Concerts On The Hill presents
MOIRA SMILEY + RASA STRING QUARTET: The Rhizome Project
Mainstage: Saturday, April 11 2026, 4pm
Please join Concerts On The Hill on Saturday, April 11 at 4pm, presenting Singer/composer Moira Smiley and Rasa String Quartet in a program that explores the space where classical and folk traditions intersect and influence one another.
Anchored by Smiley’s striking Rhizome Project - voice, banjo, piano, and string quartet - thread percussive, plaintive, lush string arrangements through ancient and new folk song - Rasa brings classical and new quartet-only repertoire to complement.
$30 adults, $15 students with valid student ID at check-in. Cash, check, or CC accepted at the door. Advance tickets on sale now, click below to secure yours today.
NOTE: All St. John’s events are presented by suggested donation only, with the option to purchase tickets in advance for peace of mind.
If you are one who loves folk music, chamber music, roots music, beautiful songs performed authentically and exceptionally well, this show is for you.
Moira Smiley’s 2024 release, The Rhizome Project is described as a collection of folk songs that have the power to “invite a listener into a collection of ideas or feelings that make more sense when gathered together.” Smiley goes on to say, “The Rhizome Project celebrates all the powerful ways we are connected, though, like the rhizome roots, those connections may be hidden or forgotten.”
All quotes by Moira Smiley, sourced 02-02-26 by Concerts On The Hill from her website https://moirasmiley.com/
PRAISE FOR THE RHIZOME PROJECT
“a multifaceted work that includes a superb album with thoughtful lyrics and an accompanying book” - Angel Romero, World Music Central
“She has a liberated sound, no mist & clouds but an inner voice.” - John Apice, Americana Highways
“The Rhizome Project is organically profound, one of Smiley’s most exciting and ambitious endeavors in a career full of wondrous moments.” - Adriane Pontocarvo, PopMatters
GET A FEEL FOR THE RHIZOME PROJECT
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
MOIRA SMILEY
As a composer, Moira Smiley is known worldwide for choral arrangements like Bring Me Little Water, Silvy and originals, Stand in That River and How Can I Cry. She’s in demand as a commissioned composer, writing multi-movement pieces like Time In Our Voices and In The Desert With You for the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Vonnegut Requiem: Light Perpetual for Voces Novae, Loud My Soul for Ad Astra Festival and Headwaters for The Myrna Loy Theater. The European premiere of Time In Our Voices was performed by the voices and mobile phones of Ars Nova Copenhagen under the direction of Paul Hillier. In 2018-2019 Moira released the album and choral songbook, Unzip The Horizon as companion to her The Voice Is A Traveler solo show. She continues composing and improvising in collaboration with artists in film, video game production, theater and dance, and her work can be heard on feature film soundtracks, BBC & PBS television programs, NPR, and on more than 70 commercial albums. Upcoming premieres and current projects include Greta Sails for youth choir, Utopias for voices and strings, and a re-telling of Ovid’s tale of Narcissus for mobile phones and voices.
Learn more at https://moirasmiley.com/
RASA STRING QUARTET
The Boston-based Rasa String Quartet explores the musical space where classical and folk traditions intersect and influence one another.
They’ve earned top prizes at competitions including Chamber Music in Yellow Springs and the Associazione Europea di Musica e Comunicazione (Italy), and have performed at events like the Osaka International Chamber Music Competition, Celebrity Series of Boston, Rockport Music, and Newport Classical. Collaborators include renowned artists like Maeve Gilchrist, Liz Carroll, and Judy Collins.
Through performances, residencies, and collaborations across the country, Rasa delivers fresh, engaging programs that blend classical elegance with folk charm, celebrate global musical roots, and highlight underrepresented composers.
Find out more at rasastringquartet.com