Parlor Music at Hildene: An Intimate Summer Evening in the Lincoln Family Home
Award-winning musicians Rachel Clemente and Alastair Stout will perform on the Lincoln family’s harp, Steinway piano, and Aeolian pipe organ in a rare after-hours program.
MANCHESTER, VT — Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home, invites the public to step into the Lincolns’ parlor for a summer evening of live music on Tuesday, August 4, from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m.
The program will feature musicians Rachel Clemente and Dr. Alastair Stout performing solos and duets on piano, harp, and organ in the intimate setting of the Lincoln family home, overlooking the formal garden in full bloom.
Designed as a fitting nod to Mary Harlan Lincoln, a classically trained musician on harp and piano, and to Robert Lincoln, who enjoyed playing the Aeolian pipe organ, the evening offers guests a rare opportunity to experience the kind of parlor concert the Lincolns have enjoyed in their Manchester home.
Local harpist and composer Rachel Clemente will perform solo works on both lever harp and pedal harp, including pieces connected to music found in Hildene’s collection of Aeolian pipe organ rolls. Clemente, a New England-based Scottish harpist and educator, has performed at major festivals including Celtic Connections in Glasgow, Boston Celtic Music Festival, and Yachats Celtic Music Festival, and was named the U.S. National Scottish Harp Champion in 2016 and winner of the U.S. Princess Margaret of the Isles Clàrsach Competition in 2021.
Alastair Stout, an award-winning composer and organist, will perform on Robert Lincoln’s Aeolian pipe organ and Mary Lincoln’s Steinway piano. Stout’s work spans solo instrumental music, chamber opera, choral works, organ compositions, and works for large symphony orchestra, and his music has been performed and broadcast internationally. He is Director of Music Ministries at Grace Congregational Church in Rutland where he plays the church’s magnificent Aeolian-Skinner organ.
Hildene’s Exhibits and Collections Director, Gary Parzych, will share brief stories about the Lincolns’ time at Hildene to accompany the musical selections, adding historical context to the evening’s performance.
Light refreshments will be served. Registration is required and encouraged, as seating is limited. Admission is by donation. All proceeds benefit Hildene’s Organ Restoration Fund.
For registration and additional program information, visit hildene.org or call 802-362-1788.
About Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home
Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home, is a historic estate in Manchester, Vermont, built by Robert Lincoln, the only child of Abraham and Mary Lincoln to survive to adulthood. Today, the nonprofit cultural and educational institution welcomes visitors to explore The Lincoln Family Home, Formal Garden, historic structures, farm, trails, exhibits, and programs that bring the Lincoln legacy to life.
Media Contact: Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home | press@hildene.org
