2023-2024 Season
An Album Release Concert
with singer-songwriter Nicole Springer
October 14, 2023
3:30 PM
A private Riverside residence
Best of KC winner and critically acclaimed singersongwriter Nicole Springer is excited to join the Charlotte House Series once again for the release of her upcoming, self-titled album! For this special event, guests will hear Nicole perform all eight tracks of her album live on acoustic guitar and grand piano along with her favorite selections from earlier recordings and a tribute to her favorite artist of all time, Janis Joplin.
To make this occasion even more special, Nicole will be joined by her wife Beth Cain on ukulele and she will also be showing the music video for the first single of her album called Strong.
This limited ticket event will offer a window into Nicole’s very personal songs and allow guests exclusive access to the album in advance of its release on October 24th! Nicole will tell stories behind the songs as well as share insights into her newest adventure performing music on The Royal Caribbean. She will share her heart and soul for this special event and would LOVE to share it with you.
An Evening with The Wires Alternative String Duo
February 10, 2024
3:30 PM
A private Cedar Creek residence
The Wires are a modern exploration in string sound and are excited to make their Charlotte House Series debut. Created in Kansas City, Missouri, Laurel Morgan Parks, violin, and Sascha Groschang, cello, have been composing dynamic and cinematic music as best friends since 2009. Their music is inspired by imagery found in the natural world, folk styles, and modern string techniques. Following their debut album in 2012, their 2nd album “Wilder” (May 2019) is an imagined journey that includes depths of the oceanic world, the vast expanse of Celtic hills, the coldness of frozen tundra, and a discovery of the cosmos. Their holiday album, “Winter” (December 2020) encompasses a cinematic, yet intimate timbre, with the classic sounds of the season. The album was arranged by the duo and includes an original piece, 'Campbell Street.' The Wires were also the hosts and curators of “Sound Currents” on 91.9 Classical KC – a weekly radio program that explores and discovers a broad range of new music. The duo performs at festivals, concert halls, and music venues in the Midwest and beyond.
"Music of Paris" with pianist Nicholas Susi
March 9, 2024
3:30 PM
Steinway Piano Gallery of Kansas City
Described in The WholeNote as “an innovative musician and aggressive thinker with a gift for keyboard brilliance,” Dr. Nicholas Susi enjoys a multifaceted career living out his deep love of music. He recognizes that Classical music has been a transformative force in his life, and seeks to share its power with others through his teaching and performing. He has appeared as soloist in the concerti of Liszt with the Omaha Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia of Greater Kansas City, Taneycomo Festival Orchestra, and Webster Symphony Orchestra, and he celebrated the composer’s bicentennial in 2011 with a series of performances of the complete Douze études d’exécution transcendante. In 2014, Susi advanced to the semifinals of the International Franz Liszt Piano Competition (Utrecht, The Netherlands) as one of two Americans selected worldwide to participate in this prestigious competition. Most recently, he made his debut as a published author in the 2020 edition of The Journal of the American Liszt Society. Dr. Susi is currently Assistant Professor of Piano at the University of South Carolina and is excited to make his Charlotte House Series debut.
The city of Paris has long been a center of culture for both French nationals and expatriates. The meeting of minds and sharing of ideas afforded by the City of Light resulted in a creative synergy that has yielded some of the best-loved artwork in European history. This program features diverse works of Paris written in a span of just three years (1911-1913), completed right before the outbreak of World War I.
A Clarinet and Harp Duo Concert
April 13, 2024
3:30 PM
A private Rockhill residence
Clarinetist and CHS board member Dr. Larkin Sanders and harpist Abigail Brower are thrilled to make their Series debut for an intimate evening of 19th and 20th century music featuring original works written for this unique pairing of instruments. Sit back and relax as Larkin and Abigail serenade you with the luxurious and ethereal sounds of this incredible genre of music.
Dr. Larkin Sanders is an entrepreneurial clarinetist based in Kansas City. Most notably, she is the founder of the Taneycomo Festival Orchestra, the owner of the Clever Clarinetist, Vice President of the American Single Reed Summit, and applied clarinet instructor for Washburn University and William Jewell College. Dr. Sanders is an Henri Selmer Paris, Behn, D’Addario & Co., Brian Corbin Clarinet Products, and Silverstein Pro Team Artist.
Abigail Brower is an active orchestral and solo performer based in Eastern Iowa. Recent performances include guest principal and second harp with the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony and guest harpist with the Cornell College (Iowa) Chamber Singers. In the years prior to and following her graduation with a Bachelor of Music in Harp Performance, she performed with Southern Indiana area ensembles and taught private lessons for students of all ages.
Kansas City Young Chamber Musicians in Concert
May 25, 2024
3:30 PM
A private Beacon Hill residence
The Series is thrilled to welcome pianist and Kansas City Young Chamber Musicians (KCYCM) founding director Nicholas Dold and Kansas City Symphony flutist and KCYCM coaching artist Kayla Burggraf, as well as select students of KCYCM to make their Charlotte House Series debut. Kansas City Young Chamber Musicians serves as a year-round young person’s classical chamber music program (ages 13 - 18) bringing the highest quality of chamber music education and youth performances to the greater Kansas City Metro and surrounding areas.
Students ranging from the intermediate through advanced levels are admitted each term through the organization's audition & interview process and carefully paired with a small chamber ensemble of peers, playing abilities, personalities, and musical interests for the duration of one full term (11 weeks). In that time together, students experience tremendous musical growth through weekly coaching sessions with KCYCM esteemed artist-faculty. This program will feature a collaboration between KCYCM students and faculty.
"East Meets West" with Latitude 39
Season Finale
July 20, 2024
3:30 PM
Individual tickets available June 2024
The Series welcomes for the first time the musicians of Latitude 39 to perform a captivating program that transcends cultural boundaries, bridging the gap between Eastern and Western music and highlighting the profound influence they exert on each other. Saxophonist Nick May, violinist Diana Seitz, and pianist Maya Tuylieva will take you on a musical journey of transformative exploration, showcasing traditional Eastern, Turkmen, Armenian, and Azerbaijani pieces alongside exciting performances of modern works that reflect the rich cultural heritage of the musicians themselves. Prepare to be immersed in a tapestry of melodies, rhythms, and emotions as Latitude 39 invites you to experience the beauty of cross-cultural musical exchange, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of our interconnected world.
Drawing from a rich and eclectic repertoire, including masterpieces by renowned composers such as J.S. Bach, Hector Berlioz, and more, Latitude 39 showcases the power of collaboration and the beauty of musical diversity while also being committed to championing new works and collaborating with living composers, including Peter Dayton, Aaryn S. Ricucci-Hill, and more. With a dedication to artistic excellence and a deep commitment to education and community engagement, Latitude 39 is equally passionate about inspiring and nurturing the next generation of musicians. Through masterclasses, workshops, and outreach initiatives, they foster a love for music and empower aspiring future artists.
This performance will feature the premiere of a Series-commissioned work by Kansas City-based composer, Aaryn S. Ricucci-Hill.