Boyd Meets Girl at Shelter Island Friends of Music Concert

Shelter Island Friends of Music (SIFM) hosts the popular, much-streamed duo Boyd Meets Girl, featuring Rupert Boyd (guitar) and Laura Metcalf (cello), on Sunday, May 28, at 7 p.m. at the Shelter Island Presbyterian Church. The program will include the works of Schubert, Villa-Lobos, Debussy, Lennon/McCartney, Bach, Messiaen, and others.

Australian-born Boyd is a classically trained guitarist and Metcalf, his cellist wife, is a sought-after chamber musician and collaborator, drawn to projects that “push boundaries and expand the definition of classical chamber music.”

Their two studio albums have been streamed over three million times on Spotify alone. The couple tours worldwide, and in the U.S. they’ve appeared at Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts in Westchester County, Festival Napa Valley, the Morgan Library, Moab Music Festival, Newport Classical and many more venues.

The duo arranges much of their repertoire themselves, drawing inspiration from artists across all genres. They talk about the music from the stage, creating a conversational concert experience that breaks down boundaries not only between musical genres but between musician and audience. They are the artistic directors of the Sunday morning concert series, GatherNYC. On the morning of the Shelter Island concert, the duo will join members of the New York Philharmonic for GatherNYC’s season finale.

The couple, based in New York City, has Shelter Island ties. They came for a “mini-moon” to unwind after their September 2015 wedding.

“We have amazing memories of lazy days spent wandering the island, lying on the beach, playing mini-golf and enjoying the brewery,” Metcalf said. “It was such a relaxed and wonderful time.”

Boyd and Metcalf have a four-year-old son, Milo, who will accompany them to Shelter Island on Memorial Day weekend. According to his mom, Milo is “an intrepid traveler and always up for adventure!”

This is the third concert of the SIFM’s 46th consecutive season. There is no admission fee, but donations are always appreciated. A reception with the musicians follows the concert.

Shelter Island Presbyterian Church is at 32 North Ferry Road (Route 114), Shelter Island. For more information, visit shelterislandfriendsofmusic.org.