Jazz, Fireworks Planned for River Concert Series on Fourth of July

Fireworks Over the St. Mary's River Follow Concert

ST. MARY'S CITY, Md. (June 26, 2008) - American patriotism comes to town on the Fourth of July for the River Concert Series at St. Mary's College of Maryland (SMCM). Internationally renowned jazz vocalist Hilary Kole will dazzle the audience with selections from the American Songbook by George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Cole Porter, and others. As described by The New York Times, Kole's voice is "swinging…sultry…sexy with a sharp-edged hint of brass."

The Chesapeake Orchestra, under the musical direction of Jeffrey Silberschlag, will perform additional American classics, including Sousa and Filmore's "Marches," Joplin's "Ragtime," and Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture." A fireworks display will conclude the evening of festivities.


Fireworks detonate over the concert pavilion at a previous St. Mary's River Concert event in St. Mary's City (SMCM Photo).

The free outdoor concerts overlook the St. Mary's River and begin at 7 p.m. with grounds opening at 5 p.m.

Hilary Kole began her professional career at New York's legendary Rainbow Room as the youngest singer ever to grace that stage. She later appeared at the Algonquin Hotel's Oak Room, the Lincoln Center, and Carnegie Hall. Kole's has performed internationally at the Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, Italy, and the Nairn Jazz Festival in Nairn, Scotland. The Daily Variety's Robert Daniels described Kole's style as "…torch singing at its apex."

Kole attended the Walden School for music composition. She went on to receive professional training in composition at the Manhattan School of Music. Kole co-created and originated the lead female roles in the award-winning Off-Broadway musicals, "Our Sinatra" and "Singing Astaire." She also garnered three National Federation of Music Awards for her original compositions, and is the recipient of the prestigious Delius Award for her "Piano Trio No. 1," which had its premiere with the Jacksonville Symphony.

The River Concert Series' goal is to assist in economically enhancing the region and cultivating a cultural tourist destination by organizing arts and historical offerings. In 1999, the Chesapeake Orchestra came into a residency relationship with SMCM with the initiation of the River Concert Series. Since then, the Chesapeake Orchestra has sought to provide musical programming to reach the broadest possible audience.

Also This Week

SMCM graduate Robin Martinez, soprano, will perform "Night and Dreams" for River Series: Up Close, Sunday, June 29, at 3:00 p.m. at the Auerbach Auditorium in St. Mary's Hall.

Movies accompany music on Wednesday evenings as part of The River Concert Series: At the Movies. The films are viewed in the Auerbach Auditorium in St. Mary's Hall at 7 p.m. and are introduced by SMCM Professor Robin Bates. This week's film, "An American in Paris" (1951), starring Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, and Oscar Levant, is the story of an American painter's search for love in post-World War II Paris. A performance by jazz cabaret artist Gretchen Richie will follow the film at 9 p.m.

For this year's first installment of the River Series: Cutting Edge, Vincenzo's Mediterranean Grill in Solomons, Maryland, will welcome the Byx Bullock Jazz Trio on Thursday, July 3, at 6:30 p.m.

The first performance for the River Series: On Location will take place on Sunday, July 6, at 1:00 p.m. at Sotterley Plantation in Hollywood, Maryland. The program, entitled "Old Fashioned Fourth of July at Sotterley," will feature the Chesapeake Orchestra Brass Quintet.