Off the Bench: Songs from the Pianist Perspective, the third concert of the Shores of Song Festival, centers the pianist perspective in art song, inviting the audience to enjoy the multi-talented collaborators who perform with vocalists from the piano bench. Fourth Coast Ensemble singers perform pieces programmed by four guest pianists: John Bitoy, Alan Darling, Yasuko Oura, and Marianne Parker. The four pianists each select 20 minutes of songs that are meaningful, important, or interesting to them, and join a discussion hosted by Oliver Camacho (WFMT).

The concert duration is 2 hours and includes a 10 minute intermission. Audience members are invited to join the artists for a complimentary reception following the performance.