimi Rabson Trio: (Mimi Rabson, Helen Sherrah-Davis, Junko Fujiwara) present repertoire of new chamber music that includes improvisation for string trio.


• Sunday, February 3: Balint Karosi, Harpsichord. A versatile concert organist and recording artist, Balint Karosi is an accomplished composer, harpsichordist and improviser who is noted for his elegant style, improvisations, and for his original compositions