Encore Duo to be featured on Gobin Festival schedule

The Greencastle Summer Music Festival continues Wednesday as the Encore Duo -- harpist Jill Pitz and cellist Marjorie Hanna -- performs at 7:30 p.m. in the sanctuary of Gobin Memorial United Methodist Church.

As always, the concert is free and open to the public (donations are accepted).

"It's fair week, and it's hot," festival director Eric Edberg said. "So let me emphasize that the air conditioning at Gobin is working very well. And Jill and Marji's music is gorgeous. Cello and harp makes such a wonderful combination. If you're spending much of the week at the fair, Wednesday's concert will make a refreshing break."

In putting together this summer's concert schedule, Edberg knew he wanted the Encore Duo perform.

"They are two of my favorite musicians," he said. "Given the diversity of this summer's concerts, the lush beauty of their ensemble's playing will make a great contrast with last week's rock-influenced, electronics-based performance by Seth Tsui and Michael Kelsey."

Pitz and Hanna will be performing music by Bellini, Rimsky-Korsakov, Glazunov, Rachmaninoff and others.

The program will conclude with "Sonata for Cello and Harp" by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, perhaps the most famous work for the ensemble.

Pitz earned a Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Indiana University. Pitz was a speaker and performer at the World Harp Congress in Copenhagen. She has been actively performing with her two duos, Encore and Bravo, and her trio, Trio Vivo, since 1987.

She has had the pleasure of performing with such notables as Barry Manilow, Perry Como, Johnny Mathis, Marie Osmond, The Moody Blues and Steve Lawrence and Edie Gorme.

Hanna, principal cellist of the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, attended Indiana University and received both a bachelor's and master's degree in cello performance.

Hanna has played with a variety of musicians, including Henry Mancini, Johnny Mathis, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Lyle Lovett and acts as diverse as Page & Plant and Josh Groban. She even gave a private performance for the late Michael Jackson.

She stays active as a studio musician, performer and recitalist.