oWine Women and SOng

3-Part Parlor Concert Series
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"Who loves not woman, wine and song, remains a fool his whole life long" is actually an English translation of a Martin Luther quote. Who knew that? And what could be more fun to sing about? If you've never been to a Fourth Coast parlor concert, the wine is poured, the women (and men) sing, and the songs flow! You get the chance to relax, enjoy the architecture of an inviting home, and savor a moment of harmony.
Concert 1 of this three-part series features the ensemble in works both serious and silly: operetta excerpts by Johann Strauss II; the epilogue from Patrice Michaels' innovative new song cycle inspired by Ruth Bader Ginsburg; and Benjamin Britten's iconic Canticle II: Abraham and Isaac.
January 18 - Oak Park at 7:00pm
January 26 - Gold Coast at 7:00pm
Concert 2 partners the romantic harmonies of Johannes Brahms and Robert Schumann with rich contemporary works by Lori Laitman and John Harbison.  To conclude this program the ensemble breaks from tradition, presenting a medley of light opera works by Stephen Sondheim!
February 15 - Lincoln Park at 7:00pm
​February 17 - Edgewater at 3:00pm
Concert 3 showcases Robert Schumann's 1849 quartet cycle Minnespiel; Lita Grier's Five Songs for Children, composed between 1962-1999; and a grand finale set by French composers, culminating with Scène VIII, Act 2 of Francis Poulenc's 1944 comic opera Les Mamelles de Tirésias.
March 22 - Printer's Row at 7:00pm
March 24 - River North at 3:00pm
Single Tickets $45
BUY SINGLE TICKETS
Concert 1 - Oak Park (Exact address sent in ticket purchase confirmation email)
January 18, 2019
Nestled in the historic Frank Lloyd Wright District, Fourth Coast opens its Parlor Concert Series in a home that is not to be missed.  A vast E.E. Roberts masterpiece, this home is a bit art deco and a bit art nouveau.  The evening is capped off by a guided home tour by the owners.
Concert 1 - Gold Coast (Exact address sent in ticket purchase confirmation email)
January 26, 2019​
Warm yourself in a cozy and inviting Gold Coast home overlooking Oak Street Beach.  In one of Chicago's original condo buildings, this historic home offers incredible views and a delightful art collection.  Enjoy an intimate evening surrounded by friends and song.
Concert 2 - Lincoln Park (Exact address sent in ticket purchase confirmation email)
February 15, 2019​
Located in a wonderfully repurposed factory, this home is a stunning loft space with an equally stunning art collection.  There's something to see in every square inch, and the home features an incredible Model D Steinway grand piano once heard on the stage of the Kennedy Center.
Concert 2 - Edgewater (Exact address sent in ticket purchase confirmation email)
February 17, 2019
A beautiful, historic brick townhouse in Edgewater is the site for this Sunday afternoon concert.  This modern traditional home has been wonderfully restored and ingeniously decorated, keeping with the beauty of the neighborhood.  Enjoy a cocktail while lounging with new friends and listening to enlightening songs.
Concert 3 - Printer's Row (Exact address sent in ticket purchase confirmation email)
March 22, 2019​
An incredible loft in Chicago's Printer's Row, this home is industrial with a touch of wit and a lot class.  Offering views of the Loop and the Harold Washington Library, enjoy an evening of song surrounded by the city absorbed in the energy of Chicago.
Concert 3 - River North (Exact address sent in ticket purchase confirmation email)
March 24, 2019
Breathtaking views of the Chicago skyline welcome you as you enter this high-rise home.  See where the river branches meet and take in the modern elegance of this not-so-humble abode.  Featuring a private collection of masterful Bauhaus artworks as well as Outsider artworks, the quartet is joined by another piece of art: the owner's Fazioli piano.
Program - Concert 1
Toast pour un nouvel an - Rossini 

Wein, Weib und Gesang - J. Strauss II: 

Bright is the Ring of Words from Songs of Travel - Vaughan Williams

“On the Joys of Recorded Music” from The Long View: A Portrait of Ruth Bader Ginsburg in Nine Songs - Patrice Michaels

Canticle II, Abraham and Isaac - Britten 

I Can Dream, Can’t I - Fain/Kahal arr. Dana Brown

Act Two Finale from Die Fledermaus - J. Strauss II
Program - Concert 2
Warum, op. 92, no. 4 - Brahms

You Need Song - Kevin Puts

I Am in Need of Music - Lori Laitman

“Intermezzo” and “Blaue Augen hat das Mädchen”from Spanische Liebeslieder, Op.138 - Schumann

“It’s True, I Went to the Market” and “The Clouds” from Mirabai Songs - John Harbison

