National Gallery musicians to perform

MILFORD — Stephen Ackert, organist and music director at the National Gallery of Art, award-winning soprano Rosa Lamoreaux, and bass-baritone Peter Becker will present great Christmas music on Dec. 19, at Church of the Good Shepherd & St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church in Milford. Ackert will perform organ solos by J.S. Bach and Christmas music by Bach, Pachelbel, and David N. Johnson. Lamoreaux and Becker, accompanied by Ackert, will sing arias from Praetorius and Bach cantatas, and traditional songs for the holidays. This event also provides an opportunity for the public to hear the grand Schantz pipe organ recently acquired by the church. The concert, produced by Kindred Spirits Arts Program, offers a treat for the eyes, too: a big-screen presentation of National Gallery of Arts paintings that have been chosen for US postage stamps. These are among the most beloved stamps ever produced—no surprise, considering that they feature art by the likes of Raphael, Botticelli, and Currier & Ives. Stephen Ackert, music director for the National Gallery of Art, was the organist at the National Cathedral and has performed extensively in the United States, Germany, and other countries. Rosa Lamoreaux has performed at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and Royal Albert Hall, among other places, and her recordings have been broadcast on NPR and the BBC. Peter Becker’s many credits include the Glimmerglass Opera, Tafelmusik, Spoleto, and Caramoor. He has recorded for Decca-London and several other labels. The performance begins 3 p.m., Dec. 19, at Church of the Good Shepherd & St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church, at Fifth and West Catharine streets. There will be a wine-and-cheese reception after the concert. Tickets cost $20 for adults, or $10 for children under 12. Kindred Spirits is a nonprofit organization that produces concerts and music education programs in northeastern Pennsylvania. For further information about this and other Kindred Spirits Arts Programs visit http://www.kindredspiritsprograms.org/ .