How exciting would it be to engage with top musicians during a live performance? At Beyond the Notes—now in its 11th season—audience members can submit questions to performers and receive answers in real time.

The season opens on Saturday, November 8th at 7:30pm at First Parish Church in Concord. Artistic director and Concord native Sarah Whitney will join forces with the award-winning duo Boyd Meets Girl, featuring cellist Laura Metcalf and classical guitarist Rupert Boyd. With over four million streams on Spotify and numerous praises from esteemed outlets, including the Washington Post and Gramophone, Boyd Meets Girl brings a wide-ranging repertoire that spans from Debussy and Bach to Radiohead and Beyoncé. Together with Sarah Whitney, the trio will deliver a vibrant and refreshing evening of music designed to delight every music lover.

But Beyond the Notes is not just about the music—it’s about connecting you with the artists. Get ready to embark on a journey of discovery as the artists invite you to peek behind the curtain, sharing personal stories and insights that go beyond their bios. During the show, you'll have the chance to engage directly with the artists by submitting your questions, which will be answered live on stage. Artistic Director Sarah Whitney says, “Too often there is a boundary between the performers and the audience. Beyond the Notes is an experience that breaks down that wall.” This interactive element is just one of the features that make this series unique from others. The interactivity doesn’t stop at the end of a show. Sarah shares unanswered questions and captured moments from the concerts weekly on Beyond the Notes Facebook and Instagram page. To set the stage for this unique experience, prelude music will showcase students from the Concord Conservatory of Music, along with artwork from Powers Gallery.

Does this sound like your perfect evening? Join us on Saturday, November 8th at 7:30 pm for an unforgettable evening of music, innovation, and connection at Beyond the Notes. This is an experience you won’t soon forget.

Tickets are $30 per person and $15 for students when purchased in advance at btnfall2025.eventbrite.com. Tickets will also be available at the door for $35 per person and $15 for students (cash or check only).

For more information, visit www.gobeyondthenotes.com.

Beyond the Notes is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization and supported in part by grants from the Acton-Boxborough Cultural Council, Bedford Cultural Council, and Concord Local Cultural Council - local agencies that are supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

About Sarah Whitney:

Praised by The Washington Post for her “marvelous violin acrobatics,” Sarah Whitney is a widely recognized performer, teacher, speaker and Career Coach for Musicians. During her tenure as violinist and founding member of the acclaimed string quintet, SYBARITE5, she performed concerts worldwide, received the Concert Artists Guild Grand Prize and had three albums reach the top ten on the Billboard charts. She is also founder and artistic director of the interactive concert series, Beyond the Notes and her diverse career has included everything from performing at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center to sharing the stage with NAS, Adele and Ed Sheeran. As a soloist, She has collaborated with the Alvin Ailey and Jose Limon dance companies and is currently touring a solo violin and loop pedal show. Sarah is currently on the faculty of the Longy School of Music and has given lectures and masterclasses around the world, including at the Curtis Institute, The Juilliard School, New England Conservatory, Rice University and Oberlin Conservatory, among others. 

About Boyd Meets Girl:

Boyd Meets Girl pairs Australian classical guitarist Rupert Boyd with American cellist Laura Metcalf. The duo has toured the world sharing their eclectic mix of music from Debussy and Bach to Radiohead and Beyoncé, and their two studio albums have received over 4 million streams on Spotify. Both acclaimed soloists in their own right, Boyd has been described as “truly evocative” by The Washington Post, and as "a player who deserves to be heard" by Classical Guitar Magazine, while Metcalf, who has also toured as a member of the popular chamber ensembles Eighth Blackbird, Break of Reality and Sybarite5, has been called "brilliant" by Gramophone. Boyd Meets Girl has toured throughout the USA, India, Nepal, New Zealand, and Australia, including engagements at Caramoor, Newport Classical, Festival Napa Valley, Austin Classical Guitar, Moab Music Festival and many others. The duo’s debut album, released on the Grammy award-winning label Sono Luminus, reached #3 on the Billboard charts, and received the following praise in Gramophone: “They play like one, with a harmony of purpose as sure as their intonation.” Their followup album, Songs of Love and Despair, was also praised in Gramophone as “Beguiling… fascinating… enchanting…”. In 2024, Boyd Meets Girl gave the world premiere performances of ANAHATA, a cello and guitar double concerto composed by the Grammy-nominated Clarice Assad, and commissioned for the duo by the Hartford Symphony Orchestra.