It’s kind of like an all-star game for Queens musicians.
The new music ensemble Percussia, which is based in Jackson Heights, presents Psalms & More at The Church-in-the-Gardens in Forest Hills on Saturday, March 8, at 8 pm.
Two Percussia members – Forest Hills harpist Susan Jolles and Jackson Heights percussionist Ingrid Gordon – team up with the Forest Hills Choir and the house choir (CITG) to perform music by Queens composers under the direction of Maestro Ben Arendsen.
Some songs celebrate Lent, but Percussia will also share music from its recent album Plucked & Struck. Plus, the artists will perform two works by CITG Music Director Dr. Sunny Knable, who also lives in Forest Hills. They are “Three Lenten Psalms” scored for harp, percussion, and choir, along with “envelop(e),” which Knable wrote for Celtic harp and Orff xylophone during the pandemic. Other works for harp and keyboard percussion round out the show.
Psalms & More is free and open to the public, while copies of Plucked & Struck. featuring one of Maestro Knable’s compositions, will be available for purchase.
CITG is located at 50 Ascan Ave. Parking is restricted to residents, but the church will provide temporary passes to attendees. Via subway, the closest station is Forest Hill/71st Ave, where the E, F, M, and R trains stop. For bus riders, the Q60 to 72nd Drive is the best option.
The concert is supported by the Music Performance Trust Fund with additional funding from the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs and the NYS Council on the Arts.
Editor’s note: Gordon and Jolles represent Percussia, but there are other members who won’t perform: flutist Margaret Lancaster; violist Lev Zhurbin; and percussionist Frank Cassara. The group combines chamber, world, and popular music with original arrangements.
Top image: Rob MacKay; bottom image: Percussia