Community Calendar

Let the Suncook Valley Choral Entertain You with a selection of songs from contemporary and classic Broadway hits from Wicked to West Side Story.

Dennis Coles (born May 9, 1970), known as Ghostface Killah, is a highly influential rapper from Staten Island, NY, and a core member of the iconic Wu-Tang Clan, famous for his vivid storytelling, soulful sound, and prolific solo career that began with Ironman (1996) after the group’s breakthrough. He’s known for alter egos like Tony Starks (Iron Man), has a distinctive fast-paced flow, and is critically acclaimed as a master storyteller in hip-hop, with a catalog including classics like Supreme Clientele.

Opening for Ghostface Killah; SAMMUS (Enongo Lumumba-Kasongo) is a Black feminist rapper, beatmaker, and assistant professor of music at Brown University. She received her PhD in science and technology studies from Cornell University in 2019. Across her lyrical and scholarly writing, she explores the intersections between rap expression and technocultures emerging around gaming and AI.

The Colonial is proud to partner with Nova Arts to present Ghostface Killah as the headlining act for the Thing in the Spring Festival, May 15-17, 2026.

Weekend Passes for the festival are available exclusively through Nova Arts beginning January 31.

Dennis Coles (born May 9, 1970), known as Ghostface Killah, is a highly influential rapper from Staten Island, NY, and a core member of the iconic Wu-Tang Clan, famous for his vivid storytelling, soulful sound, and prolific solo career that began with Ironman (1996) after the group’s breakthrough. He’s known for alter egos like Tony Starks (Iron Man), has a distinctive fast-paced flow, and is critically acclaimed as a master storyteller in hip-hop, with a catalog including classics like Supreme Clientele.

Opening for Ghostface Killah; SAMMUS (Enongo Lumumba-Kasongo) is a Black feminist rapper, beatmaker, and assistant professor of music at Brown University. She received her PhD in science and technology studies from Cornell University in 2019. Across her lyrical and scholarly writing, she explores the intersections between rap expression and technocultures emerging around gaming and AI.

The Colonial is proud to partner with Nova Arts to present Ghostface Killah as the headlining act for the Thing in the Spring Festival, May 15-17, 2026.

Let the Suncook Valley Choral Entertain You with a selection of songs from contemporary and classic Broadway hits from Wicked to West Side Story.

Manchester Choral Society will join forces with the Seacoast-based ensemble Portsmouth Pro Musica for a major choral-orchestral project featuring Franz Schubert’s Mass in E-flat and Felix Mendelssohn’s Psalm 42. Performances will bring together more than 90 singers, with professional soloists, and a full orchestra. Manchester Choral Society Music Director Dan Perkins and Portsmouth Pro Musica Music Director Priscilla French will share the podium for this collaborative effort, uniting two respected New Hampshire choral organizations in a dynamic musical partnership.

Portsmouth Pro Musica, under the musical direction of Priscilla Stevens French, and the Manchester Choral Society, under the musical direction of Dan Perkins, are thrilled to announce their first collaboration in over 20 years: a program titled “A Romantic Spring.” The program features Franz Schubert’s “Mass in E-flat Major” and Felix Mendelssohn’s “Psalm 42.” The combined choruses will be joined by soloists Christine DeMaio, Neal Ferreira, Maggie Finnegan, Cody McDonnell, David McFerrin, and Andrew Sokol, and a 30-piece orchestra.

Franz Schubert’s “Mass in E-flat Major” stands among the composer’s most expansive and profound sacred works, blending symphonic grandeur with deeply personal expression. Written late in his life, the mass reflects Schubert’s mature style, with rich harmonic language, lyrical vocal lines, and dramatic contrasts that heighten the emotional impact of the text. From the majestic “Gloria” to the introspective “Agnus Dei,” the work balances moments of radiant celebration with passages of quiet devotion. Its scale and depth offer both singers and audiences a powerful and immersive musical experience.

Felix Mendelssohn’s “Psalm 42” (“Wie der Hirsch schreit”) is widely regarded as one of his finest sacred compositions, combining Romantic expressiveness with clarity of form and texture. Setting the psalm text with vivid sensitivity, Mendelssohn captures both longing and hope through flowing melodies and luminous choral writing. The interplay between soloists, chorus, and orchestra creates a dynamic and emotionally resonant narrative. With its graceful architecture and heartfelt intensity, “Psalm 42” remains a cornerstone of the choral repertoire.

Tom Rush accompanied by Brendan Cleary

Tom Rush is a gifted musician and performer, whose shows offer a musical celebration…a journey into the tradition and spectrum of what music has been, can be, and will become. His distinctive guitar style, wry humour and warm, expressive voice have made him both a legend and a lure to audiences around the world. His shows are filled with the rib-aching laughter of terrific story-telling, the sweet melancholy of ballads and the passion of gritty blues.

