The Beethoven Society of Melrose, in its 87th Season, features two outstanding vocalists singing songs, arias, lieder and musical theatre: tenor Scott Best, accompanied by James Reyes at the piano, and baritone Lawrence Gall, accompanied by Jeanie Furlan at the piano. Free will offering at the door benefits our Music Award Fund for students. Partial funding for this concert was made possible by grants from the Melrose Cultural Council and the Melrose Messina Fund for the Arts. Refreshments follow the program. Mr. Best will be singing "A Selection of American Masters", songs of well-known and lesser-known composers, including Stephen Foster, Edward MacDowell, Amy Beach, Charles Ives, Sidney Homer, Samuel Barber, Aaron Copland, Carrie Jacobs-Bond, Margaret Ruthven Lang, Ethelbert Nevin, Ernest Charles and Oley Speaks. Mr. Gall will be singing lieder of Schumann and Brahms, an aria form Gounod's "Faust", and a selection from Cole Porter's "Kiss Me Kate."
Scott Best, from Malden, studied voice with Dr. James R. Houghton and Mrs. Joan Flood. He has been soloist for several North Shore churches over the past 30 years, now functioning as tenor soloist for the Melrose Highlands Congregationalist Church and cantor for St. Mary of the Annunciation Parish in Melrose. He participated in the first Peter Pears Vocal Competition in Londong in 1989, placing in the top quarter of 200 entrants. A former member of the Bel Canto Quartet, Sccott performed concert versions of opera scenes, duets and solos. He now concentrates on popular music, and has been seen in numerous cabaret venues around New England. Scott appeared as the villainous Ernst Ludwig in "Caberet" with the Theater Company of Saugus and as Professor Bhaer in "Little Women" with the Wakefield Repertory Theater. Still maintaining a classiccal repertoire, this is Scott’s sixth appearance with the Melrose Beethoven Society, and is pleased to be with you again. He particularly enjoys the songs of American composers. Scott teaches piano and vocal performance at The Music Shop, also in Melrose.
Lawrence Gall, baritone, has been a life-long avocational singer, starting with training as a boy soprano. After reaching “the charming age of puberty” (in the words of Cole Porter), he sang, first as a tenor and then as a baritone, in church and school choirs and did musical theater in high school and college. After a brief (37 year) detour as a career senior manager with the National Park Service, he retired and now devotes himself pretty much full time to musical pursuits. He is base section lead at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, Milton, having formerly held that position at First Parish UU, Concord. As a member and frequent soloist, he performs with the Masterworks Chorale, The Meridian Singers of MIT, and a pops group called The Conchords. He has been a student for many years in the studio of Robert Gartside, with whom he often sings recitals.
