Northern Harmony Quartet World Harmony Singing March 19, 2009

Larry Gordon, Patty Cuyler, Suzannah Park and Nathan Morrison present a thrilling range of traditional harmony singing from across the world.

Their unusual concert program features a wide range of singing styles: ancient sacred and secular songs from Caucasus Georgia, featuring a dark, sonorous sound and startling, dissonant harmonies; oral tradition songs from Corsica, with two highly ornamented upper voices over a harmonic bass; village and arranged songs from Bulgaria and Macedonian, using the arresting Balkan "hard voice"; lively and contrapuntal traditional and contemporary American shape-note songs; 1930's tight harmony quartet gospel; ornamented Appalachian harmonies; hearty and rhythmic South African songs and dances; and delicate medieval motets. Performing primarily a cappella, the group accompanies some numbers with accordion, banjo, guitar and keyboard.

Larry Gordon and Patty Cuyler are the founder and co-director of Vermont-based Village Harmony singing camps and the renowned touring choir Northern Harmony, and for twenty years their inspirational teaching has introduced thousands of singers to these thrilling vocal traditions. Patty is a powerful, passionate singer with a wide range and Larry's rich bass anchors the ensemble. Suzannah Park and Nathan Morrison are among the most talented and charismatic of the younger generation of Village Harmony leaders, having toured and performed with Village Harmony and Northern Harmony since their early teens. Suzannah has a rich low voice and particularly distinctive command of ornamented Appalachian singing style. Nathan is a beautiful tenor and also a jazz keyboard and banjo player.

$12/$8 for students, at door.

Official Website: http://www.villageharmony.org