Music in the Park

What started as a way to gather neighbors during the pandemic is now in its 6th year! The Church Hill Association and First Creatures invites you to linger this summer with Concerts in Reed Square!

Every Sunday evening in August, bring a chair or a blanket and enjoy a free concert featuring an array of local musicians. (In the event of rain, these concerts will be moved to the parish hall of St. John's Episcopal Church.)

A group of people gathered outdoors at night, illuminated by string lights, seated and standing, enjoying a performance being given by a woman in a striped dress.

These concerts are presented by First Creatures and sponsored by the Church Hill Association, with generous support from Amy Beem. All concerts are free, but donations in support of the performers are encouraged. Bonus — Good Vices will be popping up with their dairy-free, real fruit Italian ices at each performance .

Reed Square is located at 110 N. 26th St., Richmond. Many thanks to The Reed Square Foundation for opening this space to the community — schedule below.

Sunday, Aug. 2, 7:30 PM

Schuyler Slack (cello)

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This solo cello concert will include Joe Jaxson’s “Mountain Stars”, Cello Suite No. 5 by Johann Sebastian Bach, and a new collaboration between songwriter and composer Paul Willson and Richmond Symphony cellist Schuyler Slack called “From Suffering to Freedom”, a solo cello suite which explores Buddhist principles through the voice of the cello. 

Sunday, Aug. 9, 7:30 PM

The George Cruz Trio (jazz)

A person with long dark hair, wearing headphones, sits at a piano in a recording studio.

The George Cruz trio (George Cruz, keys; Randall Pharr, bass; Kofi Shepsu, drums) specializes in straight ahead jazz with influences from soul, gospel, and modern harmony, with a focus on swing, beauty, and honesty. They will be playing music from their recent album “Maybe Tomorrow” (now available on all streaming platforms!), along with selections from the jazz tradition, unreleased original music, and more.

A person playing a stringed instrument, possibly a bass guitar, with headphones on, wearing glasses and a denim jacket, in a dimly lit setting.
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Volunteer

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Donate

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Join

Sunday, Aug. 16, 7:30 PM

Caroline Scruggs (theremin and voice)

A woman with blonde wavy hair wearing a green patterned dress is standing in front of a musical instrument with knobs and switches. She appears to be playing or demonstrating the instrument.

Caroline Scruggs is a world-traveling songbird who reimagines the theremin with uncommon warmth and expressivity, combining it with her voice and loop station to create new sonic landscapes. Equally at home in symphonic and experimental settings, she collaborates with composers and ensembles across the U.S. and travels the globe to play the air of breathtaking natural environments.

A woman with blonde hair posing with her hands near her head, wearing a black dress with sheer floral-embellished fabric and a deep V-neck.

Sunday, Aug. 23, 7 PM

Laura Ann Singh + Bruno Alcalde (voice and guitar)

A man with gray hair and a beard playing an electric guitar and singing into a microphone, while a woman in a colorful striped dress holds a microphone and smiles in an outdoor setting with trees and string lights in the background.

Laura Ann Singh and Bruno Alcalde present an evening of Brazilian music featuring original songs alongside works by iconic composers of Música Popular Brasileira, including Tom Jobim, Chico Buarque, Moraes Moreira, and Joyce Moreno. The program moves between samba, bossa nova, and contemporary Brazilian song with warmth, intimacy, and energy.

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Sunday, Aug. 30, 7 PM

Rosette (string quartet)

Rosette is a Richmond-based string quartet made up of four women (Ellen Cockerham Riccio and Treesa Gold, violins; Kimberly Ryan, viola; Steph Barrett, cello) who love to make meaningful connections through music. Their innovative So Hot Right Now series has brought the music of living composers to audiences across the city since 2021. This program will feature music written by women–from 16th century Italy to present day USA. 

Four women smiling and posing with stringed instruments. They are in a room with light gray walls and vertical paneling.