Thistle Jemison vocalist, harpist, composer
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Tuning into Nature featuring Thistle Jemison: vocalist, harpist, composer, arranger Reenat Pinchas: cellist Roxan Jurkevich: percussionist at Quogue Wildlife Refuge 3 Old Country Rd, Quogue, NY 11959 Saturday, November 4th, 2023, at 5:00pm Presentation THISTLE is a Chamber Folk trio that performs the original music of harpist and singer Thistle Jemison. The lyrics are inspired by fairytales, poetry, and literature of writers such as Edgar Allan Poe and Oscar Wilde, while the music draws influences from the folk, jazz, western classical and South Indian classical genres. Audiences have reported feelings of elation when listening to THISTLE, and we hope you will too. This concert explores the infinite sound possibilities that the natural environment offers us. The soundscapes, which are made up of animal, human, and environmental sounds, can be a rich trove of information about the health and biodiversity of ecosystems but also an endless source of inspiration for the artists. The music program unveils the intimate relationship with the location, nature, soundscape, water element and the myth. This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by Huntington Arts Council. This concert was made possible with public funding provided by Suffolk County, sponsored by Legislator Al Krupski and with the support of the Suffolk County Legislature. This concert is presented by Rites of Spring Music Festival in collaboration with Quogue Wildlife Refuge     |
About the Quogue Wildlife Refuge
Since 1934, the Quogue Wildlife Refuge has been a nature preserve that is home to diverse wildlife including some that are permanently injured and require human care to survive. 365 days a year, you can enjoy walking seven miles of trails to explore diverse habitats including forests and ponds, as well as the ecologically rare Dwarf Pines in the Pine Barrens. Owls, falcons, hawks and other native New York animals that have permanent injuries are housed in the Outdoor Wildlife Complex and can be visited any day of the year. Inside of the Nature Center, huge picture windows offer spectacular views of Old Ice Pond, as well as a great spot to bird watch or enjoy some quiet time.
Biographies
Thistle Jemison vocalist, harpist, composer
Led by composer, singer and harpist Thistle Jemison, the music of THISTLE is primarily that of a storyteller and is influenced by her studies and collaborations in jazz, western classical and world music. A sort of Avante Guarde Chamber Folk trio, cello and percussion provide a rich cinematic backdrop upon which stories are sung. Inspired by the writing of Hans Christian Andersen, THISTLE's 2019 debut album "The Ice Maiden Comes," is a collection of original songs each based on one of his stories. For their upcoming release "Mysterious Star: A Tribute to Poe" Thistle has crafted into songs a handful of Edgar Allan Poe's stories and poems, including "Spirits of the Dead," and "The Raven." In addition to performances of her own music, Thistle is also a performer with Astarte Creative Agency, and has toured as a member of renowned cello rock group Rasputina. Alyssa Jackson, a film score composer and classically trained cellist plays in the trio, as does Al Cerulo, a celebrated performer of contemporary classical percussion music.
Thistle took piano lessons from the age of seven and has always especially enjoyed playing the music of Bach. She took singing lessons and sang in rock bands while attending The George School, where she also performed the music of Ulali with the daughter of founder Pura Fe, in both Tuscaroran and English. At Hampshire College she studied singing, theory and composition in multiple genres, using the Five College Consortium to her benefit: jazz at UMass, improvisation and world musics at Hampshire College, South Indian Classical music at Amherst, and western classical theory and composition at Smith College. Thistle finished her formal musical studies at the New School for Jazz & Contemporary Music in Manhattan, achieving a BFA in Jazz Voice with honors. Thistle simultaneously studied Karnatak (South Indian Classical) voice with Saavithri Ramanand in Queens, learning devotional songs of the Brahman caste in the Hindu, Tamil and Sanskrit languages. Before she learned to play the harp, Thistle took up the electric guitar and eventually the drums, creating a three-piece rock band which she named Queen of Sibyls. She recorded an album of songs inspired by the alt rock female-led groups of the 1990's (link to album "Dark Horse" in Music tab).
