Celebrating Our 11th Year!
The Hart Community Performing Arts Series will begin its 11th season in October and will once again bring fine artists from across the country to Oceana County. The series of seven concerts is a community project of the Hart Public Schools and is supported by its many sponsors and patrons. That support has allowed the Hart Community Performing Arts Series to become one of the most successful series in Michigan and has allowed thousands of area students to experience live performances of classical music, jazz, dance, and vocal music.
The 2009/2010 Series
October 9th: The series will open on Friday October 9th with pianist Kevin Cole and his tribute to the best of 20th Century American music. His performances, especially his interpretation of Gerswhin, have prompted accolades from some of the foremost critics in the U.S. Backed by the talents of bassist Tom Knific and drumer Tim Froncek, Kevin will sing and play the music of Ira Gerswhin, one of the great lyricists in American popular.
November 6th: The series will continue on Friday Novermber 6th with a concert by Scotland's premier fiddle ambassador, Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas, the sizzlingly-talented young cellist originally from California. This unlikely pairing is the fulfillment of a long-standing musical dream for Fraser, whose cutting-edge musical explorations took him full circle to find a cellist who could help him return the cello to its historical role as the rhythmic heart of Scottish dance music.
December 11th: On Friday December 11th classical accordionist, Julien Labro returns to Hart with the Hot Club of Detroit. More than seven decades after the innovations of the Quintette du Hot Club de France, combos called Hot Clubs carry on the gypsy jazz sound around the globe. None, however, offers a fresher take on the tradition than does the Hot Club of Detroit. Members include Evan Perri on guitar, Julien Labro on accordian, soprano and tenor saxaphonist Carl Cafagna, rhythm guitarist Paul Brady, and bassist Shannon Wade.
February 4th: The WMU Symphony Orchestra will perform on Thursday, February 4th. Under conductor and Professor of Cello, Bruce Uchimura, the University Symphony performs orchestral masterworks and features internationally recognized WMU faculty soloists. This very special performance will feature Scott Thornberg of the WMU faculty as trumpet soloist.
March 5th: Described as "consummate practitioners of pianism" (The Washington Post), Claire Aebersold and Ralph Neiweem will appear on Friday, March 5th. They enjoy an international career as exponents of music for both piano duet and two keyboards. Their innovative programming reflects the full gamut of this delightful repertoire, from four-hand works of Mozart, Schubert and Brahms, to contemporary works championed or commissioned by Aebersold and Neiweem.
April 9th: Ken Peplowski will appear on Friday April 9th. Noted New York Times music critic John S. wilson called Mr. Peplowski "a clarinetist with a Benny Goodman tone and a Buddy DeFranco style." Ken tours the globe twleve months a year performing in the top jazz clubs, performing arts centers, fazz festivals and sypmhony halls.
May 7th: The 2009-2010 arts series will conclude with a concert on Friday, May 7th by The Euclid Quartet, a young, dynamic, multi-national string ensemble known for performances filled with personality and vibrant color. The program reflects the diversity of the Quartet members, and that of America in general. The quartet has won many major international competitions and holds the prestigious Quartet Residency at Indiana University.
All performances
are held at the Hart Middle School Auditorium and begin at
7:30 PM with doors opening at 6:45 PM for season ticket holders. Season tickets
are $40.00 and individual tickets at the door are $10.00.
