SPECIAL THANKS TO:

David Hooke, for making this whole thing happen Chris Levey, Nacio Levey and Barbara DeFelice, the family tech

trio extraordinaire Sherry Merrick, for superlative publicity work

Lee Steppacher, Lelia Mellen, Mary & Ray Chin, dessert box coordinators of decadent excellence

Monica Alsup, for administrative awesomeness Mary Chin, for designing the fabulous poster art

Charlie Buttrey, for MC duties with aplomb Liz Thames, for making the program

And a huge thank-you to all of the performers, organizers, and

dessert chefs who contributed their talent to this event!

All donations will support the operation and maintenance of our historic church building

Built in 1787, the First Congregational Church in Thetford is the oldest Vermont meetinghouse in continuous operation. In

addition to church service and Sunday school, the building houses a daycare center, two 12-step groups, piano lessons, the Thetford Chamber Singers, Thetford Academy’s baccalaureate, weddings,

baptisms, funerals and many other community events.

Since the start of the pandemic, we’ve been worshipping online via Zoom every single Sunday. Join us Sundays at 10am for inspiration,

music, spiritual nurture and fellowship. Link to join at: www.thetfordhillchurch.org

Thank you for your support! David Hooke, Producer

An Evening of Homegrown Music and Homemade Desserts: Pandemic Edition!

All proceeds will support the operation and upkeep of our historic church building on the Thetford Green, a center of community life

since 1787.

The First Congregational Church in Thetford Presents its Annual

Saturday, February 13, 2021 at 7pm

Love Conquers All!

PROGRAM

ACT PERFORMERS Introduction Charlie Buttrey, MC Welcome Rev. Robin Junker-Boyce Dream a Little Dream of Me Mark and Martha Tecca, vocals (Andre, Schwandt & Kahn) Dan Freihofer, piano Hallelujah Elizabeth Willard Thames (Leonard Cohen) The ABCs Aurora “The Dragon” Thames (traditional) age: almost 3 years old Go Tell it On the Mountain Estelle “Wrong Lyrics” Thames (John Wesley Work, Jr.) age: 5 years old The Orchestra & The Virtual Choir Quintet from the First (our spoof on the vagaries Congregational Church Choir of the Acapella App) Directed by Valerie Miller Green Mountain Petronella Silk Road Duo (Silk Road Music) While My Guitar Gently Weeps Green Mountain Haggis (The Beatles) Sitting on Top of the World Reckless Breakfast (Mississippi Sheiks) Blue Bayou Emma Cohen and Daniel Jacacci (Roy Orbison and Joe Melson) Wade in the Water Nicky Corrao (John Wesley Work, Jr.)

PROGRAM

ACT PERFORMERS Neige en Octobre'’ Cassotto Duo (Jeremiah McLane, (Annemieke & Jeremiah McLane) Floating Bridge Music, BMI) All Shall Be Well Marytha Paffrath & Susan Robbins (music by Ana Hernandez, words by 14th century woman mystic Julian of Norwich) This Little Light of Mine (traditional Civil Rights Movement song, a melody learned from the singing of baritone Paul Robeson) Amor Vincit Omnia Thetford Chamber Singers (Love Conquers All) Directed by Kevin Quigley The Rose Mark and Martha Tecca, vocals (Amanda McBroom) Dan Freihofer, piano Fiddle Medley Jeremy Kittel

Dessert Is Served!

Get out your dessert box and click here to join the live after party on Zoom!

Tonight’s performance is dedicated in loving memory to Sue Farrell and Suzanne Leitschuh

