Candlelight Concert Society Presents: Gabriel Fauré & Impressionism with Stephen Ackert (Online)

Gabriel Fauré and Impressionism

Impressionism in art is commonly and justifiably linked with the music of Debussy, but he was not active as a composer until the Impressionist period (c. 1870 to c. 1885) had passed, and the art world had moved on to other trends. One of the most influential French composers during those years was Gabriel Fauré, who had a great deal in common with the Impressionists. Stephen Ackert, former head of the music department at the National Gallery of Art, explores this topic with the aid of musical and visual examples. 

This lecture is presented in connection with the April 10 virtual concert given by the Fauré Quartett. For more information and to register for free tickets, click here.

Sponsored by Candlelight Concert Society in partnership with Howard County Library System.

Stephen Ackert brings to his art and music presentations for Candlelight Concerts knowledge gained during a distinguished career as an arts administrator, organist, and teacher. He studied at Oberlin College, Northwestern University, the Hochschule für Musik in Frankfurt, Germany, and the University of Wisconsin in Madison, where he completed his doctoral studies in 1979. A resident of the Washington, DC, area since 1979, he served as organist and choir director at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church (DC), The Falls Church Episcopal (Falls Church, VA), and The United Church in Washington, where he presented a series of forty lecture-concerts on the music of J. S. Bach. When he headed the music department at the National Gallery of Art from 2004 to 2015, Dr. Ackert's preconcert talks on the interrelationships between music and art were a regular feature of the Gallery’s programming. He has also lectured and performed at the Amalfi Coast Music and Art Festival in Italy; the Austrian, French, German, and Italian embassies in Washington; the Kennedy Center; and the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore as well as on university campuses throughout the United States.

Please register with an email address to receive an automatic confirmation email containing a link to join the webinar. This email will also include the dial-in information if you wish to participate by phone.