The Summer Piano Institute at the U of I offers a high-level learning experience through master classes and private lessons. There are four recitals by faculty members and a gala concert on Thursday featuring students in the program. On Monday's "Live and Local," we'll talk with Ian Hobson about the week's activities and hear samples from the recital programs.
The Illinois Brass Quintet is the faculty quintet in residence at the U of I and was founded in 1955 as the world's first faculty brass quintet. We'll catch quintet members before they head out on tour, with a live performance in our studio on the Friday edition of "Live and Local.
Three years ago, the Champaign-Urbana Theatre Company launched its annual all-student show with Les Misérables, an epic story recounting the struggle against adversity in 19th-century France. Now the student show is back, as the Kathy Murphy Memorial Student Production at the Virginia Theater in downtown Champaign. We'll have excerpts performed live in our studio on the Thursday edition of "Live and Local.
The Kirkland Fine Arts Center at Millikin University in Decatur has announced its 40th Performing Arts Series, and Kirkland's director, Barry Pearson, will be my guest on the Wednesday edition of "Live and Local." We'll also talk with Ken Collins, conductor of the University of Illinois Summer Band, performing Thursday evening.
On the Tuesday edition of "Live and Local," we'll talk with Craig Russo, a Springfield physician who also happens to head the Craig Russo Latin Jazz Project, performing in Champaign this week. Also, we have Jordan Kaye, a veteran of the Champaign-Urbana music scene as guitarist and banjoist, in advance of a performance with The Prairie Dogs bluegrass band.
On the Monday edition of "Live and Local," my guest will be Mark Rubel of Pogo Studio in downtown Champaign. Mark has produced and engineered hundreds of records in his career, with an incredible array of clients, including Alison Krauss, American Minor, Toby Twining, The Red Hot Valentines, Thomas Mapfumo and many, many others. He'll share some of his experiences and give us a peek into the world of audio production.
The Illinois Summer Youth Music program has for 60 years provided a comprehensive and intensive program of music instruction for students in junior and senior high school. On the Friday edition of "Live and Local," we'll hear performances from several instrumental and vocal ensembles from the ISYM camps, live in our studio.
Henson Keys is chair of the acting programs at the U of I Department of Theatre and a veteran actor and director with professional theaters across the country. He plays a host of characters in two of the Summer Studio Theatre productions at the Krannert Center in Urbana. Henson Keys will be my guest on the Thursday edition of "Live and Local.
On the Wednesday edition of "Live and Local," we'll meet Ross Bundy, president of the Community Arts Resource in St. Joseph, and Justin Lee, conductor of the newly formed Community Summer Band. We'll also talk with local theater veteran Gary Ambler, appearing in "Tuesdays with Morrie" at the Krannert Center in Urbana.
On the Tuesday edition of "Live and Local," we'll talk with Mike Ross, director of the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts in Urbana, about the Center's newly announced 2009-2010 concert season. We'll also meet David Schroeder, director of the Danville Municipal Band, which plays Sunday nights through August 2.
