The Peabody Institute Library is pleased to announce its Fall 2024 Concert Series, starting on Monday, Sept. 16. All concerts are free and open to the public. Registration is required and opens for all shows on Sept. 2. Concerts are scheduled to take place in the Sutton Room on Monday nights at 7 p.m., unless otherwise noted.
Patrons may sign up on the Peabody Library calendar at peabodylibrary.org/calendar or by calling 978-531-0100.
Concerts are sponsored by the Peabody Institute Library Foundation and the McCarthy Family Foundation.
On Monday, Sept. 16, the Avalyn Reed Trio will perform. The trio features Christine Fell and Nancy Fiske on clarinets, and Maria Isaak on bassoon, and they’ll play a repertoire including Bach, Handel, Albéniz, Joplin, and de Falla. For more information about the Avalyn Reed Trio, visit https://www.avalynreedtrio.com/.
On Monday, Oct. 7, Les Sampou will perform. Sampou is an award-winning songwriter and recording artist who developed a national presence in the singer-songwriter circuit, where she has toured for more than three decades. Her concerts are known for the wonderful stories she weaves around her set list, which includes original songs from her seven albums as well as beloved cover songs from over the decades. Her extraordinary guitar playing and emotive vocals will hold you spellbound. Sampou has performed at world-class stages such as the Montreal Jazz Festival, Toronto Blues Festival, SXSW, and Philadelphia Folk Festival, and has appeared on top-syndicated radio programs like Acoustic Café, World Café, and NPR. This show promises to stay with you long after you leave the historic Sutton Room!
On Wednesday, Oct. 23, Susan and Roy Hagen will perform. Peabody resident and double bassist Susan Hagen, along with her father, guitarist Roy Hagen, invite you to join them for an evening of classic and current music they have arranged for your enjoyment. This father-daughter duo loves playing music together, which is evident from the very first note they play!
Susan Hagen is a lifelong resident of Peabody and worked in the PIL children’s department as a teen. She is now a professional musician, performing as an extra player with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Pops Orchestra, and as principal double bass of the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra (the first female to hold that position). She also teaches at Berklee College of Music. A lifelong North Shore resident, Roy Hagen has lived in Peabody for many years, taught music and technology in the Salem school district, and has been an active performer since he was a teenager. This is sure to be a fun evening!
On Thursday, Nov. 7, Dance Caliente will perform. “Dancing Joy” with Dance Caliente is an interactive ballroom dance show that will sweep you off your feet! Come see dancing duo Eileen Herman-Haase and Raul Nieves, whose charismatic charm and delightful sense of humor bring so much more to their performance of dances like the waltz, Argentine tango, and more. In between each dance, Herman-Haase and Nieves will share commentary and invite the audience to learn some of the moves. They are masters at inspiring participants at any level to experience the joy of dancing. For more information about Dance Caliente, visit https://www.dancecaliente.us.
On Monday, Nov. 18, Áine Minogue will perform. PIL favorite Minogue returns, featuring seasonally fitting harp compositions as well as old Celtic favorites. Come relax with some harp tunes in the beautiful Sutton Room!
Minogue has been a staple of the Irish and Celtic music scene for many years, completing sixteen solo albums to date. She is prominently featured on numerous compilations, many of which spent months on the Billboard 100 music charts (World, Folk, New Age, Classical). Minogue is also a frequent contributor to TV soundtracks. For more information about Minogue, visit https://aineminogue.com/.
On Monday, Dec. 9, Joshua Peckins will perform. Classical violinist Peckins returns with a Music Speaks program titled “Blue Sunrise.” Peckins performs a recital that includes history and context for the pieces.
The program includes Bach’s “Partita No. 1 in B Minor,” Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson’s “Blue/s Forms,” Fanitullen’s “Devil’s Troll” (for Hardanger fiddle), and Ysaye’s “Sonata 5.”
