A Midsummer Something-or-Other:

Bring the Sun to Me

Saturday, August 15th at 7:30pm
Church of the Holy Apostles

This summer, EC Arts invites you to a Midsummer Something-or-Other: Bring the Sun to Me—a vibrant, genre-bending evening of creativity, collaboration, and the incredible artists redefining what community music can look like.

So…what is a Midsummer Something-or-Other, anyway? It’s our chance to throw out the rulebook for a moment and explore projects that are adventurous, unexpected, and just plain fun. Part concert, part creative laboratory, this summer event gives musicians and audiences alike an opportunity to experience something a little different: new music, unusual ensemble combinations, emerging composers, and exciting collaborations all sharing the same stage. This year’s program features four unique ensembles—percussion ensemble, clarinet choir, flute choir, and sinfonietta—each bringing its own sound, energy, and personality to the evening.

The percussion ensemble dives headfirst into rhythm and spectacle with works like Andy Akiho’s cinematic Haiku 2, Nathan Daughtrey’s fiery Blaze, and the world premiere of a brand-new work by composer Jason Olshan. Meanwhile, the clarinet choir explores an astonishing range of color and texture, from selections of Percy Grainger’s beloved Lincolnshire Posy in an arrangement by Matt Johnston, to evocative contemporary works like Roger Zare’s Smoky Mountain Lullaby and Paul Richards’s wonderfully surreal A Butterfly Coughs in Africa. Together, these works showcase just how thrilling, colorful, and unexpected chamber music can be.

On the other side of the program, the flute choir and sinfonietta lean into atmosphere, storytelling, and expansive musical landscapes. The flute choir travels from the shimmering cosmic textures of Gareth MacLearnon’s Cosmic Dawn to the sparkling jazz influences of Raymond Guiot’s Jazz Divertimento, culminating in the luminous beauty of Amanda Harberg’s Prayer. The sinfonietta highlights emerging and contemporary voices, including the premiere of Last Leaf, a new work for strings by student composer Ilya Kleyn. The ensemble will also feature Iranian singer/composer Mahya Hamedi performing her work Dohkte Baharoon, alongside Mpingo, a striking oboe concerto by Jake Gunnar Walsh, performed by the composer himself as soloist.

At its heart, Bring the Sun to Me is about discovery—discovering new music, new artists, and new possibilities for what a summer concert can be. Whether you’re a longtime classical music lover or someone simply looking for an exciting evening out, this is music that’s vibrant, heartfelt, surprising, and alive. Come celebrate summer with us and experience something truly one-of-a-kind.