Bringing Bach and Brazil together

MILFORD — Two duos will connect Bach and South America in two concerts coming to the area next weekend.
"From Bach to Brazil," an outdoors concert at Grey Towers National Historical Site in Milford, will be held on July 9, featuring mandolin masters Caterina Lichtenberg and Mike Marshall.
"From Bach to Tango" comes to a second historic site, the Hawley Silk Mill in Hawley, on July 10, when flutist Allison Kiger and guitarist Jordan Dodson perform.

Mandolin stars

Lichtenberg and Marshall frequently collaborate, even though she lives in Germany and he in California. Lichtenberg has toured throughout Europe, Asia, and the United States, performing as a soloist with top-ranking ensembles such as the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, and she has recorded 11 CDs.
Marshall, a leader of the American string music scene, has performed with such greats as Joshua Bell, Stephan Grappelli, and Mark O'Connor, and he has released more than 30 CDs. Together these mandolin masters have made two recordings, one that blurs the lines between classical, jazz, bluegrass and Brazil, and another featuring Johann Sebastian Bach's duets. Their "From Bach to Brazil" program features work by Bach, Vivaldi, and Zequinho de Abreau.

Kiger and Dodson

Kiger performed two years ago to a standing-room-only crowd at the Hotel Fauchere, and more recently spresented a rare concert with longtime radio announcer Bob Sherman at the Milford Theatre. Now she returns to Milford with guitarist Jordon Dodson. Their "Bach to Tango" program includes Bach's Partita in A minor, the beautiful Haydn Serenade, Astor Piazzolla's History of the Tango, and some contemporary music.
Kiger is the director of Ensemble Tremblay, which performs at major music festivals and venues. Dodson, a winner of many musical competitions, is an up-and-coming soloist, chamber musician, and advocate for contemporary music. Performance Today recently called him "one of the top young guitarists of his generation."
Concert producer Kindred Spirits Arts Programs is a nonprofit organization of volunteers that has been bringing quality entertainment to area audiences and programs to school students since 2002.