Saturday: Jose Lezcano and Melissa Richmond; Next Week: Burlington Taiko!

A benefit for the Claremont Creative Center

June 3, 2023 @ 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Union Episcopal Church

Grammy nominated guitarist, and friend of WCCMA, José Lezcano performs during this benefit concert for the Claremont Creative Center, featuring works by Lezcano and more. Guest Melissa Richmond joins him on flute. The program will explore great classical and comtemporary works, including works by Lezcano, Piazzolla, Ibert, and more. All proceeds go to benefit the Claremont Creative Center Homecoming Campaign. Live in person and virtual/streamed online.

Tickets for this event include special refreshments and post concert meet and greet. Recommended donation: $25 per person, $40 per couple, and $45 per family.

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“Jose Lezcano … is a superb guitarist as well as a first-rate composer and arranger.” – New Millennium Guitar

As Professor Emeritus of Music at Keene State College, Dr. José Lezcano coordinates the guitar program, and teaches applied guitar, guitar orchestra, and courses in Latin American music. He recently retired from his full-time tenured position of Professor of Music after 30 years in the department, but continues to teach classes as a Lecturer. During Spring ’22, he served as Distinguished Visiting Professor of Liberal Arts at the University of Morris, Minnesota. In Fall 2022, he started a new assignment as Artist Lecturer in Guitar at the University of Southern Maine (Gorham) while continuing to teach at Keene State. His guitar students have been frequent winners of the Keene State’s highest awards and scholarships. He has been a frequent guest artist at numerous chamber music series in New England, including Apple Hill, Electric Earth, Wisteria, Portland Chamber Music Festival, and Athaneum concerts in Portsmouth, NH. As a twice Grammy-nominated guitarist / composer (in two categories: “Best Contemporary Composition” and “Best soloist with orchestra) Dr. José Lezcano has captivated audiences on four continents. In programs of Spanish, South American and original works, he has appeared in major venues and festivals, including Carnegie Recital Hall, the NYC North-South Consonance Series, Cuba, Trinidad & Tobago, Spain, Portugal, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, China, Germany, Crete, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic as recitalist, collaborative artist, and concerto soloist. Described by Fanfare Magazine as “an excellent guitarist as well as an imaginative composer,” Jose has earned numerous professional recognitions, including first prize in the MTNA National Guitar Competition, the NHSAC Individual Artist Fellowship, NHMTA Composer of the Year (twice), KSC Distinguished Research Award, and a Fulbright Award to Ecuador. In 2016 he received an Ewing Arts Award from the Keene Sentinel, in recognition of his international performing and teaching career, and contributions to the arts in the Monadnock region of New Hampshire. Dr. Lezcano earned degrees from Peabody Conservatory (BM), University of South Carolina (MM), and Florida State University (Ph.D., Music Theory).

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Burlington Taiko Group Performance

June 9, 2023 @ 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM at Outdoors at Union Episcopal Church

Join us for a performance of Japanese Taiko Drumming by Burlington Taiko Group. A popular annual Claremont community Tradition, this will be WCCMA’s first ensemble public performance since before the pandemic.

This performance will take place outdoors at Union Episcopal Church, the rain location will be inside the church. Please bring a chair or blanket.

This event is by free will sliding scale donation, suggested at $5-45. Students are free. Your donations help to support keeping live music and arts education live and local! This concert will be available in person and streamed. An HD version of the concert will be uploaded after the performance in the event in the event of streaming issues or imperfections.

About Burlington Taiko Group Since 1987, Burlington Taiko has been mesmerizing audiences with the powerful, spellbinding and propulsive sounds of the taiko.Burlington Taiko Group estimates it has introduced over half a million people to the power of taiko via public performances including feature performances at the 100th running of the Boston Marathon, annual performances at Burlington’s First Night, the Joseph Campbell – Keepers of the Lore festival, the Black Ships Festival in Newport, Rhode Island, and over 200 corporate, collegiate and public performances.In 2001, Burlington Taiko received First Night International’s Prism Award, first place recognition for Most Creative Programming.In 2002 Burlington Taiko participated in its first tour of Japan, performing a series of concerts in the prefecture of Tottori at the Gaina Matsuri in Yonago.The group has been honored 3 times by the International Taiko community having been selected as a feature performer at the 2008 40th International Taiko Festival in San Francisco, the 1999 North American Taiko Conference in Los Angeles, and the 1998 30th International Taiko Festival in San Francisco.Burlington Taikois the performance arm of our non-profit entity, Taiko AikoKai New England (TANE). Our mission: to promote the performance and practice of Taiko and provide education about Taiko and Japanese culture.

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Missed a concert? Catch up on YouTube

Last week’s concert with the Villalobos Brothers is one you don’t want to miss. Throw it on your TV and dance along!

Friday: the Villalobos Brothers! Next week: Jose Lezcano, and more

Villalobos Brothers

May 26, 2023 @ 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Union Episcopal Church

Join us for the Grammy-winning Villalobos Brothers as they perform their original music that fuses Mexican folk with jazz and classical traditions. We suggest registering for tickets in advance for this show to ensure you will have seats for this incredible opportunity to hear these artists in the excellent acoustic space at Union Church. Tickets for this event are sliding scale, pay what you can. Student tickets are free. Offered live in person and live-streamed/on demand.

The Villalobos Brothers are a Grammy-winning family band, that has been acclaimed as one of today’s leading Contemporary Mexican ensembles. Their original compositions and arrangements masterfully fuse and celebrate the richness of Mexican folk music with the intricate harmonies of jazz and classical music. The ensemble’s virtuosic performances have delighted audiences throughout Latin America, India, Russia, Canada, and over 30 states across the USA. They have performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Latin Grammy Awards, Davies Symphony Hall, Montreal Jazz Festival, the Ford Theatre in Hollywood, the 60th Anniversary of the United Nations, the New Victory Theatre on Broadway, San Jose Jazz Fest, Celebrate Brooklyn, the 66th FIFA Congress in Mexico City, the Blue Note Jazz Festival, the Apollo Theatre and many more. In 2018, they joined forces with Arturo O’Farrill, the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, and the “Colectivo Conga Patria” for the “Fandango at the Wall” project. This ambitious undertaking, produced by Kabir Sehgal, united legendary international musicians for a live concert at the Tijuana-San Diego border wall which resulted in a live album and documentary film by HBO Max. In February 2023 the album “Fandango At The Wall Live in NYC” won the Grammy for Best Latin Jazz Album of the year. The Villalobos Brothers recently premiered their Symphonic Project, performing sold-out concerts with the San Francisco Symphony, Sun Valley Symphony, Walla Walla Symphony, Yakima Symphony, and Sun Valley Symphony Orchestras. The ensemble has collaborated with legendary musicians including Grammy winners Bruce Springsteen, Dolly Parton, Antonio Sánchez, Regina Carter, Eduardo Magallanes, Dan Zanes, and Ana Tijoux. The Villalobos Brothers are on tour, delivering a powerful message of love, brotherhood, and social justice. Their albums “Aliens of Extraordinary Abilities” and “Somos” are available on all digital platforms.

More information


Jose Lezcano, guitar: A benefit for the Claremont Creative Center

June 3, 2023 @ 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Union Episcopal Church

Grammy nominated guitarist, and friend of WCCMA, José Lezcano performs during this benefit concert for the Claremont Creative Center, featuring works by Lezcano and more. Guest Melissa Richmond joins him. The program will explore great classical and comtemporary works, including works by Lezcano himself. All proceeds go to benefit the Claremotn Creative Center Homecoming Campaign. Live in person and virtual/streamed online.

Tickets for this event include special refreshments. Recommended donation: $25 per person, $40 per couple, and $45 per family.

Included in your ticket: following the performance you will have a chance to meet the artists and enjoy light appetizers and sweets. 

“Jose Lezcano … is a superb guitarist as well as a first-rate composer and arranger.” – New Millennium Guitar

As Professor Emeritus of Music at Keene State College, Dr. José Lezcano coordinates the guitar program, and teaches applied guitar, guitar orchestra, and courses in Latin American music. He recently retired from his full-time tenured position of Professor of Music after 30 years in the department, but continues to teach classes as a Lecturer. During Spring ’22, he served as Distinguished Visiting Professor of Liberal Arts at the University of Morris, Minnesota. In Fall 2022, he starts a new assignment as Artist Lecturer in Guitar at the University of Southern Maine (Gorham) while continuing to teach at Keene State. His guitar students have been frequent winners of the Keene State’s highest awards and scholarships. He has been a frequent guest artist at numerous chamber music series in New England, including Apple Hill, Electric Earth, Wisteria, Portland Chamber Music Festival, and Athaneum concerts in Portsmouth, NH. As a twice Grammy-nominated guitarist / composer (in two categories: “Best Contemporary Composition” and “Best soloist with orchestra) Dr. José Lezcano has captivated audiences on four continents. In programs of Spanish, South American and original works, he has appeared in major venues and festivals, including Carnegie Recital Hall, the NYC North-South Consonance Series, Cuba, Trinidad & Tobago, Spain, Portugal, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, China, Germany, Crete, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic as recitalist, collaborative artist, and concerto soloist. Described by Fanfare Magazine as “an excellent guitarist as well as an imaginative composer,” Jose has earned numerous professional recognitions, including first prize in the MTNA National Guitar Competition, the NHSAC Individual Artist Fellowship, NHMTA Composer of the Year (twice), KSC Distinguished Research Award, and a Fulbright Award to Ecuador. In 2016 he received an Ewing Arts Award from the Keene Sentinel, in recognition of his international performing and teaching career, and contributions to the arts in the Monadnock region of New Hampshire. Dr. Lezcano earned degrees from Peabody Conservatory (BM), University of South Carolina (MM), and Florida State University (Ph.D., Music Theory).

