By Connie Ballenger
The Glen Mar Summer Concert Series solidified its reputation for quality performances this summer with two outstanding well-attended public concerts. On June 17, 2022, the Quantico Marine Corps Brass Band and Jazz Combo attracted a crowd of 300 in Glen Mar’s Spirit Center. Ayreheart, a progressive folk trio, hit the Spirit Center stage on August 12, 2022, also drawing a crowd of 300. All concerts in the series are free to the public.
Also this summer, the series took a giant step toward assuring it will continue its stellar record of exceptional concerts next year with the awarding of a $5,500 grant to the series from the Howard County Arts Council for the 2023 season. This grant will allow the series to hold three concerts in 2023 rather than its traditional two concerts per summer.
At this year’s June 17 concert, 12 members of the Quantico Marine Corps Brass Band and Jazz Combo pumped up the crowd with songs like “Isn’t She Lovely” and “When the Saints Go Marching In.” The audience was exuberant in its praise.
“The singers and instrumentalists were fabulous. They were so energetic that you couldn’t help but feel uplifted,” commented Catonsville resident Richard Henkel. “The performers enjoyed themselves and took their audience with them,” added Richard’s wife, Glenda Henkel.
“Everybody was so perfect in their timing,” praised Charlie Borcherding, a professional pianist.
With its traditional Irish, Scottish, and English music along with original songs composed by two of its musicians, the Ayreheart concert offered a different type of music than the military band’s.
Its music was “subtle, rhythmic, energetic, melodic, and very enjoyable,” praised Laurel resident Marcus Sims who composes music and plays the mandolin.
Ayreheart “combined ancient and modern instruments and they sounded good together,” commented Patrick Wagner.
The trio’s lutenist Ronn McFarlane founded Ayreheart in 2010. He is known for taking the lute, the most popular instrument during the Renaissance, and bringing it into today’s mainstream music. He attended Glen Mar until he was 17 years old. His parents, the late W. Lee and Mary McFarlane, were among the church’s founders.
The other Ayreheart musicians were Willard Morris and Mattias Rucht. Morris showed great versatility by playing the bass, violin, and colascione (a bass cousin of the lute), but he is also proficient at numerous other musical instruments. Percussionist Rucht, who has been immersed in music all his life, provided a variety of sound effects on unusual drums and other musical instruments.
The Howard County Arts Council awarded the series a $4,000 grant for the 2022 season while Harry H. Witzke’s Family Funeral Home provided a sponsorship. Generous contributions for the 2022 season were given by “Friends of the Music Program at Glen Mar Church” as well as by an anonymous donor in memory of Karen Angle.
Any individual or organization interested in sponsoring or donating to the series should contact su************@********mc.org.
