Dear Friends,
It has been an immensely eventful summer! We've moved to a new home in Baltimore, our first time maintaining only one address, we had an incredible trip in England visiting John and Rosy Hitchens and celebrating our third wedding anniversary in Wales. And now we're back and there's a lot more music to make!
Upcoming Performances
After a summer that has felt like we've been out of town even when we've been IN town, it feels like a kind of homecoming to be putting on another concert after this spring's activities! I hope you will come to this concert and celebrate the change of season with me on Friday, October 13, 2023 at 7pm at Area 405 (405 E Oliver St., Baltimore, MD 21202)
A concert of songs on the autumn themes of transition, mortality, and nature, The Saunter into Autumn features an eclectic program of contemporary art song sung by some of Baltimore's best and brightest artists: sopranos Katie Procell and Arianna Arnold sing works by myself and Baltimore-based composer Michael Rickelton, as well as works by Tania León and Carl Smith. Baritone (and pianist) Aaron Thacker will give the world premiere of my "In the Desert" song cycle, setting poetry by Stephen Crane. All ticket sales will go to the performing artists. Valerie Hsu, Aaron Thacker, and I will accompany these brilliant singers.
Concert Program:
3 Modernist Songs (2023)* - Peter Dayton, texts by H.D., Hart Crane, T.S. Eliot
Arianna Arnold - Soprano, Peter Dayton - Piano
Atwood Songs (2018) - Tania León, texts by Margaret Atwood
Arianna Arnold - Soprano, Valerie Hsu - Piano
In the Desert (2023)* - Peter Dayton, texts by Stephen Crane
Aaron Thacker - Dramatic Baritone, Valerie Hsu - Piano
Time and Memory (2012) - Michael Rickelton, texts by William S. Trout
Katie Procell - Soprano, Aaron Thacker - Piano
When Israel Out of Egypt Came (2015) - Carl Smith, text by A.E. Housman
Katie Procell - Soprano, Peter Dayton - Piano
*World premiere performance
This concert is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council. I am very grateful to have received my second Creativity Grant to put this event on and I encourage all Maryland artists to consider applying for this grant to fund your artistic projects!
That's the local performance coming up, and I hope you'll come if you're in the DMV area! But I'm also so grateful to the amazing musicians who are elevating my music around the country! I'm deeply honored and humbled to already have on the calendar 12 performances of my music in 7 states over the next 12 months (with maybe more on the way!). Here are some of the performances I feel privileged to report are upcoming!
September 13, 2023 - Sonata for Soprano Saxophone and Piano (2023), Nick May - Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
September 15, 2023 - Sonata for Soprano Saxophone and Piano, Nick May - Kansas City Library Plaza, Kansas City, MO
September 22, 2023 - Sonata for Viola & Piano (2018), Scott Stewart - House concert, Longmont, CO
September 28, 2023 - Sonata for Soprano Saxophone and Piano, Nick May - University of Oklahoma, OK
October 8, 2023 - Sonata for Soprano Saxophone and Piano, Nick May - University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
October 12, 2023 - Sonata for Soprano Saxophone and Piano, Nick May - University of Missouri, Kansas City, MO
November 10, 2023 - Sonata for Soprano Saxophone and Piano, Nick May - Kansas City Library Plaza, Kansas City, MO
April 28, 2024 - Trio for Violin, Alto Saxophone, and Piano, Latitude 39 Ensemble - Philadelphia, PA
June 2, 2024 - The Need of Comrades, A Gay Cantata, Michael Manganiello - St. David's Episcopal Church - Baltimore, MD
July 20, 2024 - Trio for Violin, Alto Saxophone, and Piano, Latitude 39 Ensemble - Charlotte House Concert Series - Kansas City, MO
I still have to finish writing the trio that is already scheduled for two performances! I better get back to that, or to practicing for the October 13 concert! I hope to see you - and expect to hear more (music and news) soon!
Yours,
-Peter