"No ordinary house concert series." We enjoy music that makes us dance as much as we get moved by music that makes us dream and reflect. We enjoy jazz concerts on Saturday nights as much as classical concerts on Sunday afternoons.
We relish the company of friends who share our love for live music and stay around for conversations and a drink. We love to come together on special occasions, to celebrate the seasons, and to help special causes. |
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Contact address: Live.on.Amaranta@gmail.com. |
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Past concerts: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021. |
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| We don't have any further concerts scheduled for now. |
Past house concerts
| Fri, 4/22/22, 8:00pm | Mystical Joyride
Psychedelic pop for our times with the most fun show |
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| Fri, 1/14/22, 8:00pm | Jaeger & Reid
Contemporary acoustic folk/americana duo |
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| Fri, 12/10/21, 8:00pm | Luminance
An original blend of folk and jazz |
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| Sat, 11/20/21, 8:00pm | Kevin Quinn and Dave Nachmanoff
Beautiful indie-folk songs |
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| Fri, 10/1/21, 8:00pm | Rupert Wates
A balladeer with inspiring songs and superb storytelling |
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| Fri, 12/11/20, 7:30pm | Barnaby Bright
Atmospheric indie rock and folk (online) |
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| Sun, 11/1/20, 5:00pm | The Riverside
Melodic and harmony-driven folk (online) |
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| Sun, 10/4/20, 4:00pm | Dave Rocha Jazz Quartet
Eclectic mix of jazz standards and original compositions (online) |
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| Sat, 2/22/20, 8:00pm | Michelle Malone
Badass guitar slinger and sweet songstress (100th house concert at LoA) |
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| Sun, 2/9/20, 8:00pm | New World String Project
An exciting weave of music rooted in the Celtic, Nordic and American folk traditions |
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| Sun, 1/19/20, 4:30pm | Friedrich Edelmann, Rebecca Rust, Dmitriy Cogan
Classical music that will transport you to places - Bach, Beethoven, Barber, Brahms, ... |
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| Fri, 1/10/20, 8:00pm | Trinity Alps Chamber Music Festival
Midwinter Beethoven concert |
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| Fri, 12/13/19, 8:00pm | Noe Venable
Lyrical songs of ethereal beauty, |
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| Sat, 11/2/19, 8:00pm | Max Hatt / Edda Glass
Brazilian voice and jazz guitar |
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| Fri, 9/5/19, 8:00pm | Barnaby Bright
Atmospheric indie rock and folk |
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| Fri, 9/20/19, 8:00pm | Ella Harp
Intimate vocals over blues-tinged bass lines and drones |
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| Fri, 8/16/19, 8:00pm | Robert Everest
The world on seven strings |
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| Thu, 6/27/19, 8:00pm | Fellow Pynins
Spellbinding contemporary American folk |
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| Sat, 5/25/19, 8:00pm | Viktorija Gečytė with Gene Perla Trio
A class act with jazz standards and original compositions (90th house concert at LoA) |
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| Sun, 3/31/19, 4:30pm | Heidi Burson
A voice with power and intensity |
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| Sun, 3/10/19, 4:30pm | The Florestan Trio
One of Oregon’s musical treasures |
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| Sun, 1/20/19, 4:30pm | Yuri Liberzon
A virtuoso on the classical guitar |
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| Thu, 12/6/18, 8pm | Legends of the Celtic Harp
A dramatic musical journey with captivating instruments and magical stories |
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| Sun, 11/18/18, 8pm | Alex Wong and Megan Slankard
Haunting and enticing soundscapes |
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| Thu, 10/4/18, 8pm | Beth Wood
A modern-day troubadour with an exceptional voice and many songs of joy |
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| Sat, 9/15/18, 8pm | Kristin Center
A superb vocalist and pianist with thought-provoking messages |
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| Fri, 8/10/18, 8pm | Rupert Wates
A balladeer with inspiring songs and superb storytelling |
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| Sun, 7/29/15, 4pm | Gloria Chien, Adela Hyeyeon Park, and Dmitri Atapine
Classical music benefit concert for the Cure GM1 Foundation |
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| Sat, 7/21/18, 8pm | Kira Hooks
Eclectic music that ranges from playful to provocative (80th house concert at LoA) |
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| Fri, 6/29/18, 8pm | Solomon Gottfried Quartet
Jazz improvisation with standards and original compositions |
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| Fri, 5/4/18, 8pm | Malynda Hale
Pop and soul that spreads positivity and love |