Hébé - Chausson
“Violon” from Fiançailles pour rire - Poulenc
To Wine and Beauty - Quilter
Trinken müssen wir alle sein! from Goethe Liederbuch - Wolf

Stephen Sondheim Medley:
“Joanna” and “Pretty Women”from Sweeney Todd
“The Ladies Who Lunch” from Company
“The Girls of Summer” and “Who’s That Woman” from Follies
Program - Concert 3
I am in Need of Music - David Brunner

Mother Comfort from Two Ballads - Britten

Minnespiel, op. 101, complete - R. Schumann

Five Songs for Children - Lita Grier

“Couplet bachiques” from Chanson gaillardes - Poulenc
La diva de l’Empire - Satie
Im chambre séparée - Heuberger
The “Tipsy Waltz” from La Périchole - Offenbach
Scène VIII, Act 2 from Les Mamelles de Tirésias - Poulenc
Artists
  • Sarah van der Ploeg
  • Bridget Skaggs
  • Zachary Vanderburg
  • David Govertsen
  • Dana Brown
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​Sarah van der Ploeg is an American lyric soprano who has been singing since before she could speak. Praised as a singing actor for her “thoughtful musicality”, “clarity of tone” and “versatility”, the New Jersey native has performed in London, New York, Chicago, Vienna, and elsewhere around the US and Europe. Equally at home on stage, in concert halls, and in recital, she particularly loves 20th Century & contemporary music and composer collaborations. Performance highlights: world premiere of staged Gary Fry work with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; “Une bête” in Ravel’s L’Enfant with Esa Pekka Salonen and CSO; Stella/Muse in Pittsburgh Festival Opera’s Tales of Hoffmann: Retold; solo turns at the Royal Albert Hall and Wigmore Hall; Mendelssohn’s Midsummer Night’s Dream with Civic Orchestra of Chicago; Barber’s Knoxville with Lake Forest Civic Orchestra; staged production of David Lang’s the little match girl passion; Mozart’s Requiem with Chicago Chamber Orchestra & Elmhurst Choral Union; Rosalinda (Die Fledermaus) at Northwestern; Encouragement Award, Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions; First place, Chicago NATS. Sarah holds degrees from the Royal Academy of Music (Diane Forlano), Northwestern University (Theresa Brancaccio & Alan Darling), and Princeton University (Public Policy & Music Performance). A Marshall Scholar, she believes deeply in the communicative power of the arts for cultural diplomacy and reconciliation, and works through music outreach and education in addition to performance in pursuit of these aims. sarahvanderploeg.weebly.com
American mezzo-soprano Bridget Skaggs frequently performs in concert halls throughout the United States and Europe.  Critics have noted the way she “lights up the scene” onstage (Chicago Reader), and her “dynamic singing” (Schmopera) was named as a musical highlight of Chicago Fringe Opera’s world premiere of The Great God Pan in March 2018.  A two-time recipient of the Vocal Chamber Music Fellowship from Collaborative Arts Institute of Chicago, Ms. Skaggs trained with art song teachers Martin Katz, Nicholas Phan, Michelle DeYoung, Craig Terry, and Shannon McGinnis.  As co-founder of Fourth Coast Ensemble, she maintains an active schedule as curator and recitalist of art song programs throughout Chicago. On the operatic stage, this season she appears as the Fox in The Cunning Little Vixen (Opera Steamboat), Giunone in Cavalli’s La Didone (Haymarket Summer Opera Course), and Austin in The Great God Pan (Chicago Fringe Opera).  Other professional credits include Charlotte/A Little Night Music (Opera Theater of Pittsburgh), Tangolita/Ball at the Savoy (Chicago Folks Operetta), Quickly/Falstaff (/kor/ productions), Carmen/Carmen (Lake Forest Civic Orchestra), concert soloist/Anton Bruckner’s Te Deum (Blue Lake International), and festival soloist/Baroque on Beaver Festival (Beaver Island, MI).  Ms. Skaggs holds a B.M. and M.M. from Oklahoma City University, where she sang Flora/La Traviata, Prince Orlofsky/Die Fledermaus, and Secretary/The Consul. www.bridgetskaggs.com
Tenor Zachary Vanderburg has been heralded as singing “beautifully” (Chicago Classical Review) and “with vocal luster, dramatic fire, and lyrical sympathy” (Augsburger Allgemeine), and his performances have been called “very fine” (Chicago Tribune), “riveting”, “a knockout” and “sensational”(Chicago Classical Review). Performances last season included appearances with the Lake Forest Civic Orchestra as Don Jose in Bizet's Carmen; an Alumni Recital at Roosevelt University with renowned pianist Dana Brown; appearances with Music of the Baroque, of which he is a member, under the direction of Jane Glover. Comfortable in opera repertoire as well as concert and recital, past seasons have seen Zachary’s role debuts of Rodolfo in Puccini's La Bohème, The Visitor in Glass’ In the Penal Colony, and Leander in Nielsen's Maskarade; performances with the Chicago Opera Theater; Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 2, “Lobgesang” at the Masterworks Festival; Bach’s Quodlibet, Cantata 147, and Beethoven's Choral Fantasy as an artist-in-residence at the Baroque on Beaver Island Music Festival; European tours of Dvorak’s Stabat Mater, Bruckner's Te Deum, Haydn’s Die Schöpfung, Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, and Mozart’s Coronation Mass headlining the Eutiner Festspiele, Festival Durance Luberon, Hamburg's St. Michael's Church, as well as other venues in Germany, France and Luxembourg; and appearances as a backup singer in Chicago with The Rolling Stones on their 50 & Counting tour. Zachary has a masters from the Chicago College of Performing Arts and recently completed a fellowship in vocal chamber music at the Collaborative Arts Institute of Chicago. www.zacharyvanderburg.com
Chicago native David Govertsen has been active as a professional singer for fifteen years, portraying a wide variety of opera’s low-voiced heroes, villains, and buffoons.  An alumnus of the Ryan Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago, he has performed ten roles with the company, most recently appearing as Sprecher in Die Zauberflöte and King Priam in Les Troyens.  This past season he also appeared at Santa Fe Opera as Frank in Die Fledermaus, and he created the role of Stoever in Stewart Copeland’s The Invention of Morel for Chicago Opera Theater. 

