By Bethany Bray
Staff Writer
February 14, 2008 09:55 am Music and romance will be in the air at North Parish Church on Saturday, as tenor John Middleton-Cox and soprano Tina McVey-Cody perform a Valentine-themed concert of love songs. Organizers say the concert will bring some tender loving care to the North Andover church's historic pipe organ, which needs $30,000 worth of repairs and upkeep. Middleton-Cox, music director at the church, has planned an evening of music that is "sweet, but with depth." The concert, called "Evening of Musical Indulgences: From West Side Story to La Boheme," includes everything from opera arias to show tunes, he said. Frances Burmeister will accompany the duo on the church's grand piano. Middleton-Cox, McVey-Cody and Burmeister also will each perform solos. "It's a fun evening where people can come, sit back, relax and enjoy some romantic music," Middleton-Cox said. "We're trying to go for the idea that people can go out to dinner and skip dessert, because the music will be a sweet indulgence. Then afterward, we'll have a reception and serve coffee." he said. "We tried to keep balance of songs both that people will all know and love, but also some things they haven't heard before." Fundraising efforts for the church's pipe organ have just begun, said Suzanne Adams, chairwoman of the music committee and one of the volunteers organizing the Valentine's concert. "We had a concert in December with holiday music, and we knew then that the organ needed repairs. At the end of the concert, when our organist went to turn off the organ, there was a big cloud of smoke," said Adams. The organ is still useable for Sunday services — the smoke was caused by an electrical short, since fixed — but further repairs are needed on the instrument. The suggested donation for Saturday's concert tickets will go directly to the organ fund, Adams said. The idea for a Valentine's concert started to come together when Middleton-Cox volunteered to sing and plan the music, said Adams. They planned the time of the concert for 8 p.m. Saturday, thinking that couples might like to go out to dinner beforehand. On Saturday, the parish will be decorated for Valentine's Day. Church volunteers will serve coffee and homemade desserts after the concert, said Adams. Middleton-Cox and McVey-Cody first met in 1996, when they were students at Boston Conservatory of Music. They both studied with the same voice teacher. Middleton-Cox said McVey-Cody let him stay in her apartment for a few weeks when he first moved to Boston, until he was able to find an apartment, and the two became good friends. McVey-Cody now lives in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., but they have kept in touch and remained friends since graduating. They have sung several concerts together, he said, and McVey-Cody sang at Middleton-Cox's wedding, held at North Parish three years ago. "It's more than just notes on a page (when we sing together), it comes alive with real feelings," said Middleton-Cox. Saturday's concert will feature not only different styles of music, but also songs about different types of love, from comic or yearning love to romantic love, said Middleton-Cox. The concert's program starts with opera arias, including pieces from Mozart's "Don Giovanni," and a love duet from Puccini's "La Boheme," where the opera's hero and heroine "fall in love in about three songs," said Middleton-Cox with a laugh. The second half of the concert contains some lighter favorites, including songs from "The Music Man" and what Middleton-Cox described as "power ballads" from the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical "Aspects of Love." The concerts finale will be a set from "West Side Story," including the favorites "Maria," "Somewhere," and "Tonight," he said. Adams said the church hopes to organize more concerts in the future as fundraisers for the pipe organ. In fact, a pops-style concert of light music is planned for May 17, featuring various musicians from the congregation.
IF YOU GO: Love Songs Concert: "An Evening of Musical Indulgences: From West Side Story to La Boheme" r Featuring soprano Tina McVey-Cody and tenor John Middleton-Cox, accompanied by Frances Burmeister r Saturday, Feb. 16, 8 p.m. r North Parish of North Andover, Unitarian Universalist Church r North Andover's old center, at the intersection of Academy and Great Pond roads, Andover Street and Massachusetts Avenue r Suggested donations: $15 per person, $10 for seniors and children r Proceeds go toward the church's pipe organ restoration fund r Tickets available in advance through the church office, and at the door r Complimentary dessert reception follows concert r For more information, visit www.northparish.org or call 978-687-7948
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SIDEBAR for inside page: North Parish's pipe organ The organ in North Parish Church was built for $10,200 and dedicated in December 1928. Now, 80 years later, the instrument needs some work — about $30,000 worth to restore it to its original condition. Never was this more apparent than during a Dec. 6 benefit concert to raise money for the organ. Just after the sing-along, the organist hit the off switch and saw sparks and smoke. The problem has been fixed so the organ can be played, but maintenance of the 1,250 pipes that create the sound is going to take more work. Paper canisters that help in the tuning need to be replaced, cracks that let air leak need to be filled, and pipes need to be cleaned and repaired. To the untrained eye, three rows of exposed organ pipes at the back of the sanctuary look like all the organ needs to create the huge sounds that reverberate against the windows. But those pipes are just the beginning. Behind them are two rooms full of more pipes ranging from the size of a twig to some as wide as a basketball. The notes are played on a console, an intricate system of two rows of keys, a set of keys that are pedals, and "stops" that indicate what the sound should represent — everything from violins to the human voice. Played all together, they can create what sounds like a chorus of instruments. — Eagle-Tribune staff writer Drake Lucas
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