Music connects us. It carries our memories, gives voice to our experiences, brings communities together, and crosses boundaries of time and place. From the blues and jazz clubs that nurtured new sounds to the rock stages, country dance halls, and concert rooms where musical traditions continue to evolve, American music tells a story of creativity, influence, and shared experience.
Inspired by the Griffin Museum of Photography's exhibition Common Time: American Musicality, this concert series brings that story to life through live performance. The museum is pleased to Collaborate with the Winchester Community Music School for a series of concerts exploring the extraordinary range of American music -- from blues, rock 'n' roll, and jazz to bluegrass, contemporary classical music, Americana, and beyond.
Across four distinct performances, familiar songs and influential compositions offer a chance to revisit the artists who shaped our musical landscape, discover unexpected connections between genres, and experience the power of music to bring people together. Each performance offers its own perspective on the American musical tradition, from the roots of rock and blues to the enduring voices of great songwriters and the expressive possibilities of American composers.
Common Time is both a musical rhythm and an idea: the pulse we share, even when the music takes us in different directions. We invite you to experience these performances alongside the exhibition, to see the images, hear the sounds, and celebrate the music that continues to shape our collective cultural experience.
First in our series is Celebrating American Composers
Performing modern classical and bluegrass pieces for string trio by American composers. A trio of WCMS faculty members--Molly Tucker, violin; Simone Cartales, viola; and Pamela Ambrose, cello--will perform modern classical and bluegrass pieces for string trio by American composers. Featured works will include the Appalachia Waltz by Mark O'Connor; Movement for String Trio by Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson; and much more.
Thank you to our partner the Winchester Community Music School, and to Fern and Charlie Nesson for making this series possible.
