PLYMOUTH NOTCH, Vt. – Pianist Abigail Charbeneau and violinist Bozena O’Brien will perform in the Visitor Center at the President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site on Sunday, August 24 at 3:00 p.m.  Their 45 minute program, “The Romance of the Violin,” is the first musicale at the historic site to feature a string player.  An afternoon tea follows at the site’s restaurant, The Wilder House.

     This is the third and final concert of the 2008 “Grace Coolidge Musicales” - a series organized by the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation and generously sponsored by the Alma Gibbs Donchian Foundation.  Charbeneau and O’Brien will perform works by Amy Beach, Manuel de Falla, and Robert Schumann.        

     The recital showcases the famous “Grace Coolidge piano” at the Coolidge State Historic Site.  This Baldwin grand piano was donated to the First Lady for the family room in the White House and was the first piano flown in an airplane.  

 Both musicians currently teach at the Concord (NH) Community Music School.  Abigail Charbeneau is a native of Woodstock, Vermont and graduated with a Masters in Music degree in piano performance and pedagogy from the University of Illinois.   Abby performs with the Musicians of Wall Street in Concord, and has played at two inaugural balls for Governor John Lynch.  Her recent CD features music by Bach, Schubert, and Clara Schumann.

Bozena O’Brien received her training at Boston University where she studied with Marylou Speaker Churchill of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.  She is the string department chair, violin teacher, and string ensembles coach at The Concord Community Music School.  Bozena performs throughout New England with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, New Hampshire Music Festival, Hanover Chamber Orchestra, and Musicians of Wall Street. 

     “A Grace Coolidge Musicale” is free and open to the public; donations are welcome.  Seating is limited, and reservations are highly recommended.  For further information, call 802-672-3773, or visit our website: www.HistoricVermont.org/Coolidge

THE VERMONT STATE HISTORIC SITES

History Where It Happened

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John P. Dumville
Historic Sites Operations Chief
Vermont Division for Historic Preservation
National Life Building, 2nd Floor
Montpelier, Vermont 05620-1201
Telephone: (802) 828-3051
Fax: (802) 828-3206
Email: John.Dumville@state.vt.us

Web: www.HistoricVermont.org/sites

The Vermont State Historic Sites:  History Where It Happened