Although they’re considered a classical group, Anonymous 4 has released two albums with “traditional American music.” They are currently touring in support of their most recent album Gloryland.
Anonymous 4 is a group of four female vocalists — Marsha Genensky, Susan Hellauer, Jacqueline Horner and Johanna Maria Rose. They are known for their Renaissance and classical music but will be performing their folk songs and hymns.
One of the stops on their tour is Thursday at Meymandi Concert Hall, courtesy of NCSU Center Stage.
The Center Stage Performing Arts Series decided to reserve one of their tour dates because students will recognize the traditional songs, according to Mark Tulbert, the assistant director of the Center Stage Performing Arts Series.
“A lot of students grew up in rural North Carolina and they will recognize this music,” Tulbert said.
Growing up in rural North Carolina, Tulbert said he learned many of the songs the group performs. The music is much like the folk music of the Appalachian Mountains, according to Tulbert.
However, Tulbert said students don’t have to recognize the music to be motivated to go to the concert.
“Anybody will enjoy the music — whether they know it or not,” Tulbert said.
Anonymous 4 is primarily an a cappella group, even though they do have instrumentalists on their last album — Gloryland — and are touring with them. Tulbert said the a cappella music is another reason students should attend the concert.
“There are so many students on campus interested in a cappella,” he said. “This is first and foremost an a cappella group.”
He said he thinks the a cappella aspect of this group will attract more students than a non-a cappella concert would because of the number of a cappella groups on campus.
The performance is primarily an acoustic concert, however a sound system will be used for reinforcement because the concert hall is so large, according to Tulbert.
The two instrumentalists who will be accompanying Anonymous 4 are Darol Anger and Scott Nygaard. According to Tulbert, they are well-known and identified with new grass — a music form much like bluegrass.
“There may be a number of people who recognize them,” Tulbert said. “They are both outstanding musicians.”
Prior to the concert, Al Sturgis, adjunct associate professor of music, will lead a discussion about the group.
For the concert, NCSU Center Stage is not using its normal spot — Stewart Theatre. The concert will be at Meymandi Concert Hall — downtown at Progress Energy Center. Since the event is off campus, NCSU Center Stage will provide a shuttle service going from Talley Student Center to Meymandi Concert Hall.
Tulbert said the combination of the location and the group make the concert a “double treat” because Meymandi is a “neat space.”
“It will be a wonderful concert in a beautiful concert hall,” he said.