By K.D. Norris
St. Cecilia Music Center executive director Cathy Holbrook, speaking recently at the formal announcement of the center’s 2018-19 season, explained why so many musical artists — chamber, jazz and now, increasingly, folk — return to the Royce Auditorium stage.
“They rave about the venue and they rave about the audience,” Holbrook said. “They leave feeling really great about their time here.”
The “they” she was talking about could have been the masterful members of The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, or plain-spoken folksinger Pokey LaFarge. But she actually could have been talking about the audience — they, too, generally, feel great about their time spent in the auditorium.
And speaking of a folky Pokey …
St. Cecilia will launch its new season with a Folk Series concert, and return to the Royce stage, by LaFarge as he starts a new solo tour throughout the United States and Europe.
The St. Louis-based singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist will play Thursday, Oct. 4, at 7:30 p.m. LaFarge incorporates elements of early jazz, ragtime, country blues, Western swing and his total uniqueness into his performances. Two of LaFarge’s albums have been named Best Americana Album by the Independent Music Awards.
Last season “Pokey LaFarge charmed our audience with his band … and due to the heartfelt welcome he received, he’ll be returning,” Holbrook said in supplied material. “He’s a fabulous musician and totally engaging entertainer.”
LaFarge’s range is exemplified by his appearing with both Garrison Keillor and Jack White; White, in fact, added LaFarge to his Third Man label and included him as his opening act on one of his tours.
Four additional Folk Series concerts include The Lone Bellow on Nov. 29; the return of Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn on Feb. 9, 2019; the outstanding, Grammy nominated American indie folk duo the Milk Carton Kids, Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale, on Feb. 28, 2019, this time turning with a full band in support of their new release “All the Things I Did and All the Things I Didn’t Do”; and finally the return of legendary Guitarist Leo Kottke on April 18, 2019.
Jazz Series begins with Arturo’s horn
The four-concert jazz season opens just days after the LaFarge concert with one of the biggest names, and smoothest trumpet sounds, in modern jazz with a visit by Grammy award winning trumpeter Arturo Sandoval on Thursday, Oct. 11.
Sandoval, a 10-time Grammy winner and protégé of the legendary jazz master Dizzy Gillespie, is Cuban born — with his early-life story told in the HBO movie based on his life, “For Love or Country”, which starred Andy Garcia as Arturo — but his legacy goes beyond simply “Latin” music. And his two latest Grammy award winning albums, “Dear Diz (Every Day I Think of You)” and “Tango — Como Yo Te Siento” are musical proof.
Also on the jazz line-up is the pianist Kenny Barron and his quintet (the jewel of the series, in my humble opinion) on Nov. 1, organist Joey DeFranceso with his quartet “The People” on Feb. 7, 2019, and pianist Benny Green with his trio and 23-year old jazz sensation Veronica Swift on March 7, 2019.
Chamber Music Series begins with ‘Trout Quintet’
The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, which has renewed its multi-year partnership with St. Cecilia, will open its season on Nov. 15 with the first of three concerts featuring the works of Beethoven, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky.
The opening night will include pianist Orion Weiss, violinist Paul Huang, violist Paul Neubauer, cellist Keith Robinson, and double bassist Zavier Foley. During the first half, their performance will include duos and trios featuring Beethoven’s variations on Mozart’s melody, Schubert’s creation for the arpeggione (an instrument that no longer exists), and Bottesini’s virtuoso showpiece for violin and double bass. All of the musicians will join after intermission to perform Schubert’s “Trout Quintet”.
Other chamber music concerts on the schedule will be a March 14, 2019, program led by co-artistic director and pianist Wu Han, titled Russian Mastery and featuring works by Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev and Arensky. Finally, on April 25, 2019, a program titled From Mendelssohn will be bookended by two works of Mendelssohn from 1845, one brief, the other epic, with works including one by Mendelssohn’s close friend Robert Schumann.
And special in 2019
St. Cecilia, this season, will also celebrate their 135-year history as the oldest arts organization in Grand Rapids and West Michigan. In addition to the concert line-up, there will be two special events to celebrate their 135-year anniversary during March 2019 Women’s History Month.
St. Cecilia’s history is “integrally aligned with women’s history in Grand Rapids,” according to supplied information. The organization was founded in 1883 by nine Grand Rapids women and was the only organization of its kind to be run solely by women. It was through the efforts of the first women of the music center that the historic building on Ransom Avenue was erected in 1894.
St. Cecilia Music Center is located at 24 Ransom NE, Grand Rapids. Tickets to chamber, jazz, and folk concerts are on sale now and can be purchased by phone at 616-459-2224 or online at scmc-online.org.
