The Newberry Consort Presents Concert of 18th and 19th Century American Music May 7-10

CHICAGO— As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, The Newberry Consort is thrilled to present “Revolution! Early American Music from the signing of the Declaration of Independence to the Civil War,” taking place May 7 to 10 in Evanston, Hyde Park, the Loop and Milwaukee.

Using early American instruments such as the square piano, keyed bugle, fiddle, and percussion, as well as an ensemble of vocal specialists, this concert connects America’s musical past and present through early American styles and composers. “This concert will highlight the breadth of music that existed in America during this time period and showcase the many distinctive communities and cultures that all called America home,” said Liza Malamut, artistic director of The Newberry Consort.

The music spans from the signing of the Declaration of Independence through the start of the Civil War and comes from a wide variety of American cultures and traditions, including choral and sacred harp music, Moravian sacred music, solo salon and cotillion music, indigenous music, military music, spirituals, and abolitionist music. Some of the composers on the program include William Billings; Sarah Lancaster, who wrote early American sacred harp music; and Francis Johnson, the first Black composer to have his music published in the United States.

The culmination of the program will be a world premiere of an original composition for American period instruments and voices written by composer and bass-baritone Jonathan Woody, the first time The Newberry Consort has ever commissioned an original piece.

Woody, who has performed with the Newberry Consort several times before, is a versatile and dynamic musician who maintains an active schedule as a performer and composer in New York and across North America. His original music is often inspired by music of the 17th and 18th century, combined with the minimalism and socially conscious subject matter of today. Since 2020, he has received commissions to create new works for groups such as Apollo’s Fire, the Choir of Trinity Wall Street, Chanticleer, the Handel and Haydn Society, the Cathedral Choral Society of Washington, D.C., and more.

“Jonathan Woody is an incredibly talented singer and composer who is highly respected in the early music world,” Malamut said. “We’ve loved performing with Jonathan in the past, and we’re especially excited to perform his new work. He has a deep knowledge of performance practice and historical context, and I’m beyond excited to see the ways that he uses early American music and culture as an inspiration for something new.”

The concert will feature many musicians who are familiar to Newberry Consort audiences, as well as American music specialists new to the Consort. The local musicians who will be part of the ensemble include Malamut on trombone, Chicago tenor and countertenor Matthew Dean, period trombonists Paul Von Hoff and Ben David Aronson, historical percussionist Brandon Podjasek, period violinist and Native American music specialist Brandi Berry Benson, and soprano Kimberly Jones, who will be performing with the Consort for the first time. These musicians will be joined by square pianist Sylvia Berry (playing an original 18th-century Broadwood piano); historical flutist Leighann Daihl Ragusa; Jeffrey Stockham, a virtuoso of keyed bugle and period brass; Alice Culin-Ellison, violinist and specialist in 19th-century music; and renowned countertenor Patrick Dailey.

The concerts will be held on Thursday, May 7 at First Presbyterian Church in Evanston; Friday, May 8 at First Unitarian Church in Hyde Park; and Sunday, May 10 at Roosevelt University in Chicago. In addition to the three performances in Chicagoland, the Consort will also take this show to Milwaukee, where they will perform it on the Early Music Now series at St. Joseph Chapel on Saturday, May 9.

Also, The Newberry Consort will present a streaming version of the concert, which audiences will be able to watch from June 1 to 22 on the Consort’s website. The streaming concerts will be available on a pay-what-you-can basis, with a suggested donation of $25.

Revolution! Early American Music from the Signing of the Declaration of Independence to the Civil War

• Thursday, May 7 at 7:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 1427 Chicago Ave., Evanston
• Friday, May 8 at 7:30 p.m. First Unitarian Church of Chicago, 5650 S. Woodlawn Ave., Chicago
• Saturday, May 9 at 5 p.m., Saint Joseph Chapel, 1515 S Layton Blvd., Milwaukee
• Sunday, May 10 at 4 p.m. Ganz Hall, Roosevelt University, 430 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago

VIRTUAL BROADCAST: Streaming online June 1-22, 2026

Tickets: $70 for preferred seating, $45 for general admission, $25 for affordable access tickets, $10 for students with a valid student ID, and free for children 16 and under. To purchase tickets please visit www.newberryconsort.org.

About The Newberry Consort:
The Newberry Consort brings together singers and instrumentalists of the highest caliber to create historically informed performances of music from the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Baroque, and beyond. By integrating historical performance and research with contemporary themes and multimedia, we inspire audiences, musicians, and scholars by providing a window into earlier times and diverse cultures. The Consort continues to uplift Chicago’s early music community through mentorships, teaching, and engagement of local artists.