Lyric Fest commissions Robert Maggio to compose a new work inspired by folk song for 2020-21 season

Lyric Fest has commissioned Robert Maggio to compose a new work inspired by the folk song for their 2020-21 season. This new work will be premiered in Philadelphia (details TBA) in November 2020. Lyric Fest has asked that the new work be a folk melody and text that receives a new treatment, a folk text with newly composed music, or a folk story retold by the composer with new words and music. Lyric Fest is interested in the folk song for its simple, direct expression, narrative quality, and its unique ability to both typify a given culture and simultaneously express our shared humanity. The program will be filled out with extant folk song settings from composers such as Dvorak, Brahms, Britten, etc.. and with story-telling.

Lyric Fest was founded in 2003 by three Philadelphia-area musicians: Suzanne DuPlantis, mezzo-soprano, Randi Marrazzo, soprano, and Laura Ward, pianist, with the shared goal of celebrating and revitalizing the song tradition. It has produced and presented over 60 concerts and recitals featuring more than 160 local, regional and national artists. Currently LF is run by Artistic Directors, Suzanne DuPlantis and Laura Ward.

Commissioning and performing new works has become integral to the mission and programming philosophy. Since its founding, Lyric Fest has commissioned 17 and premiered over 20 new works of local, regional and nationally recognized composers. Lyric Fest enjoys working in partnership with composers providing them with opportunities for creating and mounting performances of their work.

It is one of a very few voice recital series of its kind in the area. While still a relatively young organization, its reputation for excellence and innovation is growing nationally and has begun to receive invitations to bring concerts to Pittsburgh, PA, Princeton, NJ, Washington, DC, and Concord, NH. Lyric Fest has received critical acclaim locally and has been noted in a number of national publications such as Opera News.

The organization remains committed to access through affordable ticket prices; broadening its audience; and to expanding the area’s interest in and knowledge of song as an important and relevant art form.