MCC Faculty to Perform Concert for Lowell City of Learning Festival

The Middlesex Community College Fall 2023 “A World of Music” concert series will hold a performance as part of the Lowell City of Learning Festival. MCC faculty members will collaborate on Literature through Music at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 14 at the Richard and Nancy Donahue and Family Academic Arts Center in Lowell.

“The concert is a fantastic exploration of the interweaving of music and poetry,” said Daniel Fridley, MCC Music faculty member. “Drawing repertoire from over four centuries, it reaches back to the poets and musicians of the French Renaissance, German Romantics, and even includes poetry and music by modern authors and composers. It should be fascinating to see how the words and music relate to each other differently and in some of the same ways throughout that much time.”

Fridley, singer, will be joined by fellow MCC faculty members Orlando Cela, flutist; Carmen Rodríguez-Peralta, pianist; Raley Beggs, guitarist; and Todd Brunel, bass clarinetist, will present a lecture concert featuring musical works inspired by poetry. English faculty member Tom Laughlin will also read his poem “Jazz” while Brunel improvises.

“I’m honored to be invited to participate in the concert,” Laughlin said. “I’m also excited to be working with jazz clarinetist Todd Brunel who will perform while I recite my poem.”

Other performances at MCC’s Academic Arts Center this semester include Ezekiel’s Wheels Klezmer Band at 3 p.m. on Sunday, October 22; and another by the LCO at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, December 9.

“A World of Music” will also feature an Online Saturday Arts Concert featuring MCC faculty and alumni at 4 p.m. on Saturday, November 11 and a Student Recital at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, December 4 at MCC’s Bedford Campus Concert Hall.

Previous performances this season included the Lowell Chamber Orchestra and Guitar Music from South Africa. All concerts are free and open to the public.

MCC’s Academic Arts Center is located at 240 Central Street in Lowell. With parking not available on site, the nearest public parking facility is the Early Garage on 135 Middlesex St.

For more information, visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/worldofmusic/

"I am very grateful to my colleagues from various departments who will either be performing or reading poetry for our Literature through Music concert,” Rodríguez-Peralta said. “We are all looking forward to participating in this event!"