Gavin Black to perform concerts in Farmington

FARMINGTON — Gavin Black, harpsichordist, will offer a program of early Italian and English music played on an antique harpsichord, c. 1680, at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, at the Emery Center. He will also present a lecture-concert for the Gold Leaf Institute at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, in the North Dining Hall. Both concerts are presented by the Arts Institute of Western Maine, an affiliate of the University of Maine, Farmington.

The concerts will be performed on an antique Italian Harpsichord, c. 1680. The single-manual instrument is inscribed “Cadavoglio in Piazza Madama”. The identity of Cadavoglio is unknown.

Gavin Black

Black is the director of the Princeton Early Keyboard Center. He is best known for his recordings of 17th-century keyboard music on the PGM and Centaur labels, according to a UMF news release.

As a performer, he has focused on music of Dutch, German, and Italian origin, and on the organ music of Bach, which he has performed in its entirety. On the harpsichord he has emphasized early music from the early Renaissance on, with a concentration on Sweelinck and Frescobaldi. Gavin has also performed and recorded harpsichord and organ music of the late American composer known as Moondog (Louis Hardin 1916–1999) under the composer’s supervision.

He teaches harpsichord, clavichord, continuo-playing and organ, as well as the history of keyboard instruments and repertoire.

During the 2014–15 concert season he gave a series of five harpsichord and clavichord recitals including music of Cabezon, Cabanilles, Sweelinck, Froberger, Buxtehude, Frescobaldi, Storace, Bach, Byrd, Bull, Farnaby and others: a survey of nearly three hundred years of great keyboard repertoire.

Admission will cost $12 at the door and is free for students 18 and younger with ID.

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