JAMIE BARTON IN RESIDENCE AT SONGFEST
Wednesday & Friday, July 1 & 3
Masterclasses
SongFest is honored to welcome Jamie Barton for a special residency featuring masterclasses for singers and pianists. Renowned for her commanding artistry, musical insight, and generosity as a teacher, Barton will work closely with participants on technique, interpretation, collaboration, and expressive communication. Her masterclasses offer a rare opportunity to engage with one of today’s leading operatic artists in an intensive, supportive learning environment that reflects SongFest’s commitment to artistic excellence and professional development.
_____

“I’VE HEARD AND ORGAN TALK SOMETIMES”:
Songs for Voice and Organ
Thursday, July 2, Daniel Chapel

 “I’ve Heard an Organ Talk Sometimes” explores the intimate and evocative partnership between the human voice and the organ. This program brings together songs that highlight the organ’s remarkable range—from quiet, contemplative colors to expansive, cathedral-like sonorities. Through repertoire sacred and secular, ancient and modern, the concert reveals how voice and organ converse, complement, and illuminate one another, creating a sound world at once timeless and vividly alive.
_____

SONGS OF RESILIENCE AND REFLECTION
Monday, July 6

Curated by Tyrese Byrd, this program brings together art songs and spirituals by Black composers, illuminating a rich tradition of musical expression rooted in history, faith, and lived experience. Spanning classical art song and spiritual settings, the repertoire highlights the depth, variety, and enduring power of Black voices in American music. Through lyricism, storytelling, and cultural memory, the program invites performers and audiences alike to engage with works that speak to resilience, identity, and the transformative power of song.
_____

ITALIA IN CANZONE:
Four Centuries of Italian Song
Brent Funderburk, Director
Thursday, July 9

Experience four centuries of Italian song—from early Baroque canzonas to bel canto gems, romantic salon favorites, and the beloved melodies of Naples. This program highlights the richness and evolution of Italy’s vocal tradition, performed by SongFest artists. A celebration of lyric beauty, passion, and the timeless art of Italian song.
_____

THE NORDIC PROJECT
Javier Arrebola, Kathleen Roland-Silverstein, Francesco Barfoed
Sunday, July 12

This project introduces vocal repertoire from Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark, exploring the beauty and cultural richness of Nordic art song. The Scandinavian Project and Concert features songs in Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, and Danish, examining repertoire rooted in folk traditions and its development into works heard on international concert stages. A basic introduction to Scandinavian diction and repertoire resources are provided.
_____

CANTO Y DUENDE:
The Spirit of Spanish Song
Martin Katz, Director
Monday, July 13

This program explores the expressive heart of Spanish song — from the refined salons of Madrid to the earthy rhythms of Andalusia. Duende — that elusive, soulful fire that Federico García Lorca described as “the mystery of art’s deepest power” — weaves through each song, illuminating Spain’s rich traditions of poetry, folk music, and art song.

AN EVENING OF SONGS BY TOM CIPULLO
Tuesday, July 14

This concert celebrates the art songs of American composer Tom Cipullo, whose music is known for its emotional immediacy, lyrical intensity, and keen sensitivity to text. Exploring themes of love, loss, memory, and identity, Cipullo’s songs pair expressive vocal writing with richly nuanced piano parts, creating works that are both intimate and dramatic. All songs on this program will be coached by the composer, offering performers and audiences a rare opportunity to experience this repertoire shaped directly by the composer’s own artistic insight.
_____

AFRIKAANS ART SONG:
A Lecture Recital
Bronwen Forbay, Director
Wednesday, July 15

Led by Bronwen Forbay, this lecture recital explores the repertoire of Afrikaans art song through performance and discussion. Drawing on her recent book, Afrikaans Art Song Literature, Dr. Forbay provides cultural, historical, and linguistic context for this rich tradition. The program features performances by Dr. Forbay and SongFest participants, offering audiences an engaging introduction to an important and underrepresented body of art song.
_____

LOVE IN MANY VOICES: Brahms and the Art of
the Waltz
Martin Katz, Director
Wednesday, July 15

This program centers on Johannes Brahms’s Liebeslieder Walzer, Op. 52, a beloved set of waltzes for vocal quartet and piano four hands that captures love in all its forms—tender, playful, ironic, and bittersweet. Paired with solo songs and chamber works by Brahms, the program highlights his gift for transforming folk-inspired dance rhythms into intimate, expressive music that celebrates human connection and collaboration.
_____

AMERICA 250:
A Songful Reflection on
The American Experience
Adriana Zabala, Director 
Thursday, July 16

Curated by Adriana Zabala, America 250 commemorates a pivotal milestone in our nation’s history through the lens of American song. This program traces the rich diversity of voices, stories, and musical traditions that have shaped the United States—from folk-inspired roots to contemporary expressions. Through art song and chamber works that reflect themes of identity, community, struggle, and hope, America 250 invites performers and audiences alike to reflect on the evolving American experience and the power of music to tell our collective story.
_____

CURTAINS UP, LIGHTS DOWN!
Broadway & The American Songbook
Grant Knox, Stage Director
Mark Trawka, Music Director
Sunday, July 19

When the curtain falls and the orchestra fades away, what remains is the story. Curtains Up, Lights Down is a sophisticated evening of Broadway classics and American Songbook gems, presented in an intimate cabaret-style setting for voice and piano. With ten singers and two pianists, this program strips theatrical favorites down to their essence—revealing wit, vulnerability, and emotional truth through text-driven performance. From backstage satire and piano-bar confessions to late-night reflections and ensemble finales, the evening celebrates the enduring power of American theater songs when the lights go down and the heart of the music shines through.