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
3:30pm
Passim School of Music
26 Church Street, 3rd Floor
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 491-2382
Price: 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
8.00pm
Club Passim
47 Palmer Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 492-7679
Price: US$15/$13 members
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010
7.00pm
Music By The Bay
Assonet, MA
(508) 644-2331
Price: US$15
Wednesday, February 24th, 2010
8.00pm (DADGAD guitar workshop at 4.30pm)
Elysium Arts Folk Club
3 Front Street, Lower Mill at Salmon Falls
Rollinsford, NH 03869
(603) 743-4700
Price: 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
8.00pm (doors 7pm)
notfarG House Concerts
Grafton, MA
Price: US$10-15 suggested donation
Friday, February 26th, 2010
8.00pm (DADGAD guitar workshop 6-7.30pm)
Irish American Association of New Jersey (IAANJ)
352 Richard Mine Road
Rockaway, NJ 07885
(908) 813-8617
Price: $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
8.00pm (doors 7.00pm)
Old Songs
37 S. Main St.
Voorheesville, NY 12186
(518) 765-2815
Price: US$20
Sunday, February 28th, 2010
5.00pm
Concerts at the Beach House
Lansdowne, PA
(610) 626-0012
Price: US$15
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010
7.00pm
The AmeriSon Ballroom Folk Series at Cefalo’s
428 Washington Avenue
Carnegie, PA 15106
(412) 418-6299
Price: US$10
Friday, March 5th, 2010
7pm (doors 6:15)
The Lang Building
6th & Ella Streets
Beatrice, NE 68310
USA
(402) 742-0477
Price: 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
7.30pm (doors 6.30pm)
The Iron Horse Concert Hall
315 S Main St
El Dorado, KS 67042-3414
(316) 321-6348
Price: US$12/$11 Sen. Cit.
Sunday, March 7th, 2010
7.00pm
Big Plain House Concerts
Lenexa, KS
(913) 904-1285
Price: US$15 suggested donation
Monday, March 8th, 2010
7.30pm
The Back Room
Barton Arts Center, 2006 Forest Avenue
Great Bend, KS 67530-4014
(620) 792-3097
Price: US$10
Tuesday, March 9th, 2010
7.30pm (doors 7.00pm)
Lupus General Store
Main Street
Lupus, MO 65046
(660) 849-2217
Price: US$7
Thursday, March 11th, 2010
7.30pm
Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts, Southall-Moore Annex
217 E. Tuscaloosa Street
Florence, AL 35630
(256) 760-6379
Price: US$12 adv/$14 door
Friday, March 12th, 2010
7.00pm
House Concert – Tuscaloosa, AL
Tuscaloosa, AL
(205) 556-8296
Price: US$10
Saturday, March 13th, 2010
8.00pm
Charles & Myrtle’s Coffeehouse
105 McBrien Road
Chattanooga, TN 37411
(423) 892-4960
Price: US$10 suggested donation
Sunday, March 14th, 2010
3pm (doors 2pm)
The Goddess & The Moon
603 8th Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 251-9833
Price: US$10 suggested donation
Sunday, March 14th, 2010
8.00pm (doors 5.30pm)
The Bluebird Cafe
4104 Hillsboro Pike
Nashville, TN 37215
(615) 383-1461
Price: FREE; arrive early to get a seat
Monday, March 15th, 2010
7.30pm
House Concert – Decatur, GA
Decatur, GA
(770) 289-3204
Price: US$15 suggested donation
