CONCORA presents Wine, Jazz & Song

Live jazz with CONCORA singers and the smooth Sir William Trio, a beautiful space, memorable wine tastings with sommelier Raymond Petke, delectable hors d’oeuvres – it’s the perfect recipe for a fantastic evening of “Wine, Jazz, & Song.” 

The 12th annual fundraiser for CONCORA, Connecticut’s premier professional choir, is Saturday, January 25th from 6:00-9:00 PM (snow date of January 26th) at Porter Memorial Hall, First Church, Farmington, Connecticut.   Tickets are $60 per person and are available by phone 860-293-0567, or online.  

Led by bassist Bill Stillinger, the Sir William Trio features James Argiro on piano and Gregory Caputo on drums. CONCORA singers Michael Bogatay, Salli-Jo Borden, Kenneth Downes, and Stacy Grimaldi set aside their classical scores to present jazz standards and songs from The American Songbook including “Jeepers Creepers,” “The Best is Yet to Come,” and “I’ll be Seeing You.”

According to soprano Stacey Grimaldi, “It's both terrifying and exhilarating; the Sir William Trio is amazing and really inspiring. I always have an absolute blast with these guys.”

The setting for the festivities is beautiful Porter Memorial Hall, built in 1901 on Main Street in Farmington. Spanish wines chosen by sommelier Raymond Petke will complement an abundance of food including tapas and canapés made by the Friends of Bach. Bottles of 2007 Spanish wines from Petke’s personal cellar will be on offer during a silent auction.

All funds raised by the event will benefit CONCORA’s Bach concert scheduled for March 30, 2014. The annual collaboration with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra features Bach’s epic choral masterpiece, the Mass in B Minor. This concert will mark Richard Coffey’s final appearance with CONCORA as Artistic Director.

Porter Memorial Hall, First Church, is at 75 Main Street, Farmington, Connecticut.

Acclaimed as Connecticut’s premier professional choir, CONCORA (Connecticut Choral Artists) presents masterful performances of the world’s finest choral music. Over its forty-year history, the ensemble has built an extraordinary reputation for artistic excellence throughout New England. Led by artistic director Richard Coffey, CONCORA’s mission is to perpetuate and perform with excellence choral music of the highest quality for the broadest possible audience.

CONCORA’s 2013-2014 season is made possible by the generosity of the American Savings Foundation, the J. Walton Bissell Foundation, the Greater Hartford Arts Council, the City of New Britain Commission on the Arts, the Saunders Foundation, The Edward C. & Ann T. Roberts Foundation, the Richard P. Garmany Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, the Ensworth Charitable Foundation, The William and Alice Mortensen Foundation, and the Andrew Sloper Music Fund, as well as many other foundations and individuals.