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| Sun, 4/8/18, 8pm | Kathryn Claire
Folk songs of hope and heartbreak |
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| Thu, 3/8/18, 8pm | Friedrich Edelmann, Rebecca Rust, Janet Guggenheim
Classical music that will transport you to places |
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| Sun, 2/4/18, 4pm | ATB Trio (Luminance Ensemble)
An original blend of folk and jazz |
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| Sat, 12/9/17, 8pm | NUVO Chamber Quartet
Jazz re-interpretations of classic songs |
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| Fri, 11/10/17, 8pm | Annalise Emerick
A beautiful blend of folk, country, and a bit of pop |
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| Thu, 11/2/17, 7:30pm | Kid Beyond
Beat boxing and powerful lyrical hip-hop, hosted on behalf of the Zoo Labs incubator |
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| Fri, 10/20/17, 8pm | Katie Haverly
Music flooded with ethereal moodscapes and gritty sensuality |
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| Thu, 7/27/17, 8pm | Mele'uhane
Hawaiian artists celebrating their unique culture (70th house concert at LoA)
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| Fri, 5/26/17, 8pm | Trio Balkan Strings
Incomparable guitar trio performing Balkan fusion |
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| Sun, 4/30/17, 8pm | Kelley McRae
Beautiful Americana with stunning vocals |
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| Sun, 3/19/17, 8pm | Mark Lemaire
Exceptional finger-style guitar |
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| Sun, 1/29/17, 8pm | Tim and Myles Thompson
Americana-Jazz duo, amazing virtuosos |
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| Sat, 12/17/16, 8pm | Noe Venable
Lyrical songs of ethereal beauty |
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| Sun, 11/27/16, 3pm | Laurie Lewis and the Right Hands
Bluegrass with some of the pre-eminent artists of our time |
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| Sat, 9/24/16, 8pm | Dirty Cello
Down home blues and foot stompin' bluegrass |
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| Fri, 7/29/16, 8pm | Mele'uhane
Hawaiian artists celebrating their unique culture |
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| Mon, 7/4/16, 5pm | Claudia Russell and Bruce Kaplan
Americana woven from blues, country, pop, and Western swing; also, we'll have a Fourth of July BBQ party! |
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| Fri, 6/17/16, 8pm | Rupert Wates
Acoustic, melodic art/folk - haunting songs that ring true (60th house concert at LoA) |
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| Sat, 4/23/16, 8pm | Jaspar Lepak
Remarkable melody only surpassed by her poetry |
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| Sun, 4/10/16, 8pm | PJ Brunson
Eclectic and refreshingly memorable, meaningful and fun |
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| Sat, 1/23/16, 8pm | Chasing Lovely
A blend of folk-pop, rock, and soul |
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| Sat, 12/5/15, 8pm | Ensemble San Francisco
Accomplished chamber musicians dedicated to fresh programming |
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| Fri, 10/30/15, 8pm | Sabrina & Craig
An entertaining evening of spirit, wit, and songs |
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| Thu, 10/8/15, 8pm | [novox]
International touring Jazz Funk septet from France |
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| Sat, 9/12/15, 8pm | Susan Enan
With roots in Woody Guthrie, singing from 100,000 miles of travel to 18 countries |
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| Sat, 8/22/15, 8pm | Hans York
Playing from the vulnerability of a singer-songwriter and the grandeur of a progressive rocker |
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| Sun, 8/2/15, 8pm | Gloria Chien, Adela Hyeyeon Park, Andrea Segar (and Dmitri Atapine)
Classical music benefit concert for the Cure GM1 Foundation |
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| Sat, 7/18/15, 8pm | Axel Mansoor
Playing from the vulnerability of a singer-songwriter and the grandeur of a progressive rocker (50th house concert at LoA) |
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| Fri, 5/15/15, 8pm | Dan O’Sullivan
Personal yet universal songs, presented with passion and precision |
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| Sat, 4/11/15, 8pm | Otter Creek
Bluegrass with virtuosic instrumentals, adept songwriting, and visionary arrangements |
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| Sat, 3/14/15, 8pm | Kendra McKinley
A blending of bossa nova, Tin Pan Alley, and 1960s chamber pop |
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| Fri, 1/16/15, 8pm | Dan Frechette & Laurel Thomsen
Dynamic duo of violin, guitar, vocals, and many other talents |
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| Fri, 12/12/14, 8pm | StringQuake
Electrifying trio inspired by music traditions from every corner of the world |
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| Wed, 10/15/14, 7:15pm | Bear Stevens
Acoustic mix of sweet southern boy and witty lyrical fun |
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| Fri, 8/8/14, 8pm | Matt Simons
Melancholic yet uplifting songs from a Palo Alto native |
