On Saturday, August 13, the grounds at Edna St. Vincent Millay’s historic home, Steepletop, will be open for the first time in three years for a special musical event to benefit the restoration and maintenance of the historic site. Take advantage of this rare opportunity to wander through Millay’s gardens and fields and explore the Poetry Trail that leads to the Millay family gravesites. Millay’s house will also be open for tours for a limited number of ticket holders.

The centerpiece of the day will be a 2:00 pm concert under a tent on the hill by Millay’s home, featuring celebrated musical interpreters of Millay’s poetry: Scottish harper, composer and producer Maeve Gilchrist, and The Edna Project, made up of Liz Queler, Seth Farber and their son, Joey Farber.

Maeve Gilchrist, who will perform the title cut from her latest CD, “The Harpweaver,” inspired by one of Millay’s iconic poems, has been described by one critic as “a phenomenal harp player who can make her instrument ring with unparalleled purity.” Maeve‘s innovative approach to her instrument stretches its harmonic limits and improvisational possibilities. Born and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland, currently based in Brooklyn, New York, she is as at home as a soloist with an internationally renowned orchestra as she is playing with a traditional Irish folk group or working with electronic sounds in a more contemporary setting. Maeve has released five albums to date, including “The Harpweaver,” which the Irish Times gave a five-star review, calling it “buoyant, sprightly and utterly beguiling…a snapshot of a musician at the top of her game.” 

The Edna Project, who will perform a selection of Millay’s poetry set to music, has been hailed as “an eclectic sublimely musical melding of folk, bluegrass, rock and jazz with humor and great harmonies” and “an amazing bunch of top-notch musicians and first-rate lyrics taken from the poetry of Millay.” Each member is a remarkable musician: singer/songwriter/composer Liz is a three-time Grammy nominee who has performed extensively as a singer and as an instrumentalist.

Composer/musician Seth was music director for the late folk/blues legend Odetta and has also been nominated for several Grammys; he has numerous Broadway credits and his music has been used extensively for film and television. Joey, a recent graduate of the Berklee School of Music, is fast amassing his own impressive credits, including several national jingles, an off-Broadway show (“Soul Doctor”) and appearances on SNL and other late-night television shows.

A wine reception will follow the concert.

DATE/TIME: Saturday, August 13, 2022 / 10am – 5:30pm

LOCATION: Edna St. Vincent Millay’s Steepletop
440 East Hill Road
Austerlitz, NY

TICKETS: $95, $125
$95 per person for concert & reception
$125 for concert, reception, and 45-minute house tour (a limited number of house tours are available).
Tickets may be purchased in advance at www.millay.org, or at the door.

MORE:
www.millay.org
facebook.com/MillaySociety
instagram.com/MillaySociety
info@millay.org
518-392-3362

For more local happenings, news, and events, follow ColumbiaCountyCurrent
on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter