As part of our Summer Music Series, on 17 August at the 10am service, we extend a warm welcome to Musicians of Ma’alwyck . The ensemble also returns to Bethesda on Friday 24 October to present a programme of chamber works by 17th and 18th century Dutch composers. For more information about their upcoming season and to purchase tickets, please visit their website.  

Guest artists on August 17th are:

Ann-Marie Barker Schwartz attended Boston University, where she studied with Roger Shermont and received a Bachelor’s degree in Music Performance. From 1982-1997 she was a member of the first violin section of the Albany Symphony Orchestra, and currently performs with the Glimmerglass Opera Orchestra. She is director and violinist of Musicians of Ma’alwyck. She received her Master’s degree in American History from the University at Albany (New York), where she specialized in research of music in America during the 1700s and 1800s. A Cunningham Research Resident at the New York State Library, she worked on early 19thcentury musical activities in Albany, culminating in a production in 2009 of George Washington’s favorite opera The Poor Soldier by William Shield and John O’Keefe. Ms. Schwartz was a producer for Dorian Recordings, and continues in that capacity for the awardwinning Baroque ensemble REBEL. Their last recording, devoted to music of Telemann, was in the 2014 Grammy pool. Ms. Schwartz has taught music history at the University at Albany and Siena College. She is the adjunct professor of violin and viola at Schenectady County Community College (SCCC) and at Union College. 

André Laurent O’Neil loves to stay active in many diverse musical projects, ranging from performing on and with period instruments (including the viola da gamba and fortepiano), to teaching modern cello, playing chamber music, and composing. A deep and lifelong interest in Johann Sebastian Bach’s Solo Cello Suites has led him to record all six for CD release this March. André performs regularly with Capitol Chamber Artists and Bennington Baroque, is principal cellist of the Union College Community Orchestra, Studio Instructor at Union College, and is the newly appointed principal cellist of the Schenectady Symphony Orchestra. He also collaborates frequently with Musicians of Ma’alwyck. Farther afield he is the principal continuo baroque cellist and gamba player for New Trinity Baroque, with whom he performs several times a year in Atlanta, Georgia and Belgrade, Serbia. He is an alumnus of the Empire State Youth Orchestra.