The 2nd Monday Series at the College of Charleston School of the Arts will present Bedlam, an early music duo dedicated to exploring the rich repertoires of music for voice and lute in the 16th and 17th centuries. Founded in 2013 by Kayleen Sánchez, soprano, and Laudon Schuett, lute, the duo will perform works from the 16th century by French composer Jehan Chardavoine and English composer Thomas Campion.
The concert will take place on Monday, October 8, 2018 at 7:30 p.m. at the Simons Center for the Arts, 54 St. Philip Street. General admission is $15 for adults and $10 for all students with school I.D. Tickets can be purchased online at go.cofc.edu/secondmondaymusic or at the door. Tickets for College of Charleston faculty/staff are free.
Kayleen Sánchez is an active performer, recording artist and pedagogue. Sánchez’ recent appearances include operatic roles with the Haymarket Opera Company in Chicago, an appearance with the Newberry Consort, performances with the St. Charles Singers, and recitals at the Winnetka Recital Series in Winnetka, Ill., the Winterpast Recital Series in Milwaukee, Wis., and recitals at the Dakota Sky International Piano Festival in Sioux Falls, S.D. In December 2014, she was the soprano soloist for Handel’s Messiah with the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra, directed by Maestro Delta David Gier. She has been a featured soloist in two CDs of Mozart choral works with the St. Charles Singers and the Metropolis Chamber Orchestra: St. Charles Singers: MAGNIFICENT MOZART (St. Charles Singers, 2012), and St. Charles Singers: LUMINESCENCE (St. Charles Singers, 2013). Sánchez has recorded songs by composer George Morey, which will be featured in a CD titled Music of George Morey, and her performances have been broadcast on Chicago’s WFMT and on South Dakota Public Broadcasting television and radio.
Sánchez is featured on the CD Magus Insipiens (Soundset Recordings), performing three song cycles composed by her husband, Paul Sánchez. Writing about the CD, American poet Sherod Santos states: “Kayleen Sánchez’ wonderfully sensitive interpretations evoke the full sway of Sappho’s fervent, impassioned imagination. Indeed, Sánchez’ keen technical virtuosity manages to capture the finely shaded gradations of emotion that all three song cycles draw up from the well of human experience. Listen closely and you’ll discover that, long after the final syllable is sung, her voice still thrills along the spine.” She will also be featured on the upcoming CD, West Meets East (Albany Records), and she recently recorded Schubert’s Schwanengesang with pianist Johnandrew Slominski on a Viennese-style fortepiano. Their recording has been released on the Soundset label, and features ornamentation and other historically-informed performance practices. Sánchez received her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees in Vocal Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music. She is currently a member of the voice faculty at the College of Charleston.
Laudon Schuett is a Renaissance lutenist and early music specialist. In recent reviews, he has been called “a masterful performer…[and] a brilliant educator” (Classical Voice of North Carolina) with “immaculate articulation and sensitive phrasing” (Fanfare). In addition to performing and expanding the solo repertoire, he formed the lute song duo BEDLAM with Kayleen Sánchez in 2013. They have since toured the country and recorded two albums, BEDLAM, and Died for Love, both for Soundset Recordings. Laudon has also been a guest lecturer and performer at numerous colleges and universities, including Cornell University, Arizona State University, Baylor University, Wheaton College, University of Kentucky, and Johns Hopkins University. He studied with Paul O’Dette, Frank Koonce, and Chuck Hulihan.
Housed within the College of Charleston School of the Arts, CofC Concerts includes five extraordinary series: International Piano Series, Magnetic South, Charleston Music Fest, 2nd Monday Series, and CofC Ensembles (CofC Concert Choir, Opera and Orchestra), featuring international, national and regional artists, as well as the award-winning student ensembles in the College of Charleston’s Department of Music. Visit CofC Concerts at music.cofc.edu/concerts.