BELFAST — The Maine-based initiative Songs From Here will feature local Classical vocal music at the Belfast Poetry Festival on October 19. The organization, founded in 2021 by soprano Sarah Tuttle, promotes locally-written Classical music and collaborates with Maine poets to create unique performance experiences.
This fall, Songs From Here will present a series of six concerts across Maine. Soprano Sarah Tuttle and pianist Bridget Convey will lead the performances, joined by various local poets who will read their work during the concerts. Many of these performances will be free to the public.
The Belfast concert will be held at the Belfast Free Library as part of the Belfast Poetry Festival. The program, titled “Love Today,” will explore themes of love through contemporary songs. It will feature world premieres by Maine composers Erica Ball, Marianna Filippi, and Emmalynn Craft, as well as cabaret songs by Benjamin Britten and William Bolcom, and a piece by Rene Orth focusing on modern parenthood. The program will also include melodies by Connie Converse, an artist who disappeared mysteriously.
Poets featured in this season’s program include David Stankiewicz, Cathleen Miller, and Tyler French. Each concert will feature different poets, providing a unique experience at each venue.
The fall performance schedule is as follows:
Denmark Arts, Denmark – September 15
First Parish Church, Saco – September 29
Greene Block + Studios/Colby Arts, Waterville – October 4
Olin Arts Center, Bates College, Lewiston – October 6
Belfast Free Library, Belfast – October 19
317 Main Community Music Center, Yarmouth – November 3
Sarah Tuttle, director and vocalist for Songs From Here, emphasized the connection between music and poetry. “This combination highlights how music and the written word complement each other,” she said. “We aim to offer an intimate performance experience that appeals to both regular concert-goers and those new to the scene. Our hope is to inspire attendees to engage with music and poetry in their own lives.”