Callaghan’s debut album, Life In Full Colour, was released on May 1, 2012. The release was the culmination of a journey which brought the singer-songwriter across the Atlantic from London to live and record in the USA.

 A long-time Shawn Mullins fan, Callaghan contacted the Atlanta singer-songwriter through MySpace, and after being knocked out by her music he agreed to a rare collaboration. Callaghan left her London digs and boarded a plane headed for the American South: the experience was the inspiration for the opening track and first single from her album, Best Year.

 Life in Full Colour was tracked in and around Atlanta with Mullins both producing and playing on the record. Its 12 songs present Callaghan’s eclectic and dynamic style, combining shades of folk, country, rock and pop into a seamless fusion of feeling and melody. Performing live Callaghan plays piano and guitar and delivers a vocal which earns frequent comparisons with artists like Sarah McLachlan and Emmy Lou Harris. Her songs chronicle stories and moments from her own life and from others. You’ll enjoy thoughtful lyrics, haunting vocals, and catchy melodies which make you smile.

 Since making Georgia her home, Callaghan has been selling out shows at local venues and in summer 2012 Insite Atlanta’s music edition labeled her ‘Atlanta’s hottest new act’ . She’s also performed across 25 states, including at the SXSW Festival in Austin.

Life in Full Colour has been getting a great reaction. The Huffington Post describes the album as “joyful listening”, while InLiveMusic says “Callaghan’s voice is stunning, clear and is perfect for the story telling of her songs”

For more information and a free download of Callaghan’s single, Best Year, please visit
www.callaghansongs.com
www.facebook.com/callaghanmusic
www.youtube.com/callaghansongs

Estimated run time: 2 hours.

Best Year by Callaghan

Raleigh’s favorite alternative classical musicians return for another exciting and innovative evening at Burning Coal.

MusiCoal and New Music Raleigh presents

the music of D.J. Sparr

A year ago, New Music Raleigh and the Richmond based composer D.J. Sparr received a grant from New Music USA to make the first recording of Mr. Sparr’s music. NMR enters the studio next week, and as a part of the process will play a live preview of pieces to be recorded on Sunday, September 16th at 7PM at Burning Coal Theater as part of their Musicoal series. Tickets will be available at the door on the day of the show for $10.00.

D.J. Sparr has quickly gained the attention of the classical music world with his recent appointment as Young American Composer in Residence with the California Symphony, as well as a commission from the Washington National Opera for an opera about Muhammad Ali (to be premiered in 2013). Mr. Sparr’s works The Glam Seduction, Woodlawn Drive, Sound Harmonies with Air, and Vim-Hocket/Calm will be performed, and the evening will conclude with a question and answer session with the composer and musicians. Sunday’s concert will feature Mary Boone (flute), Anthony Taylor (clarinet), Karen Strittmatter Galvin (violin), Peng Li (cello), Danielle Hahn (piano), Shawn Galvin (percussion), and D.J. Sparr (guitar/composer). The performance will be conducted by Timothy Myers. 

D. J. Sparr is an American composer and guitarist fluent in both classical and vernacular musical styles. He has been named the next Young American Composer-in-Residence with the California Symphony where he will write new orchestral works over a two-year period. Sparr’s music has been commissioned and performed by groups such as the Albany Symphony, the Berkshire Symphony, Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Band, the League of Composers’ Orchestra, the Los Angeles “Debut” Orchestra, New Music Detroit, the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, the University of Washington, the Verge Ensemble, Wet Ink and Yale University. He was awarded the $10,000 grand prize in the orchestra category of the BMG/Williams College National Young Composers Competition. He received BMI Student Composer Awards in 1995 and 2000. Sparr is the composer-in-residence for the Richmond Symphony’s Education and Community Engagement Department (2010-11); and in the summers, he is a faculty member at the Walden School for Musicians.

New Music Raleigh is a collective of dynamic musicians dedicated to presenting outstanding performances of music by living composers. NMR fills a gap in Raleigh’s vibrant music scene, serving as a catalyst for creation and presentation of new music. Whether its through offering works of well established composers, up-and- coming composers, or cross-genre collaborations, NMR creates concert experiences that challenge tradition, engage and inspire diverse audiences, and give voice to today’s most innovative and relevant modern music. Since its founding, NMR has presented music by Steve Reich, John Luther Adams, Louis Andiressen, Missy Mazzoli, Paul Lansky, Sarah Kirkland Snider, Judd Greenstein, Judith Shatin, and has collaborated with the celebrated indie rock artists, Lost in the Trees and Shara Worden. NMR’s Curators are Karen Strittmatter Galvin and Shawn Galvin.

Estimated run time: 2 hours.

Estimated run time: 2 hours.

Guitarist Ed Stephenson returns with the Paco Band for their third straight year at Burning Coal. The group performs nuevo flamenco music, as well as Spanish and Spanish-influenced songs.

Estimated run time: 2 hours.

Please join us for the very best a cappella music that the Triangle has to offer! If you love vocal music, don’t miss this event as Cognitive Resonance, Second Shift, and transit vocal band will join forces to display the incredible capabilities of the human voice.

transit vocal band 

Combining soaring leads, smooth harmonies, and a thumping rhythm section, transit demonstrates the power, versatility, and emotion of the most natural instrument of all, the human voice.  Formed in 2005, transit is a dynamic vocal band that emphasizes engaging live performances, inspiring recordings, and continual innovation of their art form. Using nothing more than their voices and microphones,transit performs a wide variety of music sure to entertain any audience.

Cognitive Resonance 

Cognitive Resonance was created in January of 2011 out of its Founders’ pure love of a cappella music and the desire to never stop performing. Consisting of alumni of collegiate a cappella and choral groups, Cog Res has been delighting audiences from Raleigh to New York City with its unique brand of post-collegiate a cappella music, always striving to raise the bar for what semi-professional groups can accomplish. They are a proud member of CASA’s Contemporary A Cappella League, and you can find more information at the Cognitive Resonance website and follow them on twitter and Facebook.

Second Shift 

Second Shift is a post collegiate a cappella group located in the Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, NC). We’re a co-ed, non-profit group that sings a wide variety of song styles. So, why Second Shift, you ask? Well, all of us have day jobs, and we do this for the love of the music. Once we fit in other important things such as family, and having an occasional good time, sometimes it seems like there’s little time left over. Founded in January 2007 as The Looney Tunes, we reformed as Second Shift in September 2009. Based in the Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina, our members come from all over the Triangle and have a wide variety of singing experience. We divide our year into Spring and Fall periods and elect new leadership each period. Each group member contributes to keep the group moving forward, and we also have a lot of fun together!