The Craftsbury Historical Society opened its summer exhibition on June 6, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Craftsbury Chamber Players. The event at the society's museum featured remarks from society co-chair Peter Nelson and Ned Houston, former chairman of the Chamber Players board. Frances Rowell, the group's current music director, recounted how hearing a Chamber Players concert as a teenager inspired her to become a cellist.
The Chamber Players were founded in 1966 by Mary Lou Rylands, Ann Rylands, and Mary Anthony Cox, with early performances at Sterling College's dining hall and the Hardwick Town House. Rowell noted that the group has long emphasized collaborative music-making over star power, with musicians drawn by the chance to work on pieces they wanted to learn. 'There is a magical collapse of time when centuries-old music comes to life now,' Rowell said.
Rowell performed a cello piece by Mark Summers, variations on 'Lo, How a Rose is Blooming.' The Chamber Players' first concert of the season is June 28 on Craftsbury Common from 5 to 8 p.m. The summer series runs July 9 to August 13, with concerts in Hardwick and Burlington.
The Craftsbury Historical Society Museum, located on the common, is open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon. The exhibition also covers other local musical groups.
Photo: Jane023 (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0). Photo is illustrative and not from the scene.
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