The Feather River Land Trust announces a concert event set for the Sierra Valley Preserve Nature Center on Saturday, March 29. Doors open for Musical Headwaters: Garden at 6 p.m. and tickets from Musica Sierra are $35 per person.
The fifth commission in an innovative series, Musical Headwaters: Garden features performances by Nightbirds and Fire & Grace. This year’s program bridges nature-based education with the visual and performing arts, featuring newly composed songs by Owen McIntosh inspired by the Sierra Valley.
Nightbirds
Nightbirds, an all-female trio comprised of mandolin, accordion and powerful vocals, fuses classic folk themes with expressive vocals, resulting in a unique and compelling blend that can only be described as a sound all their own.
United originally by their California roots and love for folk music, Nightbirds emerged out of the shared experience of newfound motherhood. Each member recognized her precious free moments after the little ones were put to bed when creative musings could finally be explored. The powerful new chapters in their lives called for a deeper well of expression. The band’s collective sound is poignant, yet it evokes a sense of innocence, a quality inspired by the presence of their children.
Jade Hendrix brings her soulful vocals and insightful songwriting to the ensemble. Instrumentalists Sam ‘n’ Ash (an established folk duo comprising of accordion and mandolin) complement Hendrix’s crooning with their inventive melodies and effective arrangements.
Fire & Grace
Fire & Grace is an eclectic collaboration between guitarist William Coulter and violinist Edwin Huizinga. Fire & Grace’s repertoire is vast, ranging from Bach to Vivaldi, tango to Celtic tunes, traditional Bulgarian to American fiddle tunes and waltzes.
This unique duo explores the connective musical elements of classical, folk and contemporary traditions from around the world, all played with a sense of discovery and commitment to the elements of passion and virtuosity — fire and grace — found in these diverse traditions.
Information provided by Feather River Land Trust, Musica Sierra