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| Sat, 5/10/14, 8pm | Claude Bourbon
Amazing French fingerpicking virtuoso and his medieval guitar |
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| Fri, 3/14/14, 8pm | Resonance Jazz Ensemble
Bay Area Jazz octet with jazz and classical roots |
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| Fri, 12/13/13, 8pm | Women of Windham Hill
Winter Solstice Concert, for our annual holiday concert (40th house concert at LoA) |
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| Fri, 11/8/13, 8pm | Ian McFeron and Alisa Milner
Alt-folk, Americana |
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| Sun, 10/27/13, 8pm | Tim and Myles Thompson
Americana-Jazz duo, amazing virtuosos |
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| Sat, 9/28/13, 8pm | David Nigel Lloyd
Contemporized Celtic music and stories |
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| Sat, 8/3/13, 8pm | Jacqueline Schwab
Piano with feeling and intensity |
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| Fri, 5/17/13, 8pm | Sasha Launer
Flute and piano recital, from Bach to Copland |
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| Fri, 4/26/13, 8pm | Bill & Kate Isles
From metaphorical worlds to small town family stories to zany comedy |
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| Fri, 4/5/13, 8pm | Laura Wayte, Jerry Simas, Laura Dahl Chamber music with soprano, clarinet, piano |
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| Fri, 3/8/13, 8pm | Doug MacLeod
Master of original acoustic blues |
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| Fri, 1/18/13, 8pm | Barnaby Bright
Atmospheric indie rock and folk Also Alex Wong |
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| Sun, 12/16/12, 8pm | Vinx
A classic R&B voice over a boisterous percussion troupe (30th house concert at LoA) |
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| Sun, 10/14/12, 8pm | Bettman & Halpin
Irresistible lyrics, transcendent harmonies, and roof-raising instrumentals |
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| Fri, 9/21/12, 6:30pm | Silvia & Maik Göpel
Liederabend für Erwachsene |
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| Fri, 8/24/12, 8pm | Sarah Peacock
A powerhouse pop country vocalist |
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| Sat, 8/11/12, 5pm | Sonya Jason, Sax Trigress
Heike and Markus' 50th birthdays party |
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| Thu, 6/28/12, 6pm | Fran Snyder
Dinner and a Song |
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| Sat, 5/12/12, 8pm | Adler & Hearne
Folk, poetic, harmonious songs, airy, bluegrass-inspired arrangements |
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| Fri, 3/16/12, 8pm | Red Eye Express Benefit concert for Medical Brigades of Foothill College |
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| Sun, 3/11/12, 8pm | Stuart Michael Burns
Some of the oldest country blues and personal songs about life on the Texas coast |
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| Sat, 2/18/12, 8pm | Dana Hubbard
Blues guitar slinger and raconteur |
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| Sat, 1/14/12, 8pm | Hans York
German, Brazilian, and American roots (20th house concert at LoA) |
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| Sun, 12/18/11, 4pm | Women of Windham Hill
Winter Solstice Concert, for our annual holiday concert |
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| Sat, 11/12/11, 8pm | Jefferson Fox
Blues and lyrics from the road |
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| Sun, 10/16/11, 8pm | Neely
"The voice of Daughtry, the heart of Evanescence, and the guitars of 3 Doors Down" |
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| Sun, 9/18/11, 8pm | Thollem McDonas
A masterful pianist that stretches your understanding of music |
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| Fri, 8/26/11, 8pm | Beth Wood
Soulful, organic, free-range, barefoot music |
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| Mon, 7/4/11, 3/5pm | Ali Handal
A 4th of July party with barbecue and an American rock concert Video of note (scroll down) |
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| Sat, 4/9/11, 8pm | Sabrina & Craig
An entertaining evening of spirit, wit, and songs |
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| Sun, 3/13/11, 4pm | Annie Moscow
Songs you probably can relate to ... |
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| Sun, 1/23/11, 4pm | Richard Gilewitz
A fantastic guitar player and story teller |
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| Sat, 12/18/10, 8pm | Patrick Ball
Holiday concert, "Celtic Harp & Story" (10th house concert at LoA) |
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| Fri, 11/12/10, 8pm | Katie Costello, Joey Ryan & Kenneth Pattengale |   |
| Sat, 10/23/10, 8pm | Fran Snyder
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| Sun, 8/29/10, 8pm | Pi Jacobs with Paul Eastburn & Brian Rodvien |
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| Sat, 6/12/10, 8pm | Jack Stafford |  |
| Sat, 5/1/10, 8pm | Rick Glaze with Mari Aranoff |
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| Sat, 4/3/10, 8pm | Greg Holden, Katie Costello, & Ian Axel |
