Bruce "Bruiser" Rummenie is a singer, songwriter and guitarist whose bands include The Impalas, Javelinas, Freak Brothers-and, this Saturday night in Urbana, a jump blues band called The Virtues. Bruiser will be my guest on the Friday edition of "Live and Local." We'll also hear about a local performance by visiting Brazilian percussion ensemble.
On the Thursday edition of "Live and Local," my guests will be Mikel Rouse, creator of the multi-media song cycle Gravity Radio, playing at the Krannert Center in Urbana this weekend; and Tim Schirmer, music director for Nunsense II, which opens at Parkland Theatre in Champaign, also this weekend.
The French horn is considered by many to be the most difficult of brass instruments. Many, including myself, have tried and failed to meet its challenges. One who has notably succeeded is the new horn professor at the University of Illinois and former member of the New York Philharmonic, Thomas Jöstlein. In advance of two recitals, he'll be my guest on the Wednesday edition of "Live and Local.
Wu Man is an internationally known virtuoso on the pipa, a Chinese lute. She will play with the Kronos Quartet at the Krannert Center in Urbana on Thursday, and she'll be my guest on the Tuesday edition of "Live and Local." I'll also talk with Krannert Center's Deborah Miller about their recent grant from the Mellon Foundation to support classical music programming.
On the show today, we have members of the World Stage (Homeschool) Theatre Company's production of Shakespeare's "The Tempest," in Champaign; and a segment on the Community Jazz Band sponsored by the Community Arts Resource based in St. Joseph.
The annual Martin Luther King Commemoration Celebration Community Event will be held at the Krannert Center in Urbana on Saturday. Among the performers will be the all-male Indian a cappella group Chai-Town and Inner Voices Social Issues Theatre. We'll have live singing and hear about the theater project on the Friday edition of "Live and Local.
On the Thursday edition of "Live and Local," I'll talk with Steven Larsen, conductor of the Champaign-Urbana Symphony, about the orchestra's concert on Saturday called "Faith, Tragedy and Joy." And we'll meet Lori Lippitz, leader of the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band of Chicago, who will perform an evening of Jewish music in Urbana on Sunday.
On today's edition, we talk with three members of the cast of Danville's Red Mask Theater production of "Diary of Anne Frank." And we'll heard a few live excerpts from the show.
Angelo Favis is professor of guitar at Illinois State University and a frequent performer of solo and chamber music. He will give a solo recital in Springfield on Jan. 23, sponsored by the Springfield Classical Guitar Society, and he'll join us live in our studio for the Tuesday edition of "Live and Local.
Today's show features two concerts this weekend in Champaign, both of which boast a considerable variety of music and more: a concert called "Gitit!" on Saturday, given in memory of Clif Aldridge, a 23-year-old Champaign resident who lost his battle last week with a rare form of cancer; and a "Peace Program" on Sunday at the Champaign Public Library.
