About
Our mission is to bring people back in time--just for a little while-- through the power of music. How do we do that? For several years, we have been researching the sights and sounds of the late 18th century and have been faithfully recreating music, clothing, cosmetics, and hairstyles of the time period in order to give people a flavor of the 18th century. To even further bring our audience into the past, we use a combination of reproduction and original musical instruments, music books, accessories, and more. All of the clothing we wear is entirely correct to the era it is representing from the hand-sewn top and inside seams to the way the garments are tailored; some of our clothing even uses original or antique trims in order to best give an impression of our history.
Everything we make is carefully studied from extant garments in museums, online, and in our collections. The music we perform is straight from the original books in our collection which we bring to shows for our audience to see afterwards if they are so inclined. All of our living history demonstrations are meticulously researched and applied giving audiences a different glimpse into history. We offer a wide variety of living history demos regarding life in the late 18th century including tailoring and mantuamaking demos, ladies toilette demo featuring cosmetics made from 18th century recipes and shows the entire sequence of creating the gigantic hairstyles as well as getting dressed and talks on hygiene, historically accurate tarot readings (the readings are for entertainment purposes only), chamber music concerts, and drum and fife performances. Each of these demos has a combination of reproduction and antique items for the audience to examine; we're part concert, part character portrayal, part pop up history museum and we want to bring our delightful performances to your site!
Who We Are
Erik Lichack
Erik holds his BA in Music Education, with a concentration in harpsichord. His teachers include Gwendolyn Toth and Kenneth Hamrick. Originally a percussionist, he studied with Mitch Erwin and Barry Centanni. Erik researches, collects, and performs popular music from America and England during the last quarter of the 18th century. Also a researcher of Revolutionary War military music, he is the main contributor and co-author of Military Music of the American Revolution, which is now used by the West Point Band, and various living history groups.
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Erik has experience teaching music in private and public schools and has also worked at Fort Montgomery State Historic Site, assisting with educational programs from fourth grade student field trips to Army staff tours and demonstrations. He constructed the site's reproduction clothing for the interpretive staff, helped care for a colonial garden, and demonstrated eighteenth century music and crafts.
Photo by Denise Santalis
Eliza Vincz-Lichack
Eliza Vincz- Lichack holds her BA in art history from Rosemont College with a focus in the socio-economic aspects of fashion in late 18th century America and Europe. She applies her studies to recreate high fashions that started revolutions using the seeming mundane activities such as getting dressed and taking tea to highlight women's active place in politics. She is a mezzo-soprano who enjoys singing pieces from comic operas and popular music from the 18th century with passion. Using recipes from historical treatises on cosmetics and hair, Eliza busts myths on historical hygiene with humor and enthusiasm making history just a little easier to understand. Eliza is an actress who portrays various historical women such as Eliza Hamilton and Theda Bara to give a unique perspective on history not regularly considered. With elegant historical teas and dances, Eliza shares the sights, sounds, tastes, and scents of history bridging the gap between the past and the present.
Eliza has spent eight years working at the Library Company of Burlington running the children's STEAM and LEGO programs working with a children of all ages preparing them for a bright future.
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Eliza shares her knowledge, recipes, and humor on her blog SilkandSass1776.wordpress.com
Photo by Denise Santalis
Erik Paul
Erik Paul is a music educator, music theory tutor, and performing musician. His training includes work with the Western Australia Opera Company in Perth, Australia, The Fairfield Orchestra, The Orchestra of the Old Fairfield Academy, and the American Classical Orchestra. He performs regularly on baroque violin in the tri-state area as a member of The Ministers of Apollo ensemble.
His formal education began at the University of Connecticut (Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music, Bachelor of Science in Business Management), progressed to the University of Bridgeport (Masters of Science in Education), with post-graduate work at The Hartt School of Music where he received his Kodaly music education certificate. In the summer of 2012 he completed his 6th Year Masters in Music Education degree at Central Connecticut State University. He is a former adjunct professor of the University of Bridgeport where he taught Secondary Music Methods for eight years.
Mr. Paul's ensembles have performed at Carnegie Hall, in workshop and concert with the vocal ensemble Chanticleer, have traveled and performed in New York City, Boston, and Transylvania. He is a board member of the Connecticut American String Teachers Association, and on the advisory board of Music on the Hill in Weston.
He and his wife reside in a 1734 saltbox on a quaint New England town green. He enjoys woodworking and listening to Pandora.
New Jersey Field Music Group
Performing from 18th, 19th, and 20th century manuscripts and published sources, the New Jersey Field Music Group plays on antique and reproduction instruments to preserve the memory and music of our country’s military musicians. The corps incorporates fife, drum, and bugle, recreating ensembles of the American Revolution and the Civil War.
Parades and Concerts
Historical Society and Corporate Functions
Research and Lectures
Living History and Reenactment Events
Music Lessons