What Can the Spirit Believe?: The Music of William Fletcher

Join us for an evening of works by hometown Concord, NH composer William Fletcher! A selection of vocal and chamber music will range from his earliest to his most recent pieces. Many of the pieces were written for long-term friends and colleagues, often at their request and with their particular gifts and tastes in mind. Featured performers are Peggo Horstmann-Hodes, Calvin Herst, Stephanie Ratté Jenkins, Kathy Southworth, Elizabeth Gunlogson, Jennifer Paris-Yeaton, and Mosaic Ensemble. Fletcher’s music aspires toward warmth, lightness and joy, things he feels the world always needs more of. This event will be held in our historic Recital Hall. Seating is limited; advance ticket purchase is recommended.

Tickets are $20; $15 for students and seniors. Purchase tickets by calling 603-228-1196 or Purchase Tickets Online

About William Fletcher

Composer, teacher and conductor William A. Fletcher can trace his fascination with music to a specific event: a free concert given by a then-new duo, Simon and Garfunkel, when he was 12 years old. He took up guitar that very week, and joyfully played it for hours each day, everyday for the next 15 years.

He holds degrees in Choral Music Education and in Music Theory and Composition from the University of New Hampshire, where he studied conducting with Cleveland Howard and Stanley Hettinger. He retired, after 37 years, from the faculty of St. Paul’s School, where, in addition to his duties as Choirmaster for 30 years, Mr. Fletcher taught voice, composition and music theory. He has held the position of vocal department chair of the Concord Community Music School, where he also coached the Scholarship Vocal Ensemble and where he currently teaches composition. In addition, he has taught public schools in both Weston, CT and Horseheads, NY.

Mr. Fletcher has served as adjudicator and guest conductor of music festivals throughout New England, including the 1987 and 1990 N.H. Jazz All-State Choirs. As music director of the Concord Chorale, a 75 voice auditioned community chorus, he has led tours of France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Ireland, Canada and Czechoslovakia. Additionally, he was a founding member and pandorist with The Goodmorrow Consort, a group which performed Elizabethan broken consort music on period instruments.

A respected composer, his compositions for voice and piano have been performed throughout the United States, and has received commissions from the Christa MacAuliffe Planetarium, The Concord Community Music School, The Concord Chorale, The Infinities Ensemble, the Encounters Trio and St. Paul’s School as well as from performers Peggo Horstmann Hodes, Mark Andrew Cleveland, Kathleen Lyon-Pingree, Stephanie Ratté Jenkins, Gregg Pauley and Jean Benson.

Mr. Fletcher has produced recordings for Steve Schuch, The Night Heron Consort, Wellspring, femme m’amie, Peggo & Paul, St. Paul’s School, Lucy Chapin, Johnny Nicholson, and soprano Holly Outwin-Tepe, among others.