Neighborhood Concerts
Upcoming concerts
Church Hill Park Concert Series
August 3/August 17/August 24/Sept. 1 at 7:3Opm
Reed Square
110 N. 26th St.
We are back in Church Hill for another series of concerts at sunset this summer! All concerts begin at 7:30pm and will last approximately 45 minutes. Bring a chair, blankets, pillows, a picnic, and friends. (Please note that dogs are not allowed in Reed Square, but they are welcome to hang out with you on the sidewalk!) In the event of rain, the performances will be moved to the St. John’s Church parish hall (2401 E. Broad St.).
Concert schedule
Sunday, August 3 - Rosette: a string quartet performing folk music from Scandinavia, China, Mali, Puerto Rico, and more. (feat. Ellen Cockerham Riccio and Treesa Gold on violin, Kimberly Ryan on viola, and Steph Barrett on cello)
Sunday, August 17 - Orquesta Atípica: violin and percussion duo performing music from around the world combining romantic melodies with danceable beats. (feat. Ellen Cockerham Riccio on violin and Giustino Riccio on percussion)
Sunday, August 24 - Laura Ann Singh + Bruno Alcalde: guitar and voice duo performing music from Brazil.
Monday, September 1 - Ellen Cockerham Riccio, solo violin: the original Backyard Violinist performs a variety of solo violin (and fiddle) music.
All concerts are FREE, but donations are greatly appreciated. Thank you to the Church Hill Association for sponsoring these concerts!
It started in the backyard.
In April of 2020, Richmond Symphony violinist Ellen Cockerham Riccio began offering concerts in backyards during a time of isolation, uncertainty, and digital overload. Although she became known as “the backyard violinist”, many of the concerts took place in front yards and cul-de-sacs, with friends, family, and neighbors in attendance (well-distanced, of course!). For many, these concerts brought a much-needed sense of connection with others, as well as hope and even joy during a difficult time.
Fast-forward to today, and times are still difficult (though not quite so weird), and people still need this sense of connection, hope, and joy in their lives. Through neighborhood concerts, we can carry with us an important lesson we learned in those early months: that our time together is precious.
Neighborhood Concerts
Neighborhood Concerts are an opportunity for you to gather your friends and neighbors together in one place (the sidewalk, a nearby park, your front yard) to share a meaningful experience centered around a 45-minute performance. Fill out the form below if you are interested in sponsoring a concert in your neighborhood for a fraction of the cost of a private concert. The concert will be listed publicly, and donations will be accepted in support of First Creatures.
Interested in a Backyard Concert?
Yes, you can still hire these same musicians to play a private concert! Contact Ellen at backyardviolinist@gmail.com to book.
