In addition to my role at this radio station, I’m privileged to conduct a local, eclectic chamber orchestra called The Prairie Ensemble. The winds, brass and percussion of the Ensemble will give a concert next Sunday that will also feature a new local choir called Prairie Voices. On the Monday edition of the show, I’ll preview some of the music and talk with Prairie Voices director Laurie Matheson.
The Station Theatre in Urbana will celebrate 40 years of creating innovate theater this summer, beginning with a musical called The Game of Love. The show adapts five one-act plays by Arthur Schnitzler, with music by Jacques Offenbach and Nancy Ford. Director Stephen Fiol and several of his actors will give us a live preview on the Tuesday edition of “Live and Local.”
Every year over Memorial Day weekend for 38 years, the city of Peoria has played host to the World Championship Old-Time Piano Playing Contest and Festival, with sing-alongs, workshops and of course the contest itself. On the Thursday edition of “Live and Local,” we’ll hear five past and present contestants play for us live, from the Blind Pig in Champaign.
This week we’re covering the Third Annual Jazz Festival at the Iron Post in downtown Urbana, the most active venue for jazz in our communities. Nearly the entire University of Illinois jazz faculty will play at the festival Saturday night, and they’ll join us live on the Wednesday edition of “Live and Local.”
Jazz pianist John Campbell grew up in Bloomington-Normal, hung out in Champaign-Urbana and has played with the likes of Clark Terry, Mel Tormé, Buddy DeFranco, Stan Getz and James Moody. He’s returning to Urbana to play on the Iron Post Jazz Fest this weekend, and he’ll be my guest on the Tuesday edition of “Live and Local.” I’ll also talk with Mik Templeton, whose West Coast Blues will round out the festival.
Community Arts Resource, based in St. Joseph, has offered its carTunes summer band program since 2009 and will launch its new season next month. They’re looking for new members now, and we’ll hear details, with music planned for the season, on the Friday edition of “Live and Local.” We’ll also preview the new CD by the Millikin University Jazz Band before their performance Saturday in Decatur.
Community Arts Resource, based in St. Joseph, has offered its carTunes summer band program since 2009 and will launch its new season next month. They’re looking for new members now, and we’ll hear details, with music planned for the season, on the Friday edition of “Live and Local.” We’ll also preview the new CD by the Millikin University Jazz Band before their performance Saturday in Decatur
This Saturday the Danville Symphony Orchestra will present a concert called “Carmen to Camelot,” with vocal highlights from Bizet’s opera and from musicals by Lerner and Loewe. Narrator Ronald Hedlund and director Stephen Fiol will talk about the program on the Tuesday edition of “Live and Local.” And we’ll preview a Dixieland concert happening in Lincoln Wednesday night.
The community choir in Decatur called Opus 24 will celebrate its 20th anniversary with its spring concert this Sunday, under the direcdtion of Milton Scott. Milt will join me on the Wednesday edition of “Live and Local.” I’ll talk also with Nelly Matova, director of the Champaign-Urbana-based choral ensemble Cappella Orpheus, who also have a concert on Sunday
