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Lizanne Knott and Ciara Grace with Special Guest John Conahan
Saturday, November 11, 2023, 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm
$15 – $20
Lizanne Knott is a native Pennsylvania singer-songwriter/guitarist who’s colorful life narrative creates songs that are both deeply personal and universal in appeal. While she prides herself on lyrical prowess, she also has the innate ability to write melodies that captivate and stay in your head long after first listen. Her voice, sometimes sweet and soulful, can also rock out with a gravel and grit the most seasoned performers champion. She is as much at home in an intimate listening venue as she is rocking out with her band (some of the most sought after session players around) on festival stages and the like. As a solo act she has shared the stage with mainstream artists including Shawn Colvin, Joan Osborne, Josh Ritter and more, and has headlined at some of the most prestigious theaters, concert halls and festivals throughout the UK and Spain. Her ability to connect and engage with her audience makes her a repeat favorite in her local town and up and down the east coast.
Ciara Grace grew up surrounded by music. She spent much of her formative years in a studio with some of the top most session players as mentors. It’s no wonder that by a young age, she was already churning out songs to make even the most seasoned songwriters take note. She has performed at premier venues such as the Philadelphia Folk Festival, The Bitter End, Sellerville Theater, Laura Mann’s Living Room, Sala BBK in Spain and the Liverpool Philharmonic’s Music Room in the UK. Her unreleased tracks (recorded and produced by Grammy Award winner, Glenn Barratt) are already creating an industry buzz.
John Conahan is a composer, conductor, performer, and educator. John’s compositions have been premiered to much acclaim by an array of artists including Lorin Maazel, Marin Alsop, Denyce Graves, Donald Nally & The Crossing, Deborah Voigt, Antioch Chamber Ensemble, Lyric Fest, and Sir James Galway – at venues including Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Lincoln Center, and the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. Some recent premieres include a new song cycle for Denyce Graves, DON’T LOOK AWAY – a full oratorio bringing attention to systemic racism, and an orchestral premiere at the Kennedy Center Honors Celebration in Washington DC. John is a frequently featured guest conductor and visiting clinician for a number of ensembles, including state music education festivals, choral unions, and numerous academic institutions. As a pianist, John is a collaborator with a number of ensembles and recitalists, as well as guest accompanist for The Crossing. In addition to his life as a composer and live performer, John is an active recording artist, maintaining a number of albums as a singer/songwriter, as well as with an experimental improvisation trio, and as a solo pianist focusing on his spontaneous piano works. His recordings are featured both on television and in film, recently including PBS Great Performances. You can listen to John’s works on YouTube and iTunes.
