The Vermont Contemporary Music Ensemble (VCME) always gives interesting concerts, and the one planned for this weekend is no exception. Called “The Seagull and the Star,” it features a collaboration of poetry, music and cartoons. The concert came about when Vermont’s former poet laureate, Sydney Lea, had the idea of collaborating with the former state cartoonist, James Kochalka and the brilliant composer Joseph Hallman. He asked VCME to supply the musicians, the rest of the program and the production. The result has been lots of creative activity from Vermont’s most creative artists in three genres.
The first half of the program will feature music by J. S. Bach, Charles Koechlin and Eric Dolphy/Billie Holiday with our poet choosing and writing poems in response. The second half of the concert reverses the process with the poem coming first and the music and cartoons written/drawn in response. The music is a major new work by Joseph Hallman (25 minutes long). The 13 new cartoons by James Kochalka will be projected during the performance.
The concert will be presented twice: Friday evening, 7:30, in the Unitarian Church in Montpelier and Saturday evening, 7:30, in the Main Street Landing’s Black Box Theater in Burlington (the same building that houses The Skinny Pancake restaurant). Tickets (available at the door) by donation: suggested $25 Adults/ $12 Students and Seniors

Jan 26, 2025, 3 to 4 PM

Jan 27, 2025, 6 to 6:30 PM

Feb 1, 2025, 12 to 1:30 PM