Historic New England’s Sundays in the Garden Concerts are held Sundays in July at 4 p.m. in the garden at Hamilton House. The beautiful gardens and sweeping view of the Salmon Falls River provide a picture perfect setting for these relaxed late-afternoon concerts. Pack your picnic basket and lawn chair and come prepared to enjoy some of the Seacoast’s most popular musical performers.
Harvey Reid kicks off the series on July 4. A well loved local musician, Reid has performed extensively and garnering national recognition as one of the true treasures of American acoustic music. Reid’s music includes a range of influences from folk to rockabilly and a vast repertoire of traditional and contemporary songs. This concert marks Mr. Reid’s 20th year performing in the Hamilton House Garden and the centennial year of Historic New England. Celebrate both on July 4 at Hamilton House!
The concert series continues on July 11 with a performance by Salt River. Salt River members Lee Hosack, Mike and Beverly Rogers and Cathy King perform traditional and original music reflecting the lifestyle and people of New England. Their folk/blues style is accented by their vocal harmonies and Mike’s signature harmonica. You won’t be able to keep your toes from tapping and your hands from clapping.
Cellist/singer-songwriter Kristen Miller returns to the garden on July 18. Miller electrifies her antique cello to redefine the instrument in the tradition of folk, rock, and world music. In her live performances, Miller uses digital recording to layer earthy cello timbres with percussion, spoken word, and singing. The result is a rich tapestry of harmony, rhythm, and deep melodic contour that Billboard writer Bobby Borg calls “hauntingly, charmingly, brilliant.”
The Sundays in the Garden Concert Series concludes on July 25 with the Maine Squeeze Accordion Ensemble. Enjoy a fun afternoon of eclectic ethnic music from around the world, from traditional foot-tapping polkas to waltzes to zydeco.
In celebration of Historic New England’s centennial, members receive free admission to all 2010 concerts. For information on how to become a Historic New England member please visit www.historicnewengland.org. Admission for non-members is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, and $4 for children over 12. This year’s concert series is sponsored in part by Kennebunk Savings Bank.
Hamilton House is open for tours Wednesday- Sunday until mid-October. Tours begin at the garden cottage on the hour from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. House tours are $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, $4 for children, and free to Historic New England members. The price of the house tour is not included with concert admission.
Hamilton House is located on Vaughan’s Lane, adjacent to Vaughan Woods State Park, a mile off Route 236 in South Berwick. The site is one of 36 house museums owned and operated by Historic New England, the oldest, largest, and most comprehensive regional heritage organization in the country. For more information, please contact the South Berwick Office of Historic New England at (207) 384-2454 or visit www.historicnewengland.org.
