Behind the political drama of the early American republic stood a circle of brilliant and influential women who shaped the nation’s cultural life through their intellect, taste, and artistic patronage. Leading Ladies of Liberty explores the musical lives of figures such as Martha Jefferson Randolph, an accomplished keyboard player who helped shape the musical life of Monticello; Dolley Madison, whose celebrated Washington gatherings reflected the cultural refinements expected of the new capital; and Elizabeth Monroe, whose years in France exposed her to the fashionable artistic traditions she later helped introduce to American society.

In this America 250 anniversary year, the program highlights the musical traditions of early American society and the important role music played in the salons and parlors where conversation, culture, and identity helped define the young republic. Through songs and instrumental works of the period, the concert offers a glimpse into the musical world of America’s founding generation.

The performance features soprano Elissa Edwards, Artist-in-Residence at the Hammond-Harwood House Museum, joined by Wade Davis, cello, a featured soloist and chamber musician with many of the region’s leading early music ensembles, and John Stowe, organ, former Professor of Organ and Harpsichord at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.