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Wild Coffee Duo Announces Selections for July Concerts

By Staff | Jul 21, 2016

The musicians of the Wild Coffee Duo (Susie Kelly, cello, and Abbey Allison, piano) have announced the selections they’ll play during their concert, “A Trip to the Zoo.” They’ll present the same program twice during the coming weekend: at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 23, in Koreshan State Park’s Art Hall and at 3 p.m. on Sunday, July 24, at the Sanibel Congregational United Church of Christ. This is the third of four monthly “Sounds of Summer” concerts.

Their musical menagerie will include the following: Overture from Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss, Tarantella by W.H. Squire, Song of the Birds arranged by Pablo Casals, Walking the Dog (aka Promenade) by George Gershwin, from the movie “Shall We Dance,” Papillion by Gabriel Faur, Cantata No. 208, Sheep may Safely Graze, by J.S. Bach, Ballet of the Chicks in their Shells from Pictures at an Exhibition by Modeste Mussorgsky, and Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Sans.

Shawn Allison will be reciting Ogden Nash’s poems written for Carnival of the Animals, as well as reprising his highly acclaimed role as page turner.

The Carnival of the Animals is a menagerie in itself, with short movements entitled Royal March of the Lion, Hens and Roosters, Wild Jackasses, Tortoises, The Elephant, Kangaroos, Aquarium, Mules (supposedly about music critics – with their “long ears”), The Cuckoo in the Heart of the Woods, Aviary, Pianists, Fossils, The Swan, and the Finale that brings lots of the animal themes back for a curtain call.

The concerts are free and open to the public, but there is a $5/vehicle park admission fee at Koreshan Art Hall. Free-will donations will be gratefully accepted at each concert.

The Art Hall at Koreshan State Park is located at 3800 Corkscrew Rd., Estero. The Sanibel Congregational United Church of Christ is at 2050 Periwinkle Way and can be reached for more information at 239-472-0497.

The Duo will also present one more themed summer program, “Summer Reading,” on Saturday and Sunday, August 13 and 14. The music they’ve chosen was inspired by literature and poetry. For more information, visit the www.wildcoffeeduo.wordpress.com.

Susie Kelly is a member of the Palm Beach Opera Orchestra and Southwest Florida Symphony, where she served as principal cellist for seven years. She has performed with the New World Symphony, the Florida Orchestra and Sarasota Orchestra and in the northeast with the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra (Ithaca, NY), New Haven Symphony, and the Rochester Philharmonic. She has performed throughout the US and abroad as a founding member of the Tarab Cello Ensemble, an octet dedicated to establishing a contemporary repertoire for multiple cellos and has appeared at festivals including Tanglewood, Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival and June in Buffalo. A Lois Rogers scholar at the Eastman School of Music, she received a masters and bachelors degree with distinction in cello performance, and also holds a masters degree in chamber music from the University of South Florida.

Abbey Allison is a professional accompanist/collaborator who has worked in the Ithaca (New York), Chicago, and southwest Florida areas. She holds a double degree in piano performance and string education from Ithaca College, and has worked with both student and professional instrumentalists and vocalists, ranging from national competition winners to contemporary music specialists to performers on live Public Radio. In addition to continuing her work as a freelance pianist, she is also the accompanist for the Symphonic Chorale of Southwest Florida, the service pianist for Temple Bat Yam (Sanibel), and plays in the Allison Duo with Shawn Allison (saxophone and piano). Abbey teaches private lessons at Jay and Kay Music Studio in Fort Myers.

The reviewer in the Southwest Florida Journal wrote of the Duo’s first concert of the season, at New Hope Presbyterian in Fort Myers, “Abbey Allison and Susie Kelly embarked on their maiden voyage as the Wild Coffee Duo yesterday afternoon. And what smooth sailing it was. The very talented pianist and cellist put together a sprightly program titled Bon Voyage: A Musical Trip around the World to kick off their summer concert season.”

Another reviewer wrote, “The Wild Coffee Duo’s first summer concert was a delight! Cellist Susie Kelly and pianist Abbey Allison play beautifully and collaborate joyfully.If the warm response the Duo received is any indication, their audience will be back for many more servings of Wild Coffee.”