Arts
Barn
Music
House Concerts and Home Music Studio
About us
What is a House Concert?
If you have never been to a House Concert, you are missing out on a great musical experience! It is a chance to meet and hear performers up close and personal in a warm, intimate space. A House Concert is an invitation-only music performance in someone’s home, attended by the host’s friends and neighbors, and on occasion, fans of the artist(s) performing. It is NOT a business, and hosts do not profit from the event. Traditionally, artists are paid by a suggested donation requested of each guest.
I host house concerts because I love music, especially acoustic guitar music, and I want to share that joy of music with others. It gives me great pleasure to see a room full of folks captivated by music and enjoying themselves and each other’s company. This is also a very important way to help support independent artists and to give them another avenue to introduce new music and to make new fans.
FAQs:
Q. How do I find out about upcoming concerts?
A. Click here to see upcoming events!
Come back here often to check out what is coming up. I also provide an emailing list. If you would like to be on that list, please click here.
Q. Are these concerts free?
A. Yes, they are technically free and you do not have to pay anything to attend, but a suggested donation (usually 25.00 per guest) is requested. You are welcome to contribute what you can. 100% of the money collected goes directly to the artist(s) in support of their work.
Q. Is this a public event?
A. No. This is a private event by invitation only. You must request a reservation to attend. Click here to make a reservation.
Q. Where are you located?
A. We are located in the historic district in the Town of Herndon, VA. Directions will be provided in your reservation confirmation.
Q. How long is the House Concert?
A. Most House Concerts generally consist of two 45 minute sets with an intermission.
Q. Is there food and/or drink available?
A. I do provide a complimentary selection of beers, wine and bottled water. I also provide some lite snacks. Guests are welcome to bring their own beverages and are encouraged to bring a dish of something savory or sweet to share during the break.
Q. Is the House Concert handicap accessible?
A. Unfortunately it is not. The House Concerts are held on the second floor of the barn and you must be able to climb stairs for access.
Q. Where do I park?
A. Parking is available on Center St., a half block from the barn and the municipal parking lot on Station St., a block and a half from the barn.
***Unlike going to a bar or a party, this is a “listening event” and guests are requested to silence their phones and refrain from talking with their seatmates during the performance. You are welcome to come early and stay after the concert to mix and mingle and there will be an intermission between sets.
***This is a smoke-free environment. Please respect my request not to smoke or vape inside OR outside the barn!
Fri, Mar 13, 7:00 PM
David Jacobs-Strain and Bob Beach
We are welcoming David and Bob back for a second time!
David Jacobs-Strain is a fierce slide guitar player, and a song poet from Oregon. He is known for both his virtuosity and spirit of emotional abandon. David displays a range that ties him to his own generation and to guitar-slinger troubadours like Robert Johnson and Jackson Browne.
“I try to make art that you can dance to, but I love that darker place, where in my mind, Skip James, Nick Drake, and maybe Elliot Smith blur together.” — David Jacobs-Strain
David tours with Bob Beach on Harmonica. Their live show moves from humorous, subversive blues, to delicate balladry, and then swings back to swampy rock and roll.
David & Bob have performed many times at music festivals and taught at camps around the country to include: Philadelphia Folk Festival, Juan de Fuca, Strawberry Music Festival, Redding Roots, Bear Creek, Falcon Ridge and Kate Wolf.
Sat, April 18, 7:00 PM
James Kirby
Award-winning singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist James Kirby has built a devoted international following, captivating audiences across the globe with his distinctive blend of Celtic, folk, pop, and blues influences.
Celebrated for his remarkable acoustic guitar work, James weaves together intricate fingerstyle, soulful slide, and percussive rhythms — often transforming the guitar into an entire band, carrying melody, harmony, and rhythm all at once.
From energetic, fast-paced instrumentals to heartfelt, melodic ballads, his performances highlight not only his virtuosic technique but also his warm, emotive vocals and deep connection to every song he performs.
His forthcoming album, Breathe, pushes creative boundaries while exploring themes of renewal, movement, and human connection.
James will tour Breathe throughout 2026, sharing his spellbinding live show — and his unmistakable union of voice and guitar artistry — with audiences around the world.
Fri, May 8, 7:00 PM
Trio LoCo
Guitarist Matt Trimboli attended the Berklee College of Music and received his BA in jazz performance from William Paterson University in his native New Jersey where he studied with Vic Juris, Bucky Pizzarelli, Rufus Reid, and David Berger among other renowned faculty. After gigging in the NYC area for several years, including a 2-year engagement with Grammy winner Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks on guitar and tenor banjo, he moved to Northern Virginia where he freelances on guitar, bass, and banjo in jazz combos, big bands and theater orchestras.
Dan Perriello is a born drummer. When his parents couldn’t afford a drum set or lessons, Dan began air drumming with chopsticks – reading, watching and listening to everything he could to teach himself drums. Finally acquiring a vintage Rogers set two agonizing years later, he joined his first band and played his first gig within months. In the more than 30 years since, Dan has performed with countless top Washington, DC musicians at major venues such as the 9:30 Club, HFStival, and Nationals Park, opening for acts ranging from Andrew WK and Gavin DeGraw to comedian Bob Sagat.
Bassist Eugenio Ibarz was born in Barcelona (Spain). He learned classical guitar, and then transitioned to jazz guitar. In the 90’s he was a freelance guitar player and teacher, giving lessons and playing electric guitar and electric bass in different bands. Eugenio moved to the U.S. in 2002, where he taught guitar for a few years, learned the upright bass with Pepe González in DC, and has been performing actively in duos and jazz groups in the DMV area since 2018.