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| Sun, 12/6/09, 4pm | Lisa Lynne & Aryeh Frankfurter
Holiday concert. |
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| Sun, 11/8/09, 4pm | Sue Carney |  |
| Sun, 2/1/09, 4pm | Norine Chang with Melissa Lin |
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Testimonials from artists
January, 2022 - "Wow! Markus and Heike are welcoming and gracious hosts. All communication was clear and well handled. The room is beautiful and sonically lovely. There was a solid turnout, despite covid still being present. Money collection was well handled by Markus and he reminded folks about our CD. People willingly sang along; they were passionate, friendly and engaged and gave us a standing ovation. We are honored that Markus and Heike shared their audience with us." - Jaeger & Reid
October, 2021 - "One of the best house concerts going, anywhere ." - Rupert Wates, LRN Artist Of The Year 2013/2016
November, 2019 - "Wow, Markus and Heike sure know a spectacular group of music lovers! A crowd of 60 or more concert goers were so kind as to give us a standing O. The house has a sense of space and place with its modernist architecture complete with giant Calderesque mobile — wonderful atmosphere for a concert, reminiscent of an museum or concert hall. All production/promotion/communication/hospitality/collection fastidiously organized and effected." - Max Hatt Edda Glass
April, 2019 - "This show was incredible for me! Markus and Heike are stellar hosts offering me a beautiful room in their gorgeous house both the night before and after my show. They literally gave me a key to their castle and made me feel like part of the family: It was a great turnout with attentive, kind and generous friends who listened, were moved and made me feel so welcome. Being halfway through my tour on the other side of the country I needed that comfortable bed and beautiful piano to play!" - Heidi Burson
August, 2018 - "One of my favorite gigs anywhere, Live On Amaranta is a delight. The Fromherz living room is full of light and acoustically perfect. It even includes a grand piano, played by Markus himself, and for shows, a small lighting rig to add color and atmosphere. Markus and Heike have been running his series for ten years, and have built up a regular and loyal following. Attendance is usually in the high thirties and the crowd is attentive, musical and generous. House concerts don't come better than this." - Rupert Wates
July, 2018 - "Markus and Heike are so wonderful. Upon meeting them, I felt very welcomed. They had worked so hard to set up the space, invite people, and get to know me. I had been emailing with Markus from the start, and he was very communicative and clear. Jeff and I were honored to be part of his 80th house show! Their friends were so cool and generous, too. On a side note, we were impressed by their artwork and the architecture of their home! The sound was great and performing there was a real treat." - Kira Hooks
May, 2018 - "This was by far one of my favorite concert experiences. I felt so blessed and honored to be in such a beautiful home performing for such an attentive crowd! Markus and his wife Heike were so kind and loving and welcoming and I would absolutely love to come back and perform there again. A great place for artists!" - Malynda Hale
March, 2018 - "This [is] a beautiful modern home in the heart of Silicon Valley. Markus is an amiable host and has put together a large, eclectic group of very nice people who are there to listen. Enjoy the space, the food and the beautiful art!" - Claudia Russell and Bruce Kaplan
December 2017 - "Performing at the Live at Amaranta concert series was a remarkable experience for me. Having played at both major jazz venues and sacred settings, the level of listening was really more like the latter. There was even one piece that was 15 minutes long and somewhat out of context with the rest of the program, yet the audience was so engaged that the quartet played it better than any other performance to date. Long Live Amaranta!" - Michael Smolens, NUVO Chamber Quartet
December, 2017 - "This is a great California series. The room was packed, everyone was very generous with merch and donations. The crowd was a joy to play for, extremely engaged and laughing at all my jokes. Hope to play again!" - Annalise Emerick
October, 2017 - "Markus and Heike were tremendous hosts! I was in heaven playing their beautiful grand piano in their main room with the sound being much like a church or cathedral. Incredibly beautiful tones in that space you can create. The audience was large, warm and very generous. I felt very comfortable sharing my music with these kind music lovers. Honestly a very magical evening for me, I cannot thank Markus and Heike enough for their generosity and kindess!" - Katie Haverly
December, 2016 - "Markus and Heike really made us feel at home! Live at Amaranta was, truly, a most beautiful venue and drew a very appreciative crowd. We were honored and inspired to continue writing and touring our original music. Can't wait for a return visit to Palo Alto and to Amaranta! Many Blessings to our superb hosts!" - Mele'uhane
June, 2016 - "This is a fantastic gig. The Fromherz' main room is a magnificent space, full of light and beautiful things, and it makes for a natural auditorium. Markus adds a small lighting rig as the finishing touch. Every element of the evening is treated with care and consideration. Markus draws on a wide and regular audience pool to guarantee a full house, and everyone is very kind and engaged. House concerts don't come any better than this." - Rupert Wates