More information


Sing with us! Good for singers of all levels and backgrounds. Be a part of a new music making and learning experience right here in Claremont. Our next drop in meeting is tonight at 7:00pm. Contact us: [email protected]

Mi’kmaq fiddle; the Villalobos Brothers, Claremont Creative Center, and more!

Mi’kmaltic: Morgan Toney, Fiddle

May 13, 2023 @ 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM at Union Episcopal Church

Join us for a performance by Canadian Mi’kmaq fiddler and singer Morgan Toney offering music he calls “Mi’kmaltic” (Mi’kmaq + Celtic). Enjoy this great event in the outstanding acoustics of the historic Union Church. Admission is by donation, and students are free – support live music in our community! This concert will be offered live in person, and online.

Morgan will be visiting Maple Avenue School as part of his Upper Valley Residency in partnership with BarnArts.

ABOUT MORGAN

Music’s an almost alchemical force to Canadian Mi’kmaq fiddler and singer Morgan Toney. From the first time he really heard music, sitting on the floor of his uncle’s house transfixed by a DVD of Phil Collins, to 2022 where he’s one of the most in-demand young fiddlers and singers in Atlantic Canada, was nominated for three East Coast Canadian Music Awards, and his debut album, First Flight, is being reissued by Indigenous record label Ishkode RecordsIn just a short amount of time, Toney’s been able to invigorate both the Atlantic music communities and Mi’kmaq communities by bringing together the fiery fiddling of Cape Breton Island with the old songs of the Mi’kmaq, one song dating back up to 500 years. He calls this fusion Mi’kmaltic (Mi’kmaq + Celtic) and it’s his way of celebrating his language and heritage. He’s honoring the elders who’ve taught him the songs and the language, and he’s taking his place on the front lines of Eastern Canada’s cultural divide.

More information


Villalobos Brothers

May 26, 2023 @ 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Union Episcopal Church

Join us for the Internationally Acclaimed Grammy-winning Villalobos Brothers as they perform their original music that fuses Mexican folk with jazz and classical traditions. We suggest registering for tickets in advance for this show to ensure you will have seats for this incredible opportunity to hear these artists in the excellent acoustic space at Union Church.

Tickets for this event are sliding scale, pay what you can. Student tickets are free. Offered live in person and live-streamed/on demand. Register now.


The Villalobos Brothers are a Grammy-winning family band, that has been acclaimed as one of today’s leading Contemporary Mexican ensembles. Their original compositions and arrangements masterfully fuse and celebrate the richness of Mexican folk music with the intricate harmonies of jazz and classical music. The ensemble’s virtuosic performances have delighted audiences throughout Latin America, India, Russia, Canada, and over 30 states across the USA. They have performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Latin Grammy Awards, Davies Symphony Hall, Montreal Jazz Festival, the Ford Theatre in Hollywood, the 60th Anniversary of the United Nations, the New Victory Theatre on Broadway, San Jose Jazz Fest, Celebrate Brooklyn, the 66th FIFA Congress in Mexico City, the Blue Note Jazz Festival, the Apollo Theatre and many more. In 2018, they joined forces with Arturo O’Farrill, the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, and the “Colectivo Conga Patria” for the “Fandango at the Wall” project. This ambitious undertaking, produced by Kabir Sehgal, united legendary international musicians for a live concert at the Tijuana-San Diego border wall which resulted in a live album and documentary film by HBO Max. In February 2023 the album “Fandango At The Wall Live in NYC” won the Grammy for Best Latin Jazz Album of the year. The Villalobos Brothers recently premiered their Symphonic Project, performing sold-out concerts with the San Francisco Symphony, Sun Valley Symphony, Walla Walla Symphony, Yakima Symphony, and Sun Valley Symphony Orchestras. The ensemble has collaborated with legendary musicians including Grammy winners Bruce Springsteen, Dolly Parton, Antonio Sánchez, Regina Carter, Eduardo Magallanes, Dan Zanes, and Ana Tijoux. The Villalobos Brothers are on tour, delivering a powerful message of love, brotherhood, and social justice. Their albums “Aliens of Extraordinary Abilities” and “Somos” are available on all digital platforms.

More information


Community Music Making

Come Sing with Us: Join the new Echo Singers community group. If you like to sing, learn, and have fun with music this is the group for you. Casual gatherings twice a month, open to all singing backgrounds. Find out more:

Djembe and Balafon with Mamadou Diabate

Are you interested in upcoming workshops in world percussion instruments? There are some in the works that may pop up in the coming weeks and months. Contact us to get notified of these special small group opportunities. [email protected]


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Follow us on YouTube to get notified when we add our weekly progress update, and concerts!