PROGRAM NOTES

Mark and Martha Tecca have been in choral groups for their whole lives (it’s where they met). Their friendship with Dan Freihofer goes back to Martha’s grad school days, and the three have been performing together ever since. “We’re so lucky to be able to sing with such a great musician and friend. We encourage everyone to drop the ‘shy’ and sing together whenever there’s a chance. Thanks to all of the technical producers that are making it possible during Covid.” Aurora Thames (age 3) enjoys wearing her dragon costume, Estelle Thames (age 5) loves playing outside and their mother, Elizabeth Willard Thames (age 37; feels a lot older), hones her amateur vocals daily through sung pleas including the hit classics, “don’t drink the bathwater,” “carrot sticks are snacks, not weapons” and “stop hissing at your sister.” Valerie Miller was the founder and director of the Thetford Chamber Singers from 1978 – 2011. She is now a member of the First Congregational Church in Thetford’s choir. Nicky Corrao, Mary Chin, Charlie Buttrey and David Hooke round out this quintet from the FCCT Choir. Silk Road Duo are Qiu Xia He and her husband André Thibault. This award-winning group takes Chinese-Western collaboration to a new level. Its innovative blend of Asian, jazz, Latin, Celtic music and classical Chinese instruments and techniques creates a unique sound. Green Mountain Petronella is from their CD Endless, which won a West Coast Music award for Best World Music Album and a 1999 Juno nomination for Best Global Album. Learn more at: silkroadmusic.ca Green Mountain Haggis is a heretofore unknown father-and-son duo, consisting of Charlie Buttrey (father) and Thaddeus Buttrey (son). This is their first musical collaboration since they performed a moving and powerful rendition of “Where is Thumbkin?” in 1998. Thaddeus is obtaining a Ph.D. in Film Study from the University of Edinburgh. In his spare time, Charlie likes to eat semisoft cheese. Reckless Breakfast is the product of years of evolution in the Upper Valley bluegrass scene. Current members include Ford Daley, Jen Freise, Laura Jean Binkley, Rory Gawler, and Dave Lloyd. They too would like to know when their next gig will be. Learn more at: facebook.com/RecklessBreakfast

Daniel Jaccaci (on bass) and his sister Emma Cohen (vocals) share a Rondstadt-inspired version of Blue Bayou, direct from Thetford Hill! Daniel studies with Tuck Stocking (Tuck’s Rock Dojo). Emma’s vocal beginnings included years of singing and instruction with Peter Estes at Thetford Academy, as well as with Valerie Miller and the Thetford Chamber Singers. Nicky Corrao has been singing in the Upper Valley for many years at church services, weddings, funerals, open mics and with her friends and family. A self- proclaimed harmony-addict, she has classical training but loves to sing almost anything including a few opera arias, classical favorites, jazz, old rock and roll, and folk music. Nicky loves getting together with friends and guitars and singing harmony to everything and anything. She is looking forward to when she can get back to singing live with friends and in the beautiful acoustics of the beloved Thetford Hill Church sanctuary. Annemieke and Jeremiah McLane, known as Cassotto Duo, live in Strafford, Vermont and perform from coast to coast in the United States and Europe. The couple make their own arrangements for piano and accordion, which highlight the folk elements in classical compositions. Their music ranges from the 16th to the 21st centuries, including composers such as Bach, Bartok, Dvorak, Piazzolla, and Poulenc. Learn more at: jeremiahmclane.com Although based in Boston, Marytha Paffrath and Susan Robbins are no strangers to the Upper Valley! They are two members of the internationally acclaimed women’s world music ensemble Libana, which has performed in Vermont many times. In Spring 2015, Libana gave a concert at Thetford Hill Church (produced by Sherry Merrick) as part of their 35th anniversary season. Additionally, Marytha and Susan have performed in many Revels North productions at Christmas over the years and maintain a very fond connection to Vermont! Learn more at: libana.com The Thetford Chamber Singers, directed by Kevin Quigley, are a diverse group of singers drawn together by the joy of singing and a commitment to bringing music from a variety of traditions to the community. Jeremy Kittel is a violinist, fiddler, and composer. He received a Grammy nomination for “Best Instrumental Composition” in 2019 alongside prevalent composers such as John Williams and Terence Blanchard. Fluent in multiple musical genres, he composes original music that draws from a wide variety of influences including folk, jazz, Celtic, Classical, electronic, and more. Jeremy performs with his group Kittel & Co., as a soloist with orchestras, and in collaborative and supporting roles with many of today’s leading artists. Learn more at: jeremykittel.com