Thistle began studying harp in her late 20's, under the tutelage of Tomoko Sugarawa, a classical harpist and reviver of the ancient Japanese Kugo harp. Early on, she did some work as a session harpist and vocalist with bands such as Caitlin Cannon and the Cannon Dolls and Ben Shepard. She also took lessons from Marilu Donovan, harpist in the violin/harp duo Leya. During a four-year hiatus from music, she created an interior design firm, built an inn in the Catskills and took drum lessons with Sara Landau of The Julie Ruin. In 2015, when asked to join a band as a backup singer, she returned to the stage and ultimately to the passion she once had for playing harp and composing.
Thusly, THISTLE was born.
About the Quogue Wildlife Refuge
Since 1934, the Quogue Wildlife Refuge has been a nature preserve that is home to diverse wildlife including some that are permanently injured and require human care to survive. 365 days a year, you can enjoy walking seven miles of trails to explore diverse habitats including forests and ponds, as well as the ecologically rare Dwarf Pines in the Pine Barrens. Owls, falcons, hawks and other native New York animals that have permanent injuries are housed in the Outdoor Wildlife Complex and can be visited any day of the year. Inside of the Nature Center, huge picture windows offer spectacular views of Old Ice Pond, as well as a great spot to bird watch or enjoy some quiet time.
Biographies
Thistle Jemison vocalist, harpist, composer
Led by composer, singer and harpist Thistle Jemison, the music of THISTLE is primarily that of a storyteller and is influenced by her studies and collaborations in jazz, western classical and world music. A sort of Avante Guarde Chamber Folk trio, cello and percussion provide a rich cinematic backdrop upon which stories are sung. Inspired by the writing of Hans Christian Andersen, THISTLE's 2019 debut album "The Ice Maiden Comes," is a collection of original songs each based on one of his stories. For their upcoming release "Mysterious Star: A Tribute to Poe" Thistle has crafted into songs a handful of Edgar Allan Poe's stories and poems, including "Spirits of the Dead," and "The Raven." In addition to performances of her own music, Thistle is also a performer with Astarte Creative Agency, and has toured as a member of renowned cello rock group Rasputina. Alyssa Jackson, a film score composer and classically trained cellist plays in the trio, as does Al Cerulo, a celebrated performer of contemporary classical percussion music.
Thistle took piano lessons from the age of seven and has always especially enjoyed playing the music of Bach. She took singing lessons and sang in rock bands while attending The George School, where she also performed the music of Ulali with the daughter of founder Pura Fe, in both Tuscaroran and English. At Hampshire College she studied singing, theory and composition in multiple genres, using the Five College Consortium to her benefit: jazz at UMass, improvisation and world musics at Hampshire College, South Indian Classical music at Amherst, and western classical theory and composition at Smith College. Thistle finished her formal musical studies at the New School for Jazz & Contemporary Music in Manhattan, achieving a BFA in Jazz Voice with honors. Thistle simultaneously studied Karnatak (South Indian Classical) voice with Saavithri Ramanand in Queens, learning devotional songs of the Brahman caste in the Hindu, Tamil and Sanskrit languages. Before she learned to play the harp, Thistle took up the electric guitar and eventually the drums, creating a three-piece rock band which she named Queen of Sibyls. She recorded an album of songs inspired by the alt rock female-led groups of the 1990's (link to album "Dark Horse" in Music tab).
Thistle began studying harp in her late 20's, under the tutelage of Tomoko Sugarawa, a classical harpist and reviver of the ancient Japanese Kugo harp. Early on, she did some work as a session harpist and vocalist with bands such as Caitlin Cannon and the Cannon Dolls and Ben Shepard. She also took lessons from Marilu Donovan, harpist in the violin/harp duo Leya. During a four-year hiatus from music, she created an interior design firm, built an inn in the Catskills and took drum lessons with Sara Landau of The Julie Ruin. In 2015, when asked to join a band as a backup singer, she returned to the stage and ultimately to the passion she once had for playing harp and composing.
Thusly, THISTLE was born.
