Songs For my Father: Music of Titus Abbott
Mike Effenberger – Piano with Mesa Schubeck – Voice and Piano

This concert presents recent and not so recent compositions by Titus Abbott, Director of Jazz Studies at PCM, Saxophonist and Composer. Titus’ beloved father Tony Abbott died on March 23 rd in Victoria, BC. This concert is a tribute to Tony Abbott as well as Tony Spaeth, Titus’ father-in-law who passed away in January 2021. A new composition titled Prayer is dedicated to the memory of both Tonys. Titus is with his family in BC for the memorial but will join the concert remotely watching and listening. Mesa will perform solo piano pieces in addition to singing with the accompaniment of pianist Mike Effenberger.

Titus Abbott (Composer)

Over the past 25 years Titus has presented music that although steeped in the history of jazz pushes the limits and finds a place of unique expression. Titus was born in Canada in 1960 studying jazz saxophone and jazz and classical composition in Ottawa, Toronto and London, UK. His groups Delawareness, The Titus Abbott Collective and the Happenstance Quintet have performed at venues and festivals in the US, Canada and Europe. Notable collaborations include performing with pianists Frank Carlberg, Curtis Clark, Mary Anne Driscoll, Mike Effenberger – drummers Luther Gray, Noel Brennan, RJ Miller, Michael Sarin – bassists George Koller, Jim Lyden, Pascal Niggenkemper, Ross Gallagher and the late Oud master Al Gardner. Titus teaches saxophone at Bates, Bowdoin and the Portland Conservatory of Music and is Director of Jazz Studies at the Portland Conservatory. Titus recently started teaching composition at UMaine Augusta.

Mesa Schubeck (Voice and Piano)

Mesa completed a Masters in Piano Performance in 2017 and is currently pursuing a second Masters in Piano Pedagogy at the University of Southern Maine under the mentorship of Dr. Laura Kargul. From 2020-2022 Mesa served on the faculty at Gould Academy teaching middle and high students in general music and individual instruction. Now as a resident of Portland, Maine, Mesa is active as a performing artist, accompanist, and full-time teaching artist at 317 Main Community Music Center in Yarmouth. She is thrilled to be diving deeper into classical piano through her graduate work and is honored to have the opportunity to perform with the Midcoast Symphony Orchestra as the winner of the 2022 Judith Elser Concerto Competition.

Mike Effenberger (Piano)

Mike Effenberger is a recording and performing artist who has been living in the outer Seacoast woods since 2007. He has curated an unmistakably individual voice that draws on gospel, American minimalism, jazz, and 20th century music. Known affiliations include: Bing and Ruth, OURBIGBAND, fiveighthirteen, Soggy Po’ Boys and Weird Turn Pro. Mike appears on countless recordings from independent releases to larger labels and is active as a producer.