Spring Pops!

Saturday, April 11, 2026 • 7:00 PM
The Concord Band
James O'Dell, Music Director and conductor
John Rabinowitz, announcer

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Program

The Spirit of '76	Clare Grundman
Lilly's Story	Luciano Lopez-Parnetti
World Premiere
New York: 1927	Warren Barker
Intermission
Amanda Carr, vocalist
Night and Day	Cole Porter arr. William McManus
Anything Goes	Cole Porter arr. Jeremy S. Martin
Maybe	words by Amanda Carr, music by Bevan Manson arr. William McManus
Why Don't You Do Right?	Joe McCoy arr. Billy May
New York State of Mind	Billy Joe trans. Whittall
Cheek to Cheek	Irving Berlin arr. Jerry Seeco

Spotlight: Guest Artist Amanda Carr

Amada Carr
jazz vocalist

Amanda Carr is a multi-faceted singer, musician, performer and writer who continues to creatively energize and inspire.

Born into family of musicians, Amanda’s long career has been about exploring music in a variety of environments and creating and performing cross-genres. Beginning as a rock singer/keyboard player in the nightclubs of Boston as a teenager, her love of popular music and singing cover songs laid the foundation for exploring other types of music.

After years of playing and singing rock and pop, Amanda delved into her ‘parents’’ music and began singing and recording the American Songbook which led to 5 albums and global performances and distribution. Her critical acclaim in the Wall Street Journal placed her among a bevy of notable jazz vocalists in the current media sphere.

Coupling her stage presence with hosting, Amanda performed with and then became the CBS radio color commentator for the prestigious nationally broadcast ‘July 4th Boston Pops on the Esplanade’. She continues to host other events and radio shows, including holding the Executive Director position at WICN Public Radio from 2017-2019.

Always inventing, collaborating and inspiring, Amanda enjoys coaching vocal students and crafting entertainment for private events offering a variety of live music and DJ services while still writing and composing for multiple media outlets and other artistic endeavors.

Jazz Vocalist Amanda Carr and a New Composition at Spring Pops

Amanda Carr
guest artist

Jazz singer Amanda Carr, an audience favorite, returns for the Concord Band’s annual Spring Pops concert on Saturday, April 11, 7:00 PM at the 51 Walden Performing Arts Center in Concord. The program features Ms. Carr and her fresh interpretations from the Great American Songbook and New York themed songs. Another special highlight is Lilly’s Story, the premiere of a unique composition inspired by a 12-year-old from Brockton, named Lilly, and her family.

Ms. Carr will perform Cheek to Cheek by Irving Berlin, as well as Cole Porter’s Night and Day and Anything Goes.  Amanda also performs vocals on Billy Joel’s New York State of Mind, and a song that Amanda wrote titled Maybe.  With five jazz vocal recordings, Ms. Carr continues to perform as a solo artist and guest host. A true collaborator, Amanda Carr is a coach for vocal students while still writing and composing music.

Luciano Lopez-Parnetti
composer

The Concord Band collaborated with Sing Me A Story, an organization that commissioned Boston Conservatory student composer, Luciano Lopez-Parnetti, to present Lilly’s Story, a new composition that celebrates Lilly’s love of family, food and music. In her story, Lilly imagines a world where differences are not questioned, but embraced.  Lilly’s personal narrative is reflected in Lopez-Parnetti’s intriguing composition through a harmonically rich wall of sound, punctuated rhythms and overlapping patterns.  A remarkable photo montage, created by Lilly herself, will be on display at the concert. The montage explores what it feels like when others make assumptions about her mixed identity, and the challenges of not always feeling fully seen or understood. Both Lilly’s family and composer Lopez-Parnetti will attend the premiere performance.

Continuing with the New York theme, the Concord Band will evoke the vibrant and frenetic energy of New York City with Warren Barker’s New York: 1927.  The Band also will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence with composer Clare Grundman’s classic work, Spirit of ’76.

The Concord Band’s Spring Pops concert, conducted by Music Director James O’Dell, will be open seating at the 51 Walden Performing Arts Center in Concord, 7:00 PM, Saturday, April 11th.  The audience is invited to enjoy complimentary refreshments in the lobby at intermission and after the concert.  Tickets are $25 for adults, $10 for kids 12 and under, and can be reserved at www.ticketstage.com/concordband.