The Monk and his Cat – Leslie Kater, David Barnett and Kevin Korth

Acclaimed American soprano Leslie Katter, recorderist and clarinettist David Barnett, and pianist Kevin Korth present a concert of American and British art songs and chamber works featuring the US premiere of Stephen Dodgson’s The Monk and his Cat. The programme also includes the world premiere of San Francisco composer JJ Hollingsworth’s 3am, a setting of poetry by Lisa Delan for voice, clarinet, and piano, alongside Jake Heggie’s setting of Delan’s poem Unlocked, for the same forces.  Other US premieres include Two Songs to Poems of William Alwyn by Gordon Crosse and Seascapes by William Alwyn, while Sean Hickey’s Bb for solo clarinet enjoys a West Coast premiere. Rounding out the programme are Gordon Cross’s Water Music for recorder and piano, and songs by John Ireland.

Programme

Bb for solo clarinet (2011)  (west coast premiere) – Sean Hickey

Unlocked (2023) – Jake Heggie (text Lisa Delan)

3 AM (2025) (world premiere performance) – JJ Hollingsworth (text Lisa Delan)

Blue Mountain Ballads (1946) – Paul Bowles (text Tennessee Williams)

1. Heavenly Grass
2. Lonesome Man
3. Cabin
4. Sugar in the Cane

Water Music for recorder and piano (1986): Prelude-Barcarolle-Hornpipe (after Henry Purcell) – Gordon Crosse

Two Songs to Poems by William Alwyn for soprano and bass recorder (2009) – Gordon Crosse

1. The Lament of the Tall Tree
2. Wood Magic

Songs (TBA) – John Ireland

The Monk and HIs Cat for Soprano, Recorder and Piano (2004) – Stephen Dodgson – (Text by Anon. Irish  8^th or 9^th century adapted from a translation by Kuno Meyer)

Seascapes for soprano, recorder and piano (1985) – William Alwyn (text Michael Armstrong)

1. Dawn at Sea
2. Sea-Mist
3. Songs of the Drowned Man
4. Black Gulls