Singer-songwriter Emilia Dahlia

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Portland singer-songwriter Emilia Dahlia performs as part of Bates College's Noonday Concert Series, which take place nearly every Tuesday during the academic year.
Dahlin is acclaimed for her storytelling ability and her distinctive, powerful voice. Her songs incorporate topics from "Greek myths, robotic messiahs, epic floods and tax evaders" presented in a distinctive folk-jazz style, according to her website.

A New England resident from birth, she now resides in Portland, where she was voted "Best Female Vocalist" three years in a row from 2005 through 2007 and "Best Singer/Songwriter of 2006" by readers of the Portland Phoenix.
The Noonday series is designed "to offer a short, entertaining and high-quality performance to members of the campus and the Lewiston-Auburn community as a gateway to our other performances, programs and educational opportunities," explains concert hall manager Seth Warner.

The series frequently presents artists affiliated with Bates, including students, faculty members and staff. Frank Glazer, one of Maine's most prominent pianists and a Bates artist in residence, is a regular in the series. But guest artists, coming from as far afield as southern New England, appear often. If classical and jazz are emphasized, Warner's ears are open to any style of music that his audience will enjoy.

"It is not common, even in larger metropolitan settings, that a listener can experience this sort of quality and variety at midday in a space with beautiful acoustics," he adds. In addition to music in diverse genres, the Noonday series has offered dance, video presentations and once, a demonstration of the inner workings of a piano.