By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org
West Michigan jazz and Americana/folk fans — and I count myself in that crowd — eagerly await the early summer announcement of St. Cecilia Music Center’s next concert music series, which came down Tuesday with its 2019-20 season line-up.
And with a Spectacular Jazz Series that includes the The Clayton Brothers Quintet and an Acoustic Café Folk Series featuring the return of the incomparable Judy Collins, both live up to the center’s reputation.
But, truth be told, the concert of the season will be one of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Artists Series, as CMS co-artistic directors and chamber music power couple Wu Han (on piano) and David Finckel (on cello) come to town together on a program titled “From Prague to Vienna” but maybe more appropriately called “From New York City, with Love.”
Performing with violinist Arnaud Sussman and violist Paul Neubauer, Wu Hann and Finckel will perform in a concert which “celebrates friendship and family with three composers who mentored and inspired each other: Brahms, Dvořák and Suk,” according to supplied material. “Brahms discovered Dvořák through a composition competition and helped him rise to international stardom, and became his lifelong friend and mentor. In turn, Suk was one of Dvořák’s favorite students and eventually became his son-in-law.”
Of course, seeing and hearing Wu Hann and Finckel perform together is worth the price of admission whatever the program.
While fans can pick their favorites, St. Cecilia executive director Cathy Holbrook shows no such favoritism.
“We are so excited about all of our concerts and the amazing artists coming to Grand Rapids to perform at SCMC this coming season,” Holbrook said in supplied material. “We’re happy to have three great series that appeal to everyone’s interests in music. The exquisite sound and intimate setting of the Royce Auditorium makes these chosen concerts at SCMC one-of-a-kind.”
Tickets are now on sale for all announced concerts including opening folk series concerts by Lee Ann Womack on Oct. 3 and Judy Collins on Oct. 20; the jazz series opener of Fred Hersch featuring special guest Julian Lage on Oct. 17; and “Great Innovators” – works by Stravinsky, Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Smetana, on Nov. 21, to launch the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Series.
The chamber music series will continue with “French Enchantment” on Jan. 23, 2020, featuring the elegant works of Ravel, Fauré and Saint-Saëns; followed by the aforementioned “From Prague to Vienna” on April 30, 2020.
The jazz series, after the Hersch/Lage pairing, will include Emmet Cohen’s Master Legacy Series featuring Ron Carter on Jan. 16, 2020; vocalist Luciana Souza on March 5, 2020; and The Clayton Brothers Quintet on April 16, 2020.
The folk series, after Ms. Womack’s and Ms. Collins’ visits, will continue with multi-Grammy Award winner Chris Thile on Feb. 25, 2020, immediately followed by “eclectic adventurist” singer/ guitarist Raul Midón on Feb. 27. (And, as in past seasons, additional Acoustic Café Series concerts will be announced at a later date.)
Season subscription tickets to the 2019-2020 Spectacular Jazz Series and Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Concert Series are now available by calling 616-459-2224, visiting St. Cecilia Music Center at 24 Ransom NE, Grand Rapids, or online for new subscribers at scmc-online.org. Single tickets to chamber, jazz, and folk concerts are also on sale now and can be purchased by phone or online at the same.
For each concert, a post-concert party is open to all ticket-holders giving the audience the opportunity to possibly meet the artists and obtain signed CDs of their releases. There will also be pre-concert receptions for the CMS of Lincoln Center concerts and the Jazz Series concerts featuring wine and hors d’oeuvres for $15 per person.
