DESCRIPTION:
The Langston Hughes poem, "Quiet Girl" [aka "Ardella"], set to music by John Stone. Featuring Owen McIntosh (tenor) and John Stone (piano).

"Quiet Girl" received its world premiere on Sunday, Feb. 19, 2017 (6:30 pm) at the College of Music Recital Hall (University of North Texas), in a program of songs set to poetry by Langston Hughes to be performed by Molly Fillmore (soprano), with composer John Stone at the piano.

Since 2004, NYC native John Stone has been Composer and Music Director for The Paper Bag Players with whom he performs 100 shows annually throughout the Northeast. Drawing from a diverse field of genres and influences ranging from ragtime and stride to classical, bluegrass, klezmer, French musette, jazz, vaudeville, and classic show tunes, he plays his compositions live on the electric keyboard touring with “The Bags” each season. His chamber works have toured nationally and internationally, with works commissioned by the viol consort Parthenia and the Queen's Chamber Band who performed his work at Merkin Concert Hall in 2007. His Langston Hughes song-cycle, “Daybreak in Alabama,” was performed in New York City, Austin, and Paris and was featured in the nationally broadcast radio series, “Song of America,” hosted by Thomas Hampson. http://www.johnkstone.com

Acclaimed as a “lovely, tender high tenor” by the New York Times, Owen McIntosh has enjoyed a diverse career of chamber music and solo performance ranging from bluegrass to reggae, heavy metal to art song, and opera to oratorio. A native of remote Northern California, Mr. McIntosh has shared the stage with the country’s finest ensembles including Apollo’s Fire, Blue Heron, Boston Baroque, Carmel Bach Festival, Les Canards Chantants, New Vintage Baroque, Staunton Music Festival, TENET, Trident Ensemble, True Concord, San Diego Bach Collegium and the GRAMMY® nominated Choir of Trinity Wall Street. Recent solo engagements include; Mozart's Die Zauberflöte with Boston Baroque, Haydn's Chamber opera L'isola Disabitata with the American Classical Orchestra, the Monteverdi Vespers of 1610 with Apollo's Fire and Green Mountain Project, Bach's' St. Matthew passion with Grand Rapids Symphony, il Ritorno d'Ulisse in Patria with Opera Omnia and Boston Baroque, and evangelist in Bach's St. John passion with Tucson Chamber Artists. http://www.owenmcintosh.com/

"Quiet Girl"
I would liken you
To a night without stars
Were it not for your eyes.
I would liken you
To a sleep without dreams
Were it not for your songs.
(Langston Hughes)

Recorded at Sean Swinney Studios
Special thanks: Mark Gallay and Stephanie Marie Ricoy
Copyright © 2016 John Stone
http://www.johnkstone.com