Want something new for lunch? Try CELLObration at noon, at Morristown Presbyterian Church

Six cellos for the price of … none. You can’t beat that!

Today, March 23, the FREE Fridays-on-the-Green series features six young cellists playing everything from Bach to Beatles, at the Presbyterian Church in Morristown, at 57 Park Place. They musicians are students of Marnie Kaller, a top cellist who performs frequently in Greater Morristown.

Lunch from C’est Cheese may be purchased after the 35-minute concert at the church.

 

 

Video: The Jimi Hendrix of cello, Claude Lamothe, in Morristown

They say the cello is the instrument closest to the human vocal range, and we believe it after hearing Claude Lamothe perform on May 27 at Morristown’s Presbyterian Church on the Green.

Claude made his cello talk.

And squawk like a seagull. And creak like a ship. He made Bach rock and Vivaldi roll. (See Bach, above.)

“You’re like the Jimi Hendrix of cello,” church Music Director Jim Hicks told the French Canadian after Friday’s lunchtime show.

Most astounding was Claude’s disclosure that he did not start playing the instrument until the ripe old age of 18. He could not even read music. At the time, he played bass in rock bands.

Nuns accepted him into a music school and gave him one year to catch up. As his studies progressed in Montreal, he continued playing bass gigs on weekends to pay the bills.

What was it about the cello that grabbed him?

“I saw the cello. I heard the cello. It was a call,” said the native of Trois-Rivières, Quebec, where he saw baseball star Ken Griffey Sr. play for the minor league Aigles years ago.

Claude played classical cello for a decade.

“Then I wanted to do my own thing,” he said.

His thing was to become the cello’s answer to rock violinist Jean-Luc Ponty.

“I was sensing the possibility,” said Claude, 53. “Why is there no cellist who does rock and roll?”

Claude’s dynamic style is hard to describe, and harder to forget.

“It’s crazy, but in a good way,” said his girlfriend, cellist Leah Kaller, who played in the bell choir of the Presbyterian Church while growing up in Morristown.

Claude has a following in Quebec, but awaits his big break in the U.S.

(Celine Dion, are you listening?  Here is a great opening act for your Vegas show!)

At Friday’s show, Leah performed a Vivaldi concerto with Claude. They were accompanied by Leah’s mom, cellist Marnie Kaller, and Jim Hicks on the organ.

What’s it like playing cello next to Claude?

“We made a pact a long time ago,” Leah said. “When we mess up, we smile.”

The audience was doing all the smiling on Friday.

Stay tuned for more video clips.

Photos: Elise Figa at Presbyterian Church Friday music series

Bill Lescohier got these fine shots of soprano Elise Figa at last Friday’s noontime concert at the Presbyterian Church in Morristown.

Elise also will perform this Sunday, March 20, in the church’s “Collage Concert” at 4 pm. Musical performances will overlap from different corners of the church; it should be interesting.

(Please click icon below for captions.)

The Fridays on the Green series continues on March 18 with the Steve Hess Band and a jazz program featuring guest saxophonist Rob Middleton. Admission is free, and lunch is available for purchase from C’est Cheese.

A musical exploration of the universe, from Allison Kiger in Morristown

Is there “balance” in the universe, and if so, what might it sound like?

Perhaps, like this:

Allison Kiger ensemble performs the Singularity Theme by Darryl Kubian

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Flutist Allison Kiger returned last week to Morristown’s Presbyterian Church on the Green, where the hand bell choir and a performance of Handel’s Messiah inspired her as a little girl.

“It was so powerful and amazing to me when I was small,” the Morristown native said. “It’s really nice to be back.”

Allison brought an all-star ensemble with her, and together they produced a lyrical rendition of the Singularity Theme, from the 3-2-1 Concerto for Violin and Orchestra by New Jersey Symphony violinist Darryl Kubian.

That 2008 composition explores the “energy of the expanding universe,” and this movement uses the solo violin and flute to probe the concept of balance between opposing forces in nature.

Assisting Allison in this musical quest are Ming-Feng Hsin and Funda Cizmecioglu on violins, Denise Stillwell on viola and Gwendolyn Smith Nguyen on cello.

Allison holds degrees from the Royal Academy of Music in London, McGill University in Montreal and Indiana University. She has performed with numerous orchestras, and has appeared with jazz legend Dave Brubeck and pianist Christopher Johnson.

Ming-Feng has been a first violinist with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, and has served as musical director of the South Shore Symphony.

Funda is active in many chamber orchestras and also plays with the Albany Symphony. Denise is a New Jersey native who holds degrees from the Juilliard School. Gwendolyn is a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music who has performed around the world with conductors Charles Dutoit, Kurt Masur and Sir Neville Marriner.

But all you really need to know about this crew is contained in the superb performance included here. Adjust your headphones, get comfortable, and enjoy!

The free lunchtime series resumes on Friday with a concert of Romantic masterworks by organist/pianist Sandor Szabo, director of music at Central Presbyterian Church in Summit.