We heard an amazing concert by countertenor Terry Barber last night. His range goes from baritone to soprano, and his repertoire from the 1600s to contemporary. Formerly with the Grammy-winning group Chanticleer, Barber records and tours widely. You can hear excerpts from both his sacred and secular music on YouTube. Search on his name as I am having trouble embedding a sample here. (Weak Internet connection.)
Barber also founded, in honor of his mother, Artists for a Cause, which enlists performers for the fundraising activities of worthy nonprofits. Last night’s concert was for the benefit of the Mary D Fund, which provides for the emergency needs of struggling families in Rhode Island’s smallest town. It was held in the church where Suzanne and Erik were married not that long ago, and their pianist, Carrie Todd, accompanied Barber — along with organist Brink Bush and violinist Lisa Gray.
My husband and I are huge fans of Broadway music but loved everything that Barber performed (including the 2004 “Every time I look at you,” Schubert’s “Wohin,” Bernstein’s “A Simple Song,” Mozart’s “Laudate Dominum,” and Cohen’s “Hallejujah.” “Anthem,” from the great Tim Rice musical “Chess,” blew us away. A piece that I recognized from what I used to call my “cancer dance class” was “You Raise Me Up” — tremendously moving.
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