Mandy Brown, soprano

The art song recital, Dances, Ditties, Ballads & Rags, is a celebration of American and British Isles folksongs and melodies showcasing the works of Vaughan Williams, Finzi, Britten, Copland, Bowles, Bolcom, Heggie and their contemporaries. This program is the perfect way to introduce classical music to those new to the genre and it also keeps long time classical music lovers engaged with 21st century interpretations of familiar texts as well as some lesser known hidden gems.

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*Program was originally created for The Millennium Stage at The Kennedy Center.

Tales of adventure, mystery, romance and magic permeate all cultures in a myriad of forms. People are fascinated and enchanted by myths and legends as well as fairy tales and tall tales. Of Fiction & Fantasy features works about magic, mythical creatures, and folklore; from witches to mermaids and dragons to elves. Composers featured on the program include Mendelssohn, Bizet, Wolf, Debussy, Beach, Cavalli, and Handel. It's an exciting program that is sure to charm and cast a spell or two.

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Travel isn't just a physical journey, but also an emotional and psychological adventure. We are changed by the experiences we have and the people we meet. Anthony Bourdain once said “Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.” This program features settings about travel, different cities, and the changes we undergo because of the experience. 

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The term muse as it is known today is for a singular source of inspiration to various artists, writers, and musicians. This is a summary at best of the word's origin. Originally there were nine muses in Greek mythology: Calliope's domain was Epic Poetry, Clio's was History, Lyric Poetry belonged to Erato, Euterpe reigned over Song & Elegiac Poetry, Melpomene's domain was Tragedy, Polyhymnia was the inspiration of Hymns, Terpsichore motivated Dance, Thalia stirred up Comedy, Urania motivated the wonder of Astronomy. This program digs into the source of wonder and inspiration of the original domains of the muses.

This program takes a feminist view point of the persecution of women labeled as a witch. The first half of the program explores the history of the witch stereotype and the second half reconciles these stories with who these women truly were: unique individuals, healers, and wise women. The program includes selections in a variety of languages and musical styles along with some poetry excerpts.

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*This program was originally created for The Mixtape Recital Series Grant Competition in 2022. It was selected as one of the winning entries and is scheduled to be a part of their 2023-2024 season.

Water makes up a vast majority of our planet and is a vital part to life. Whether as small as a tear drop or as large as the ocean, composers, poets and painters have been fascinated by it's movement, sounds, colors and creatures living in streams and seas. Rippling tunes by Quilter, Debussy, Britten, Barber, Respighi, Handel, Schubert, Trimble, Linnane, Duke, DuPont, d'Indy, Bizet and Massenet are just a few of the aquatic delights on this program.

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Food and beverage have brought artistic inspiration since the beginning of time. There is a reason why we have a category of music called "drinking songs" and paintings of wine and delicious delicacies. From song cycles such as Bernstein's La Bonne Cuisine to Bolcom's "Lime Jello Marshmellow Cottage Cheese Surprise", this program revels in the pleasure of tasting and experiencing food and drink. Other works by Bach, Barber, Laitman, Duke, Gershwin, Pasatieri, Porter, Koechlin, and Boch & Harmick and others contribute to this feast of tasty musical treats.

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Thanks to the women's suffrage movement and eventually getting the vote, women began to gain deserved recognition in society for their contributions in the work force. Female American composers were among these women to be recognized for their work and were able to have their musical voices heard. Composers such as Florence Price and Amy Beach in the 20th century to current composers of the 21st century such as Elisenda Fábregas to Lori Laitman are a few of the fabulous American ladies featured on the program.

The end of the 19th century transitioning into the 20th century was a time of fresh perspective for France. With the end of the Franco-Prussian War and Napoleon’s reign, culture and the arts flourished. The last quarter of the 19th century marks the height of French Impressionism. The artistic focus shifted from historical and mythological subject matter to capturing moments in modern life with new ideas in terms of color, light, and texture. Beginning with art, this movement crossed over into music and literature. Le Charme des Chansons features French composers and poetry from this exciting and vibrant era of France’s history.

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Hold your horses, because the cat is out of the bag. There's a lion's share of repertoire about animals in the art song repertoire, probably enough to fill Noah's ark. From friends with feathers to those with fur, this program finds a feature for several members of the Animalia kingdom. Works by Duke, Chanler, Schubert, Barber, Kirk, Heggie, Howe, and Bizet are just a few included in this marvelous menagerie. Don't try to weasel your way out of this one, because this program is the cat's meow!

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Autumn has crisp air and fabulous foliage. Winter brings blankets of pure white snow and cozy evenings indoors. Spring awakens a symphony of bird songs and brings new buds into bloom. Summer intoxicates the days with glorious sunshine and beautiful fruits. Each season brings it's own unique treasures. Works such as Argento's "Winter", Britten's "Not Even Summer Yet", Chaminade's "L'été", and Duke's "Just Spring" are a few selections featured on the program.

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Certain pieces of music become ingrained in our hearts and minds. Perhaps they remind us of different times and people in our lives, or maybe they are  just exciting to perform. Whatever the reason, these songs are always a pleasure to sing or hear. This program is a collection of some of my personal favorite pieces as well as some popular standard favorites. Works by Barber, Strauss, Debussy, and Heggie are just some the featured selections on the program.

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Kids say the funniest things and also have a truly unique perspective on the world around them. They see life with such clarity, have a strong sense of right and wrong, and take delight in the little everyday joys. In addition, for better or worse, they often speak without a filter. This program endeavors to recapture the child's perspective through song from lullabies to children's commentary on the world around them. Composers such as Bernstein, Ives, Blumenkrantz, Duke, Britten, Bowles, and Copland are just a few featured on the program

Romanticized Ireland is a concept that many are familiar with around the globe. It was quite a popular notion in the early 20th century, especially in Great Britain. During the beginning of the 20th century, there was a lack of sufficient funding for the arts in Ireland and many Irish composers moved to larger cities such as London in order to have a musical career. Much of their work was placed under the label of “British music”, and was not recognized as intrinsically Irish compositions. Most of the music that became popular were classically set Irish folksongs. Aside from these works, very little is known of Irish art song in the classical music community in the United States. This program places a spotlight on Irish art song by female Irish composers of the 20th and 21st century such as Clarke, Boyle, Linnane, and Trimble. 

Back in good old England around the late 1500's, audiences would have delighted in the music of John Dowland. Perhaps in France, Etienne Mouliné's chansons would have won fair maiden's heart. The program Oldies, But Goodies is a celebration of the late Renaissance and early Baroque lute songs in addition to celebrating our modern day "oldies" such as the Beatles and ABBA. A little something for everyone on this mash-up program.

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In 2016, to honor the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death, a vocal recital of music focusing on his texts and those he inspired seemed fitting. The Shakespearience: Lyrical Lines & Leading Ladies is a recital program that features settings of Shakespeare's texts in art song as well as opera arias. The program explores a spectrum of musical styles and languages which showcases some of his most beloved female characters.

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