Free Bach Brandenburg concert, Wednesday, St. John's, Lafayette Square

Mary Bowden/Photo by Lisa-Marie Mazzucco

Classical trumpeter Mary Bowden will join the 20 members of the U.S. Air Force Strings Ensemble Wednesday to play Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in a free noontime concert at St. John's Episcopal Church at Lafayette Square.

Ms. Bowden, who has accompanied Adele on tour, began fulltime college music studies at the age of 14. Gramaphone has called her "brilliant" and “radiant in new repertoire for trumpet,” an adaptation of "radiant" which appears in the title of her recently released first album, "Radiance."  

A worldwide performer, Ms. Bowden has placed first in many competitions.

 The U.S. Air Force Strings Ensemble

Air Force Strings is one of six musical ensembles of the U.S. Air Force Band. The Strings' portfolio includes wide-ranging styles from classical to rock, bluegrass, Broadway, and patriotic selections, played without a conductor. 


Also on Wednesday's program is "Serenade for String" by George Antheil (1900-1959), an avante-garde composer and inventor (Wikipedia).

The concert is the last of this year's First Wednesday Concerts series at St. John's.

St. John's Episcopal Church, Lafayette Square, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie

St. John's was founded in 1815 and is known to Washington residents as the yellow church at Lafayette Square. It's often called the “Church of the Presidents” since beginning with President James Madison, who was president from 1809 to 1817, every president has attended services at the church. 

A plaque at the rear of St. John's designates the pew where President Abraham Lincoln often sat when he stopped by the church during the Civil War. 

Benjamin Latrobe, the "father of American architecture" who designed the U.S. Capitol and the White House porticos, created the plan for St. John's Church using a Greek cross.  
 
The church bell, which weighs almost 1,000 pounds, was cast by Paul Revere's son, Joseph, in 1822 and hung at the church that year where it has rung since. Wikipedia says two accounts report that whenever the bell rings on the occasion of the death of a notable person, six male ghosts appear at the president's pew at midnight and quickly disappear. (Who's counting?) 

Dolley Madison, wife of President Madison, was baptized and confirmed at St. John's which is "one of the few original remaining buildings left near Lafayette Park today,"
according to the National Park Service.

Following tradition, President Donald J. Trump and his family began his presidency on the morning of January 20, 2017 with private services at St. John's.

For those on lunch break, food trucks are located nearby at Farragut Square.
 
Another concert not to miss!
 
Who:  Mary Bowden and the U.S. Air Force Strings presenting Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 and Antheil's "Serenade for Strings"

What: First Wednesday Concerts

When: 12:10 p.m., June 7, 2017

Where: St. John’s, Lafayette Square, 1525 H Street, NW, at the corner of 16th, Washington, D.C. 20005

How much: No charge

Duration: About 35 minutes

Wheelchair accessible

Metro stations: McPherson Square (White House exit), Farragut North, or Farragut West

For more information: Contact Michael Lodico, St. John's director of music ministry and organist, 202-270-6265 or Michael.Lodico@stjohns-dc.org.
  
patricialesli@gmail.com

Free noon strings and organ concert at St. John's, Lafayette Square, May 6

The U.S. Air Force Strings Chamber Orchestra will play at St. John's Episcopal Church, Lafayette Square, in a free noontime concert May 6, 2015.

The U.S. Air Force Strings Orchestra with organist Benjamin Hutto will play the music of George Frederic Handel and Felix Mendelssohn in a free lunchtime concert at St. John's Episcopal Church, Lafayette Square, beginning at
12:10 p.m. Wednesday.

On the program are Mendelssohn’s Sinfonia No. 2 in D and Handel’s Organ Concerto in B flat and his Rodrigo Suite. 

Without a conductor or sheet music, the 20 active duty Air Force musicians can play Broadway show tunes, classic rock, bluegrass, patriotic, and classical symphonic selections.

All are invited to the concert, a lovely respite in the middle of the day.

St. John's Episcopal Church, Lafayette Square, Washington, D.C./Photo by Patricia Leslie

Hutto is the director of music ministry and organist at St. John's and the director of choral activities at St. Albans School for Boys and the Washington Cathedral School for Girls. He is a fellow and past president of the Royal School of Church Music in North America, and the composer of several hymns included in the 1982 Hymnal of the Episcopal Church.

Benjamin Hutto, director of music ministry and organist, St. John's Episcopal Church, Lafayette Square, Washington, D.C.

St. John's, known to many Washington residents as the yellow church at Lafayette Square, is often called the “Church of the Presidents.” Beginning with President James Madison who served the office from 1809 to 1817, every president has been a member of St. John's or has attended services at the church. A plaque at the rear of St. John's designates the pew where President Abraham Lincoln often sat when he stopped by the church during the Civil War.  Next year St. John's will celebrate its bicentennial.

For those on lunch break Wednesday, food trucks are located at Farragut Square, two blocks away.

Who:  The U.S. Air Force Strings with organist Benjamin Hutto

What: Music of Handel and Mendelssohn

When:  May 6, 2015, 12:10 p.m.

Where: St. John’s, Lafayette Square, 1525 H Street, NW, at the corner of 16^th, Washington, D.C. 20005

How much: No charge

Duration:  35 minutes

Wheelchair accessible

Metro stations: McPherson Square (White House exit), Farragut North, or Farragut West

For more information: Contact Michael Lodico at 202-270-6265 or 202-347-8766

The last of this season's First Wednesday concerts at St. John's is set for June 3, 12:10 p.m. when Benjamin Straley, organist at the Washington National Cathedral, will play.

patricialesli@gmail.com