By K.D. Norris
St. Cecilia Music Center’s wide-ranging virtual concert season — which includes chamber music, folk and jazz — also offers an expanded series of Michigan Jazz Pianists’ Series with West Michigan artists playing “live from the stage” free virtual concerts from the music center’s Royce Auditorium.
The first of the just announced concerts will be Thursday, Jan. 14, with Roger MacNaughton featured. The 7 p.m. concert will be available free on St. Cecilia’s Facebook page and on its YouTube channel. All are also available on-demand on the YouTube channel.
In addition to MacNaughton, other concerts include Robin Connell on March 11, and Rufus Ferguson on April 21, both also at 7 p.m.
From September through December, 2020, St. Cecilia presented five Michigan jazz pianists in this series, including a holiday show with the nationally known jazz pianist Bob James in December.
“St. Cecilia Music Center is committed to our audience in helping to ‘Keep Music Alive’ in West Michigan,” Cathy Holbrook, executive and artistic director of SCMC, said in supplied material. “ While we are unable to gather audiences in person at this time due to COVID-19, we remain committed to bringing our patrons great music into the safety of their own home. … We truly appreciate everyone’s support as we strive to keep these wonderful events available for all to experience.”
MacNaughton is a composer, pianist, and musical artist, creator of a line of instrumental CDs. The most recent of his 12 CD releases is named “Mackinac, I’ve Come Home” following Roger’s two-week stay on Mackinac Island in 2019 as an artist-in-residence sponsored by Mackinac State Historic Parks.
MacNaughton, who lives in Lowell, is a member of several bands and musical groups, including Jon Montgomery & RMQ, MacNaughton Boulevard, Mac/Mora, Honey Creek String Ensemble, and Soul ACCESS. His compositions have won four ArtPrize awards, three times in the jazz category and once for classical music.
The just announced addition to the virtual concerts focussed on Michigan artists performing live from St. Cecilia include also includes four concerts featuring Michigan folk and blues artists.
The Michigan Folk and Blues Virtual Series will continue St. Cecilia’s Acoustic Café Folk Series partnership with the radio show of the same name and its host Rob Reinhart.
The folk and blues series will include Ralston Bowles and Michael Crittenden on Jan. 21, King Biscuit Trio on Feb. 18, Rachel Davis and Dominic John Davis on March 25 (from their home in Nashville), and Jen Sygit and Josh Rose on April 8.
For the latest schedule and informant on St. Cecilia’s virtual concerts available for home viewing, visit scmc-online.org/virtual/.
