I got this press release from folk singer Sarah McQuaid, and, frankly, found the concept intriguing. If she were coming anywhere near me, I would so do this.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Calling all singers!
For her forthcoming tour dates, acclaimed singer/guitarist/songwriter Sarah McQuaid is seeking fellow vocalists to join her in singing a six-part round she’s written.
Entitled ‘In Gratitude I Sing’, the canon carries an uplifting message and features on Sarah’s third album, which is currently in the mixing stage and should be out in 2011.
In the meantime, her first two albums When Two Lovers Meet and I Won’t Go Home ’Til Morning are being re-released in North America as a double CD, just in time for Sarah’s first-ever US tour – a real humdinger that takes in 20 shows in 23 days, including such legendary venues as Boston’s Club Passim, upstate New York’s Old Songs and Nashville’s Bluebird Café.
Born in Madrid and raised in Chicago, Sarah McQuaid lived in Ireland for 14 years before moving to Cornwall, in the southwest corner of England, in 2007.
On her return from the US, she’ll once again be sharing the bill with fellow Cornwall-based band Dalla at Grampound Village Hall, where Sarah debuted her canon a year ago. On that occasion, four members of Dalla had bravely agreed to essay the song with just five minutes of rehearsal time before the show.
“Up to that point I’d only heard the different parts together inside my own head, having just written it that morning,” Sarah explains, “so I was terrified that they’d turn out to clash! I also wasn’t a hundred percent sure that the key would be okay for both male and female voices.
“But actually they sounded even better together than I could have imagined, even with only five of the six parts – one man and four women including myself – and the range was fine for everybody, thank goodness.”
Eager to share the song with more audiences, Sarah is calling on any singers who plan to attend her concerts to join her onstage for ‘In Gratitude I Sing’. The sheet music is available for download from Sarah’s homepage, www.sarahmcquaid.com, as is a MIDI recording of the melody.
Details of US tour dates follow; for other dates, see www.sarahmcquaid.com/calendar.html.
Sunday, February 21st, 2010
26 Church Street, 3rd Floor
3:30pm
Passim School of Music
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 491-2382Price: US$35 nonmembers/$30 member
90-minute workshop entitled “An Introduction To The DADGAD Guitar Tuning”. Class size is limited to 12 participants, so book early! For more info, visit http://www.passimcenter.org or ring (617) 491-2382.
Monday, February 22nd, 2010
47 Palmer Street
8.00pm
Club Passim
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 492-7679Price: US$15/$13 members
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010
Assonet, MA
7.00pm
Music By The Bay
(508) 644-2331Price: US$15
Wednesday, February 24th, 2010
3 Front Street, Lower Mill at Salmon Falls
8.00pm (DADGAD guitar workshop at 4.30pm)
Elysium Arts Folk Club
Rollinsford, NH 03869
(603) 743-4700Price: US$15 concert/25 workshop/35 bot
DADGAD guitar workshop from 4.30 to 6pm the afternoon of the concert. Places limited, so book early!
Thursday, February 25th, 2010
Grafton, MA
8.00pm (doors 7pm)
notfarG House Concerts
Price: US$10-15 suggested donationFriday, February 26th, 2010
352 Richard Mine Road
8.00pm (DADGAD guitar workshop 6-7.30pm)
Irish American Association of New Jersey (IAANJ)
Rockaway, NJ 07885
(908) 813-8617Price: $20 (members $15); workshop $25
DADGAD guitar workshop from 6 to 7.30pm. Places limited; to book, email irisnevins@verizon.net or ring (908) 813-8617.
Saturday, February 27th, 2010
37 S. Main St.
8.00pm (doors 7.00pm)
Old Songs
Voorheesville, NY 12186
(518) 765-2815Price: US$20
Sunday, February 28th, 2010
Lansdowne, PA
5.00pm
Concerts at the Beach House
(610) 626-0012Price: US$15
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010
428 Washington Avenue
7.00pm
The AmeriSon Ballroom Folk Series at Cefalo’s
Carnegie, PA 15106
(412) 418-6299Price: US$10
Friday, March 5th, 2010
6th & Ella Streets
7pm (doors 6:15)
The Lang Building
Beatrice, NE 68310
USA
(402) 742-0477Price: FREE (sponsored by Southeast Community College)
In addition to the Friday evening concert, Sarah will also be giving a DADGAD guitar workshop on Thursday evening (location and time TBC) and a Friday lunchtime talk (and sing and play!) at Southeast Community College’s Lincoln Campus — all three events free and open to the public. For more info, email lorimc DOT celtichome AT gmail DOT com or ring (402) 742-0477.
Saturday, March 6th, 2010
315 S Main St
7.30pm (doors 6.30pm)
The Iron Horse Concert Hall
El Dorado, KS 67042-3414
(316) 321-6348Price: US$12/$11 Sen. Cit.
Sunday, March 7th, 2010
Lenexa, KS
7.00pm
Big Plain House Concerts
(913) 904-1285Price: US$15 suggested donation
Monday, March 8th, 2010
Barton Arts Center, 2006 Forest Avenue
7.30pm
The Back Room
Great Bend, KS 67530-4014
(620) 792-3097Price: US$10
Main Street
Tuesday, March 9th, 2010
7.30pm (doors 7.00pm)
Lupus General Store
Lupus, MO 65046
(660) 849-2217Price: US$7
Thursday, March 11th, 2010
217 E. Tuscaloosa Street
7.30pm
Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts, Southall-Moore Annex
Florence, AL 35630
(256) 760-6379Price: US$12 adv/$14 door
Tuscaloosa, AL
Friday, March 12th, 2010
7.00pm
House Concert – Tuscaloosa, AL
(205) 556-8296Price: US$10
105 McBrien Road
Saturday, March 13th, 2010
8.00pm
Charles & Myrtle’s Coffeehouse
Chattanooga, TN 37411
(423) 892-4960Price: US$10 suggested donation
Sunday, March 14th, 2010
603 8th Avenue South
3pm (doors 2pm)
The Goddess & The Moon
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 251-9833Price: US$10 suggested donation
4104 Hillsboro Pike
Sunday, March 14th, 2010
8.00pm (doors 5.30pm)
The Bluebird Cafe
Nashville, TN 37215
(615) 383-1461Price: FREE; arrive early to get a seat
Decatur, GA
Monday, March 15th, 2010
7.30pm
House Concert – Decatur, GA
(770) 289-3204Price: US$15 suggested donation
