FARMINGTON — Donald Hovey, tenor, will present a concert of songs and arias as part of Farmington’s Nordica Centennial celebration.   The concert will take place at 2 p.m., Sunday, July 24, in Nordica Auditorium. Donald Hovey will be accompanied by his brother, David, at the piano.

The concert is designed as a tribute to Farmington’s famed soprano, Lillian Nordica.  It will feature songs and arias that are associated with Nordica’s brilliant career.  Mme. Nordica included many of these songs in her concert appearances.  She recorded a few of them between 1906 and 1911.  She sang some of them at her Farmington concert 100 years ago on August 17, 1911.  There will also be a performance of “Enduring Love,” published in 1890, the only song Nordica ever wrote.

The Hovey brothers are Farmington natives, the sons of Maurice and the late Beatrice Hovey.  Both men were educated in Farmington public schools, and each earned music education degrees from the Northern Conservatory of Music in Bangor.  Donald continued his education in Boston, earning a master of music degree in voice from the New England Conservatory.  David received his master of music degree in music education from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago.

Donald Hovey performed in operas, concerts, drama and musical theater throughout the greater Boston area for more than 25 years.  Since 2005 he has made his home in Chicago, where he studies vocal performance with David Edelfelt.  Donald Hovey appears regularly in the popular Serendipity programs at the Chicago Theater and the Pritzger Pavilion at Millennium Park.  He is tenor soloist at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Chicago.  He makes frequent appearances as part of Chicago’s lively cabaret scene.

  Growing up in Farmington gave Donald an early appreciation of Lillian Nordica, and he now calls this a lifelong interest.  He has acquired a collection of Nordica memorabilia, including original programs, autographed letters and photographs.  He is currently compiling a detailed record of Nordica’s opera and concert appearances.

Pianist David Hovey taught music in Maine for 35 years, the last 26 in Skowhegan where he still lives.  His school bands performed all over Maine, New England and New Brunswick, Canada.

Since retirement, David Hovey has gone back to his roots and participates in several musical groups in Central Maine, performing a wide range of music from jazz to church music (with his Dad every Sunday morning.)  Since 2006 he has played in the Pit Orchestra at the Lakewood Theatre and is currently the director and president of the ANAH Shrine Band in Bangor.

Admission to the concert will be by donation.