College's Focus on Faculty concert to feature Avalon duo plus alumnus

Juliet Forshaw, a member of the SUNY Oswego music faculty, will appear in concert Sunday, April 14, with duo partner Michael Judge and bassist and 2012 Oswego alumnus Taylor Ricks to perform "Living on Faith" and other original songs of "sharing your life with another person."

The Focus on Faculty presentation, titled "Juliet Forshaw & Friends," will take place at 3 p.m. in Sheldon Hall ballroom.

The performance will feature original songs written by Forshaw and Judge, who perform regionally under the name Avalon.

"Michael and I will start the show with three songs: 'Just a Melody,' 'Rapture in the Rain,' and 'Make It Real,'" Forshaw said. "After Taylor joins us for the next song, 'The Session,' he will perform two of his own songs on guitar. Then, the three of us will round out the show with 'Love Among the Ruins,' 'Sleeping Double,' 'Night Boss' and 'Living on Faith.'"

Forshaw said the last four songs are of particular interest to Avalon. "Many of our songs describe romantic partners in unanticipated situations: whether the world's falling apart around you, or you're falling out of bed because it's too small, or you finish work only to discover that you'll be doing the 'night shift' at home," she said. "From the big challenges to the everyday annoyances, sharing your life with another person means 'Living on Faith.'"

Avalon, an acoustic duo based in Oswego, performs original music that blends folk, classical and musical theater styles. Their lyrics explore the highs and lows of life through myth and fable. Their debut CD "Avalon" was released in 2017. Their second album, "My Evil Plan," is slated for release in summer 2019.

The duo has performed at area venues and festivals such as the Buzz Café and Funk 'n' Waffles in Syracuse, the Wooden-Apple Farmstead in Palermo, Porchfest in Oswego, the Peony Festival in Baldwinsville, the Rockland Music Festival in North Rose, Unity Hall in Barneveld and the Hook Songwriter Series at Oswego Music Hall.

When they are not writing and performing, Judge directs the Open Mic Friday series at Oswego Music Hall and Forshaw -- who has a doctorate in historical musicology from Columbia University -- teaches music history and literature courses at SUNY Oswego.

Tickets are $8 ($5 for SUNY Oswego students) and will be available at the door. For more information, call 315-312-2130.

Parking is included in the price of a ticket and is available for the concert in the employee lot in front of Culkin Hall and the employee and commuter lots behind Hart and Funnelle residence halls.