Making her Bermuda concert debut this weekend is a young American singer, Ms Christina Thaxton-Li.

Besides featuring music by Mozart, Handel, Bach and Faure, the programme will include original songs written by Christina and her husband and fellow musician, Mr. Charles Li.

For the first half of the concert, she will be accompanied by colleague, Ms Mary Eileen Marie on the piano, as well as her husband. Also making its debut will be the Grace Unfolding Band, an eclectic group of musicians, led by guitarist Mr. David Skinner, who will accompany Mrs. Li for the second half of the bill.

Included in the concert which takes place at the Peace Lutheran Church in Paget, will be the lovely aria, "My Heart Ever Faithful'' by Bach, the "Exsultate, jubilate'' from the Mozart Motet, and "Come unto Him, all ye that labour'', from Handel's "Messiah''. She last sang this aria while she was at university for a special anniversary performance of the great work. She will also include three religious songs by the American composer, Samuel Barber and two German lieder by Wolf.

"I really love the music of Barber,'' she says. "There is such an innocence in his music, especially the `Sure on This Shining Night', which is my opening number.'' She is presently teaching Kindermusik (which introduces children as young as 18 months to music) for the Dunbarton School of Music. Mrs. Thaxton-Li, who is a lyric soprano, obtained her degree in Vocal Performance from the Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. She has a Masters degree in the teaching of English as a second subject, in which she specialised in the use of music as a medium in teaching English. She is also qualified to teach beginner trumpet.

Mrs. Li has been a featured soloist in the last three annual Summer Gospel Festivals in Illinois. Since her arrival here she has sang at the Heritage Concert given by the Professional Business Women of Bermuda, and she and her husband have entertained the residents of Westmeath, the home for senior citizens.

She says she began performing as a very small child, when her grandmother would put her in front of the congregation to sing at church, "and I've been singing ever since!'' Music as a career was really an accident, however. "I was going to do psychology, but I found I missed music so much that I took voice lessons. But if you do voice, it has to be at least a minor, so I ended up switching completely, and doing my minor in psychology. I never dreamt I could earn my living by teaching music.'' She finds the teaching of very young children especially fascinating, and gratifying to see how it improves their overall learning abilities.

"We concentrate on motor skills -- doing large and small movements, vocal control, and so on. Music,'' she emphasises, "affects just about everything.

It is intellectual, creative and historical and one of the most wonderful ways of communicating. Kindermusik helps to develop dexterity, especially for those who go on to play the piano or the violin. The young children love to play with two sticks, rolling, tapping, rubbing and tapping out the rhythms as we sing songs. We turn on music for the kids to dance to and they love to move around, however they want. They really enjoy it! All of this helps bonding between the parent and child, because with very young students, we expect the parent to come along and join in.'' It was when she went to a special workshop to study Kindermusik that she met her future husband, Mr. Charles Li who was then studying for his Masters. "We actually met in bible study. He called me one night to go out with him -- and the rest is history! I came to join him in Bermuda and we were married in April,'' she explains.

As musicians, it seemed quite natural to this couple that they should compose together.

"We both write words and music. I would say that Charles's music is a little more complex than mine -- and I do love to write, so I think maybe my words tend to be more reflective of my own life.'' She says the Grace Unfolding Band was formed for this concert but hopes to perform in the future: "At the moment the members fluctuate a bit, will be led by Dave Skinner, another guitarist, Charles improvising on the violin, and somebody on the bongo drums.'' Mr. Li, who also teaches the Suzuki method, has performed with the Harvard Summer Orchestra, The southern Illinois Symphony and toured Panama as a member of the Terrerania String Quartet. Since his arrival in Bermuda, he has performed with the Philharmonic, for Marjorie Pettit's annual concerts for the Gilbert & Sullivan Society and with various chamber groups.

Ms Mary Eileen Marie holds a Bachelors in piano performance from De Paul University and is also a graduate of the School for Strings in New York. She joined the Dunbarton faculty last year.

"An Evening of Joyous Music'', will take place at the church on Saturday, July 1 at 7.30 p.m. Tickets are $20 for patrons, $15 adults and $8 for seniors and students. They may be obtained from Opus 1 on Reid Street, Pianos Plus, Meyer Travel Agency, A.N.H. Music & Art or at the door. Proceeds will benefit the Dunbarton School and the Peace Lutheran Church.

CONCERT FOR CHRISTINA -- Lyric soprano Christina Thaxton-Li who will be giving a recital this Saturday.