Chamber Music Quad Cities is presenting the event Poem to Song on March 19, 2022, an evening celebration of talent interweaving poetry and music. Poems created by local poets will first be read, after which newly commissioned songs using each poem as text will be performed by soprano Lily Arbisser, accompanied by pianist Thomas Sauer.
The featured poets are Audra Kerr Brown, Joe Chambers, Therese Guise, Carl Herzig, Farah Marklevits, Beth Roberts and Johnnie Woods. Composers include Jacob Bancks (Augustana College), Brian Baxter (Quad City Symphony Orchestra), William Campbell (St. Ambrose University), as well as Patrick Castillo, Monica Gil, Robinson McClellan, Thomas Sauer, Nathan Shields, and Suzanne Sorkin.
Listen to the conversation with Lily Arbisser and Thomas Sauer about the inspiration for this literary and musical event, the community collaboration that this represents, and the unique privilege they feel being citizen artists.
Thomas Sauer co-founded Chamber Music Quad Cities (CMQC) in 1994 with his brother, cellist Gregory Sauer. CMQC presents classical concert music in comfortable, intimate settings throughout the Quad Cities.
Poem to Song will be performed Saturday, March 19, 2022, at the Asbury United Methodist Church, 1809 Mississippi Blvd. in Bettendorf, IA. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased here. Guests will be required to wear a mask to the performance.