May, 2016 - "What a tremendous evening! Markus and Heike spoiled us with their graciousness, generosity, and attention to detail. Markus was easy to communicate with before the show, and when we arrived, we were stunned by the gorgeous entertaining space and wonderful acoustics. The audience was so friendly, sociable, and receptive, about 40 in attendance. Markus and Heike were attentive hosts all evening, and Markus was a first class master of ceremonies. We feel lucky to have played at Live on Amaranta!" - Jaspar Lepak
April, 2016 - "What an incredible experience at Live on Amaranta! Markus has obviously got this down to perfection. The house and grand piano were gorgeous. The audience was the best I have ever played for. And his communication was always prompt and spot on. I had read the other reviews and wondered if they were at all exaggerated. Trust me. They were not. This was by far the most amazing performance experience I have ever had. Thank you, Markus and Heike. You and your friends were awesome!" - PJ Brunson
February, 2016 - "This is a fantastic series. Beautiful location and wonderful hosts. Can't wait to get back!" - Susan Enan
January, 2016 - "Consider yourself lucky if you have the chance to perform at Live on Amaranta! Markus and Heike were wonderful hosts and their home is not only beautiful, but the perfect setting for a house concert. The acoustics were phenomenal - perfect to go unplugged. Great turnout, wonderful listening environment with an engaged and generous audience. We can't wait to come back to Palo Alto!" - Chasing Lovely
November, 2015 - "Markus was a very gracious host. Quite a diverse crowd of folks from different parts of the world living in Palo Alto, Ca. Very appreciative, enthusiastic, music loving crowd. Great hospitality. We look forward to returning." - Tim and Myles Thompson
May, 2015 - "This was a GREAT gig!! Markus and Heike have a beautiful home. Their living room is large with very high ceilings providing a very pleasing and comfortable sonic environment to perform in. For my concert there were 50 gracious guests [...] who listened attentively and participated in my show, including musicians and music fans interested in talking shop during the breaks. I spent the night in their guest room which was very modern and comfortable. I enjoyed it immensely." - Dan O'Sullivan
January, 2015 - "This house concert experience was incredible. The audience was very engaged. The house was very classy and had amazing acoustics. All the details of the booking were handled well in advance and the entire experience was top notch. Highly recommended!" - Dan Frechette & Laurel Thomsen
November, 2013 - "Clearly experienced hosts, Markus and Heike put on a wonderful Friday night concert in their lovely, modern-style home. We enjoyed looking at the beautiful and varied collection of modern art which adorns their walls like a professional art gallery, and we had a great time getting to know them both over dinner as well. The audience of 25+ was very attentive and supportive, and the room sounded absolutely fantastic. We'd love to do it again!" - Ian McFeron
October, 2013 - "Markus & Heike were charming and fascinating hosts. Their friends were very generous, speaking highly of my songs and stories. Negotiations with Markus, which took over a year, were simple, straightforward and to the point. Very comfy guest room and good food. We were well-taken care of." - David Nigel Lloyd
April, 2013 - "What a beautiful evening! Markus and his family were wonderful hosts. Their home provides a wonderful setting for creativity and their hospitality is first rate. Thank you, Markus, for supporting independent musicians!" - Vinx
March, 2012 - "Great house concert! Beautiful room with wonderful acoustics. This was the most international house concert I've played yet, with folks from around the world. Very enjoyable!" - Dana Hubbard
March, 2012 - "Markus and Heike were warm and helpful. The acoustics were remarkable. Not only was my PA unnecesary, it would have gotten in the way. The slightest touch on the guitar carried to the furthest corner of the big room. My voice carried as if we were all in the shower together. Money was collected in a lock box which the host handed me with the key! Attentive audience. Recommend." - Stuart Michael Burns
December, 2011 - "If ever there were a room where acoustics are like a "modern Cathedral," and the Hosts were opened armed with great accommodations, and the listeners were kind and generous beyond measure--then you've surely found yourself at Live on Amaranta!" - Jeremy Neely
December, 2011 - "Great people. Wonderful accommodations. All communication around the performance was great. The room where I performed was beautiful - totally set up for a concert, and a special bonus for me was that they had a wonderful grand piano. The entire house was spectacular, actually. There was a good-sized audience, all completely engaged." - Annie Moscow
October, 2011 - "Markus and family were very accommodating, and they have a beautiful, very modern place for their house concerts. Well suited for upscale events and classical music too." - Fran Snyder
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