240 Strings | Bridging Centuries...
2026-05-03 15:00 (America/New_York) | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
“Bridging Centuries…” traces a musical journey across three centuries, connecting the voices of Beethoven, Schumann, and contemporary composer Stacy Garrop. Beethoven’s “Archduke” Trio embodies the grandeur and lyricism of the Classical tradition, while Schumann’s passionate Trio in D minor reveals the Romantic spirit in full bloom. Between them, Stacy Garrop’s evocative work for piano trio offers a modern perspective, weaving vivid colors and narratives that speak directly to our time. Together, these works form a bridge of sound and expression, linking past and present in a dialogue that is as timeless as it is immediate.
We are delighted to feature guest cellist Marisa Solomon with the Portland Piano Trio, whose artistry brings added depth and richness to this exploration across centuries.
Marisa Solomon, Cello
Anastasia Antonacos, Piano
Tracey Jasas-Hardel, Violin
Run Time: 90 minutes

Open Jazz Jam
2026-05-04 18:30 - 20:30, 2026-05-18 18:30 - 20:30 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
A free open Jazz Jam session. Bring your Real Book and jam with us!
No Registration Necessary

Open Jazz Jam
2026-05-11 18:30 - 20:30 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
An open Jazz Jam session. Bring your Real Book and jam with us!
No Registration Necessary

"Bus" Recital
2026-05-14 14:00 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Join Mary Lunt, Amy Hunter, and friends in a free afternoon of music and art song.
Mary Lunt, soprano
Amy Hunter, piano
Paul Kneller, guitar
John Ross, flute
Folk and Broadway songs composed by Kurt Weill, Meredith Willson, Hoagy Carmichael, Stephen Sondheim, and Benjamin Britten!
Groups and group vans welcome and encouraged.

Free Jazz Workshop with Sarah Elizabeth Charles
2026-05-15 16:00 - 17:30 | Portland Conservatory of Music, 28 Neal St, Portland, ME, 04102, United States
Sarah Elizabeth Charles returns to Portland to celebrate the release of her band’s 5th album, Dawn!
Join Sarah Elizabeth Charles at this inspirational free workshop!
Friday, May 15 at 4:00pm
Workshop flow:
Sarah will start by sharing a bit about her story then will move into a mini-performance and demo.
After the demo, participants will work in groups on a pre-selected tune from the Real Easy Book, guided by Sarah.
RSVP to receive charts prior to the workshop
Note: This is a free workshop, taking place prior to her full concert at 7:30. No ticket is necessary to attend the workshop but encouraged for the full experience
ABOUT SARAH ELIZABETH CHARLES
Sarah Elizabeth Charles is a vocalist/composer/producer/teaching artist/mother based in Brooklyn, NY. She has worked and studied with artists such as Geri Allen, Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah, George Cables, Terri Lyne Carrington and Sheila Jordan. She has also released four critically acclaimed albums with her band, SCOPE (feat. Burniss Earl Travis II, Jesse Elder, John Davis, Jesse Fischer and Jordan Peters) between 2012 and 2022 and her fifth album, Dawn (2025), with a brand new ensemble featuring Linda May Han Oh, Maya Keren, Savannah Harris, Skye Steele and Marika Hughes. As the active vocalist in a number of bands (including Ajoyo, duo with Jarrett Cherner, Freedom Riders, Jesse Fischer and Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah), Charles has performed at many venues throughout her career. These have included The White House, Carnegie Hall, the first annual Culture Summit in Abu Dhabi, The Kennedy Center, the Rose Theatre with Jazz at Lincoln Center and many more. She has also had a commissioned composition performed at The National Gallery in Washington D.C. via The Canales Project “Hear Her Song” initiative.
In addition to her performance work, Charles is an active educator and activist. She works as a lead teaching artist with Carnegie Hall’s Sing Sing Correctional Facility Musical Connections workshop, has a private lessons studio in New York City, is an adjunct professor at The New School for Jazz/College of Performing Arts, co-teaching two courses called “Jazz and Gender” (undergraduate) and “New Narratives: Creating Space for Equity in Music” (graduate) with Dr. Caroline Davis and has developed an early childhood music education program with Rise2Shine, a non-profit organization based in Fond Parisien, Haiti. Charles has been the recipient of a number of honors including the Yale School of Music’s Distinguished Teaching Artist Award, the New York City Women’s Fund grant, Chamber Music America’s New Jazz Works grant and the New York Voices Commission for her song cycle “Liberating the Bird” set to Dr. Maya Angelou’s poetry. Since 2021, she has been an active member of the This Is A Movement initiative working toward creating more equitable spaces and connecting various individuals, organizations and activists working to do the same.
Charles’ musical output has been described as a “genre of one” (DownBeat Magazine), “soulfully articulate” (NY Times) and “an unmatched sound” (Jay Z’s Life+Times). One can only look to the future for more unique and boundary pushing work from this one of a kind artist.
RSVP Here

New Old Timers | DIJ @ SPACE Gallery
2026-05-23 20:00 | SPACE Gallery, 538 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101, Portland, ME, 04101, US
Special note: This show will be recorded for an upcoming live record!
The quartet of Jeremy Udden, Petr Cancura, Aryeh Kobrinsky, and Vinnie Sperrazza reimagine American roots music through modern jazz improvisation.
This May, New Old Timers embark on a northeast tour, starting at Barbes in Brooklyn and culminating with a special live recording at SPACE Gallery in Portland, Maine.
More Info and Tickets