As a concert soloist Mr. Govertsen has performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Grant Park Symphony, Santa Fe Symphony and Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival among many others.  He made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2011 as the Herald in Otello with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Riccardo Muti.  He is an alumnus of both the Santa Fe Opera and Central City Opera apprentice programs and holds degrees from Northwestern University, Northern Illinois University and the College of DuPage.  Mr. Govertsen is currently on faculty at Valparaiso University, Lewis University, and the College of DuPage.
American pianist Dana Brown is highly regarded for both his solo and collaborative performances. As a pianist, he has been heard many times on 98.7 WFMT Radio as a collaborator and soloist, in addition to performances at the Ravinia Festival, the Tanglewood Festival, Light Opera Works, the Chicago Cultural Center and the Chicago Humanities Festival. His concerto appearances have been in the works of Beethoven, Brahms, Gershwin, Grieg and Mendelssohn, including a performance of the "Emperor" Concerto with the Beethoven Society Pops Orchestra of Washington, DC. In November 2018, he will appear as soloist with Orchestra Seattle in the Ravel Left Hand Concerto. 

A nationally prominent vocal coach, he has coached at the Ryan Opera Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago, where he also played lessons and masterclasses of Marilyn Horne, Renata Scotto, Renée Fleming and Sir Andrew Davis.  He has also coached at Northwestern University, the Intermezzo Young Artists Program, the Opera and Music Festival of Lucca, Italy, and the Taos Opera Institute. He was the coach for the 2008-2011 seasons of the Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions, Wisconsin District Support Our Singers Program. 

He supports young singers through his work at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University, where is the current Chair of the Music Faculty and Associate Professor of Opera and Vocal Coaching. His work with young singers continues in the summer as Co-Artistic Director of a mind-body-voice program for emerging young talent, the UpNorth Vocal Institute (UNVI) in Boyne, Michigan, Also, he was the head of Collaborative Piano in the new Vocal Art Program at the Master Players Festival held at the University of Delaware in summer, 2018. 

He is the Collaborative Piano liaison to the Central Regional Board of NATS, and played the Renée Fleming masterclass at the recent national NATS Convention held in Chicago. A graduate of the University of Michigan, he studied with renowned pianist Martin Katz. He currently studies with Mary Sauer, the former principal pianist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Website: danabrownmusic.com
HOW DOES A PARLOR CONCERT WORK?
Wondering what to expect at this event?

We created our parlor concert format five years ago just as our ensemble was getting started.  A friend with a piano offered to host a concert in their home, and parlor concerts have been an integral part of Fourth Coast Ensemble's identity ever since.  We love talking with you about the music we perform - both during the concert itself, and at the lovely receptions put together by our hosts that follow.

Upon ticket purchase, the exact address and names of the concert host will be emailed to you.  Lost your confirmation email?  No worries!  We send out a reminder email again the week of the concert, just in case.

​On the day of the event, arrive at the start time listed on your ticket.  Enjoy 30 minutes of refreshments and grab a seat in the living room.  Then our ensemble will guide you through an hour-long concert, followed by a reception where the conversation continues.

Questions about accessibility?  Email us here to inquire about a specific date.