AROUND HEAR: Freedom Music & Toy Theater!

[Marji Gere]

Around Hear: Freedom Music and Toy Theater
Saturday, March 21st, 2026, 2-3:30pm
Mystic Activity Center, 530 Mystic Ave. Somerville, MA
www.aroundhear.org

★ Free
★ Open to the public
★ Listeners of all ages are welcome
★ Refreshments served
★ Write, draw, move while you listen
★ After-concert pizza party!

Freedom! This program features music by South African musician and anti-Apartheid activist Abdullah Ibrahim and British suffragist Ethel Smyth, alongside a new work of toy theater by our friends Trudi, John, and Ziggy from Great Small Works and Bread and Puppet Theater.

PROGRAM

Prelude performance by the Around Hear all-ages violin and piano classes

"Hamba Khale", "Next Stop Soweto" and more by Abdullah Ibrahim

"Homecoming" – a brand-new, original work of toy theater, on the theme of migration, created by puppeteers John Bell, Trudi Cohen, and Ziggy Bird-Roberts. with music by Charlie Parker, Abdullah Ibrahim, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Si Kahn. 

Trio for Piano, Violin & Cello in D minor by Ethel Smyth

PERFORMERS

John Bell, Trudi Cohen, and Ziggy Bird-Roberts, puppetry
Marji Gere, violin & percussion
Eli Kaynor, cello
Dan Sedgwick, piano

SUPPORT FOR THIS PROGRAM

This program is supported by The Boston Foundation Free for All Endowment Fund, the Somerville Housing Authority Provider’s Grant, Adelard A. and Valeda Lea Roy Foundation, the Somerville Arts Council, and agency of the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and a growing community of individual supporters. Special performances will also be shared with 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders from the Healey School, and Somerville Housing Authority residents at Brady Towers, Properzi Manor, and Bryant Manor.

OUR MISSION
The mission of Around Hear is to enrich the life of the City of Somerville by offering innovative, uplifting, free chamber music concerts and community music classes to generationally, culturally, and economically diverse audiences. We collaborate with the Somerville Housing Authority, Mystic Learning Center, local social service organizations, and community-oriented artists to make all of our activities inviting and accessible to all. We especially strive to connect with low-income citizens, youth, seniors, recent immigrants, and people with disabilities. We invite all who feel inspired by our music, art, and community-building activities to partner with us.