Arts at First & Franklin

Paul Bisaccia – Prelude to Pride

July 17, 2023

Paul Bisaccia is the first artist to have recorded the complete solo piano music of Gershwin, and his PBS television special Gershwin by Bisaccia has been broadcast throughout the U.S. and viewed by millions. The American Record Guide says, “For Gershwin interpretations, Bisaccia wins hands down.” Michael Feinstein calls Paul Bisaccia and the Great American…

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Armstrong Honors Recital

July 17, 2023

The Spire Series is proud to host its close neighbor, Baltimore School for the Arts, for the annual Armstrong Honors Recital. This special event showcasing select members of the graduating class of 2024, is named for one of Baltimore’s great educators and BSA founder, Margaret Armstrong. Admission to this event is free.

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Svet Stoyanov

July 17, 2023

Praised by the New York Times for his “understated but unmistakable virtuosity” along with a “winning combination of gentleness and fluidity,” Svet Stoyanov is a driving force in modern percussion. Winner of the prestigious Concert Artists Guild International Competition, Svet was also presented with the Johns Hopkins University Alumni Award. He has been a featured…

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Karen Slack / Mark Markham

July 17, 2023

Dream Variations Notes & Program   Known for performances that “ripped the audience’s hearts out” (Opera News), Karen Slack is“not only one of the nation’s most celebrated sopranos, but a leading voice in changing and making spaces in classical music” (Trilloquy). A recipient of the 2022 Sphinx Medal of Excellence, Slack is an Artistic Advisor…

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Candlelight Choral Concert

July 17, 2023

Did you miss the 2023 Candlelight Choral Concert? Watch the full concert here!    The First & Franklin Sanctuary Choir, directed by Jason Kissel, will present their annual Candlelight Choral Concert on Sunday, December 10th, 2023 at 4:00pm. This yearly tradition celebrates the holiday season with choral music including Vivaldi’s Gloria with Baroque ensemble and…

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S’amusant

July 17, 2023

S’amusant is one of Baltimore’s newest musical ensembles, featuring extraordinary artists Wade Davis (cello), Patrick Merrill (piano), and Melissa Wimbish (soprano). The group’s program, Dreams and Fantasies will cross boundaries from its early music roots to explore the music of Schumann, Fauré, Chopin, and Pärt. The group says, “Our mission is to perform this music…

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Poetry & Prose Reading

January 4, 2023

Featuring members and friends of First & Franklin Presbyterian Church: Dominic (Dom) Guida, Stephen Hollaway and John McLucas. Each will read some selections of recent writings. Dom is an instructor in The Writing Programs at Johns Hopkins. He’s an MFA graduate of JHU and did his undergrad at NYU. Stephen is a poet about to…

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Joshua Espinoza Trio – Spire Series Opening Concert

January 4, 2023

Latino-American jazz pianist Joshua Espinoza blends and bends genres into songs that are immediately relatable yet hard to define. He has performed with such luminaries as Sean Jones, Warren Wolf, Miho Hazama, Jihye Lee, and Chuck Redd. Alongside bassist Kris Monson and drummer Jaron Lamar Davis, the Joshua Espinoza Trio explores the undefined space between…

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Armstrong Honors Recital

December 4, 2022

The Armstrong Honors Recital will feature selected students of the Class of 2023, this recital is named for one of Baltimore’s great educators and BSA founder, Margaret Armstrong. For more information: https://www.bsfa.org/event/armstrong-honors-recital-3

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The Spire Series presents… From Elegance to Extravagance

December 4, 2022
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Prelude to Pride Concert, Sara Davis Buechner

September 13, 2022
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The Ken & Brad Kolodner Quartet, Spire Series

August 29, 2022

  The father-son team Ken & Brad Kolodner weave together a captivating soundscape on hammered dulcimer and clawhammer banjo blurring the lines of Old-Time, Bluegrass and American Roots music, joined by Alex Lacquement (bass, banjo) and Rachel Eddy (fiddle, guitar, vocals, banjo). Ken and his music have been featured on NPR, The Thistle and the…

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