Rush’s impact on the American music scene has been profound. He helped shape the folk revival in the ’60s and the renaissance of the ’80s and ’90s, his music having left its stamp on generations of artists. Rush displayed then, as he does today, an uncanny knack for finding wonderful songs, and writing his own – many of which have become classics re-interpreted by new generations.

Today, Tom Rush lives in Massachusetts when he’s not touring. His voice has grown even richer and more melodic, and his music, like a fine wine, has matured and ripened in the blending of traditional and modern influences. He’s written a number of new songs. He’s doing what he loves, and what audiences love him for: writing and playing …passionately, tenderly…knitting together the musical traditions and talents of our times.

Event Sponsored by Polly's Pancake Parlor, co-sponsored by Forest Society North at The Rocks

Rasa String Quartet presents: Counterpoint in Bloom

Every musical masterpiece begins with a simple line, groove, or pattern. In Counterpoint in Bloom, Rasa String Quartet explores how that nascent seed can flourish into a boundless ecosystem. Featuring Bach and Beethoven alongside Guns N’ Roses, Prince, and foot-stomping folk traditions from around the globe, this genre-blending program takes you on a journey from humble riff to full-throttle banger!

Emma Powell(violin),Maura Shawn Scanlin (violin),Kiyoshi Hayashi(viola), Mina Kim (cello)

The Program:

J.S. Bach: The Art of Fugue – Contrapunctus I

Guns N’ Roses: Sweet Child O’ Mine

The Fretless: Birds’ Nest

Alexandra Vrebalov: Pannonia Boundless

Prince: Purple Rain

J.S. Skinner: Bovaglie’s Plaid (arr. Ben Plotnick)

The Fretless: Alphonso McKenzie’s / Salkantay

Ludwig van Beethoven: String Quartet, Op. 59 No. 3, Mvt 1

Danish String Quartet: Shore

Ludwig van Beethoven: String Quartet, Op. 59 No. 3, Mvt 4

This performance features songs about princesses. Come and enjoy a variety of princess personalities and viewpoints as sung by students of Jennie O’Brien.

The event is free of charge and open to the public. Donations are appreciated.

AWARD WINNING SAXOPHONIST SEBA MOLNAR BRINGS HIS BAND
TO MUSIC HALL LOUNGE, FRIDAY MAY29

PORTSMOUTH, NH — Award-winning saxophonist, composer, and cultural organizer Seba
Molnar brings his all star band to the Music Hall Lounge on Friday, May 29 for an evening of
boundary-pushing contemporary jazz, improvisation, and groove-driven exploration. The
performance will feature Molnar on saxophone alongside Billy Buss on trumpet, Jiri Nedoma on
keyboards, Mike Gary on bass, and Tyson Jackson on drums.

More than a traditional jazz group, the Seba Molnar Band is a vibrant, multidimensional
collective rooted in Boston’s creative music community. While deeply grounded in jazz tradition,
the band stretches beyond stylistic boundaries, drawing influence from funk, hip-hop,
psychedelic rock, and global music traditions to create an immersive and genre-defying live
experience. Their performances balance adventurous improvisation with powerful grooves and
cinematic textures, inviting audiences into new sonic territory.

Molnar released his debut album Level Up in 2020, and his latest project, J.F.R., is an
experimental reflection on today’s political and cultural climate, blending free jazz, spoken word,
and curated samples into a bold, multidimensional statement on contemporary life.

Originally from Canton, New York, Molnar moved to Boston in 2012 to study at Berklee College
of Music, where he trained with renowned saxophonists George Garzone, Bill Pierce, and Tia
Fuller. Since then, he has emerged as an in-demand performer and collaborator, sharing stages
with acclaimed artists including Patrice Rushen, Ghost-Note, Keyon Harrold, Braxton Cook,
Makaya McCraven, Debo Ray, Farayi Malek, and many more.

Beyond performing, Molnar is the founder and executive director of the Boston Jazz Foundation
and co-founder of the Charles River Jazz Festival, which has rapidly become one of Boston’s
leading jazz events, drawing more than 5,000 attendees in 2025. Through performance,
education, and community engagement, Molnar and his collaborators remain committed to
expanding access to jazz while helping shape the future of Boston’s cultural landscape.

The May 29 performance at the Music Hall Lounge promises an evening of adventurous music,
deep improvisation, and forward-thinking artistry from some of New England’s most exciting
contemporary musicians.

EVENT DETAILS
What: Seba Molnar Live in Concert
When: Friday, May 29, 2026
Where: Music Hall Lounge, Portsmouth, NH
Tickets: Available via Music Hall Website

Media inquiries:
Evan Cohen: ecohen@bostonjazzfoundation.org