Beasts of God and Man coming to Grey Towers

June 18th concert at Grey Towers

Milford, PA. Music about beasts that gallop, slither or fly will bring Duo Custos, a duo inspired by medieval music, and mezzo-soprano Tracy Cowart to Milford on June 18 for a concert at Grey Towers National Historical Site. Their performance, “Beasts of God and Man,” will take place outdoors under a canopy.

The Real Donkey Serenade

Duo Custos features Christa Patton on medieval woodwinds and bray harp, and Dongmyung Ahn on rebec and vielle, predecessors of modern string instruments. This event will also include Tracy Cowart on vocals and other instruments. The name of the concert is no coincidence, for the music is all about animals: donkeys, pythons, panthers, and a host of winged creatures.

The composers of these songs lived in interesting times, which is not always pleasant. By the end of the 13th century, the Christian Crusaders who’d hoped to seize the Holy Land had failed, but those who did make it home alive brought back Middle Eastern melodies and rhythms detectable in some of Duo Custos’ repertoire. Then, in 1346, an outbreak of the Bubonic Plague began its march through Europe, where it would kill 30 to 60 percent of the population. Millions died, but music survived.

“That music was a smorgasbord of collected and reinvented folk songs and dances as well as Gregorian chant,” explains Yosif Feigelson, artistic director of Kindred Spirits Arts Programs. “It juxtaposes the sacred and the secular, the divine and the profane.”

How to Purchase Tickets

This is the first of four Kindred Spirits concerts under the open-air canopy at Grey Towers N.H.S. in Milford. People can buy tickets ($25; parking is free) through Eventbrite or in person at the Artisan Exchange, 219 Broad Street, Milford, PA. Seating is limited, so early purchase is encouraged.

About Kindred Spirits Arts Programs

KSAP is a not-for-profit organization of volunteers that brings performing artists to Northeast Pennsylvania. The organization also arranges educational enrichment workshops for high school students. Visit http://www.kindredspiritsarts.org, email kindredspir@yahoo.com, or call 570-409-1269 to learn more about supporting Kindred Spirits. Donations and volunteers are much appreciated.

##