Date: Sunday, April 26, 2026
Time: 4:00 PM
Location: Florence Harkness Memorial Chapel
Format: In-Person + Virtual
Admission: Free | Open to the Public
(no tickets required)
Watch: Livestream in Harkness Chapel
About The Program
Strains so Sweet: Birds in Song from the Trouvères to Handel
Who were the original singers? My money is on the birds.
Certainly, human musicians have long found inspiration in birdsong. References to birds are present in lyric poetry of every era throughout the world, and citations of birdsong appear over the entire history of notated music, from early examples such as the 13th-century rota Sumer is icumen in, to postmodernist works which incorporate recorded birdsong. Facing such a wealth of options, this recital is limited to just a few of the many bird and birdsong depictions found in vocal music of the 13th-18th centuries.
Due to its association with love, the nightingale is the most commonly depicted bird in this repertoire, but the program features a broader sample of the wide variety of birds represented in song, exploring the specific associations each species and its call would have brought to mind for historical audiences. These songs fall into three broad categories: those about birds, those sung to birds, and those ostensibly sung by birds in human languages. A song in any of these categories might imitate birdsong in the voice and/or accompanying instruments using techniques like onomatopoeia, call and response, and extended vocalises.
Moving approximately chronologically by publication date, the recital begins with French and Italian medieval music and English lute songs, moving on to early 17th-century Italian continuo songs and airs sérieux from late 17th-century France. The concert closes with "Sweet Bird," from Handel's secular oratorio L'Allegro, il Pensieroso, e il Moderato, a delightful call-and-response duet for flute and soprano.
Performed by:
Naomi Grace McMahon, soprano
Historical Performance Practice, DMA
- Danur Kvilhaug, historical plucked strings
- Jane Leggiero, viola da gamba, cello
- Sophia Duray, soprano
- Ellen Sauer Tanyeri, baroque flute
- Andrew Hatfield, vielle, violin
- Jonathan Milord, viola
- Mikhail Grazhdanov, harpsichord
About The Artist
Soprano Naomi Grace McMahon (they/them) calls San Antonio, Texas, home. From 2019-2023, they regularly performed with the chorus of Opera San Antonio (Romeo et Juliette, Pagliacci, Tosca) and with the company's educational outreach program. Naomi served as Trobár Medieval Ensemble’s inaugural Apprentice Artist for the ‘25-’26 season, and in 2024 they participated in the Amherst Early Music Festival’s Medieval Program. When not singing all kinds of music or researching the intersections of gender, culture, and historically-informed performance, Naomi enjoys the act of creation through sewing and the fiber arts.
Ms. McMahon holds a Master of Music in Voice Performance from Texas Christian University and a Bachelor of Music from Abilene Christian University. They have a deep love for music, from medieval chansons, to baroque sacred music, to opera and musical theatre, and are currently working toward a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Historical Performance Practice here at Case Western Reserve University.
CWRU Music 2025–26 Concert Season
The Case Western Reserve University Department of Music presents a dynamic season of concerts, recitals, and special events featuring students, faculty, and guest artists. From classical masterworks to contemporary works, the series highlights the creativity and excellence of CWRU’s vibrant music community. All events are open to the public.
During the 2025–26 season, CWRU celebrates its Bicentennial—200 years of academic excellence, innovation, and impact—honoring the generations who have shaped the performing arts at CWRU while looking ahead to the future.
Venue Information
Florence Harkness Memorial Chapel (est. 1902) offers a warm, intimate, and acoustically resonant setting on the Mather Quad. This neo-Gothic landmark commemorates the brief life of Florence Harkness Severance and reflects Cleveland’s rich cultural and philanthropic history. Designed by architect Charles F. Schweinfurth, the chapel is renowned for its soaring arches, exquisite woodwork, and luminous Tiffany stained-glass windows.
Health + Safety
The health and well-being of our community is important to us as we gather for campus events. University Health and Counseling Services provides up-to-date guidance and resources to help support a safe campus experience. For life-threatening emergencies, please call CWRU Public Safety immediately at 216.368.3333.