May 17, 2006
Music festival to delight Southern Illinois crowds
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The hills of Southern Illinois will be alive with the sound of music during the second annual Southern Illinois Music Festival, which starts next month.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s School of Music and the Southern Illinois Symphony Orchestra will sponsor the event that runs from June 11 through July 4, ending with a grand finale concert followed by fireworks.
“We really hope that we can bring people to the area for this and other offerings of Southern Illinois,” said Edward M. Benyas, artistic director of the Festival. “I’m excited about the regional reach of the festival, stretching from Mount Vernon to Cairo, and from Murphysboro to Harrisburg.”
Music lovers will choose from more than 40 performances at venues spanning Southern Illinois, including a six-concert series at Shryock Auditorium on the SIUC campus. Artists from across the United States, Europe and Asia will perform orchestral and chamber music, opera, musical theater, jazz, patriotic and new music in an informal atmosphere.
Benyas said, “The great concert series at Shryock will be the centerpiece of the festival and we conclude the series with a complete opera this year.”
This year the festival celebrates Mozart’s 250th birthday with a wide array of his music, including the opera “Don Giovanni” to be performed at the Sesser Opera House on June 29 and the Shryock Auditorium on July 1.
Another highlight will be an evening concert on June 21 at Blue Sky Vineyard, one of Southern Illinois’ premier wineries on the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail.
Musicians also will offer free patriotic concerts followed by fireworks on July 3 at Marion’s new outside pavilion, the Tilden and Rosalee Parks Rotary Centennial Amphitheater, and on July 4 at the SIU Arena.
A large number of events are free and tailored just for children, including “Klassics for Kids,” “Music for Young Listeners” and “Jive with Jazz.” New this summer is a regional art fair featuring award-winning artists and artisans from across the region.
In addition to SIUC, major sponsors include the Illinois Arts Council, the city of Carbondale, The Southern Illinoisan, WSIL-TV, WSIU, the Southern Illinois Symphony Orchestra Patrons Committee, and the Harrison, Hastings and Garwin family foundations.
The majority of the festival concerts are free. Tickets for the remaining events are available on the day of the performance at the respective venue or through Ticketmaster by calling 866-646-8849 or going online at www.ticketmaster.com.
More information is available at www.SIFest.com, or by calling 618-53-MUSIC.
The Schedule of Events follows. All events are free unless otherwise indicated. Reduced prices are for children 15 and younger and seniors 60 or older:
SUNDAY, JUNE 11
Chamber Music at Mélange
2 p.m., 607 S. Illinois Ave., Carbondale.
Oboe, viola and cello trios.
FRIDAY, JUNE 16
Brown Bag Chamber Music Series
Noon, Old Baptist Foundation recital hall, SIUC
Beethoven: Quintet for Piano and Winds
Mozart: A Musical Joke
Klassics for Kids (ages 2-10)
Cairo Public Library
Orchestra: Beethoven, Mozart, Mendelssohn
Jive with Jazz (ages 2-10)
2 p.m., Southeastern Illinois College, Room B126, Harrisburg
New Arts Jazztet
7:30 p.m., Southeastern Illinois College, Room B126, Harrisburg
$6 adults, $3 children and seniors
Beethoven, Mozart and Mendelssohn
7:30 p.m., Cairo Public library
Beethoven: Coriolan Overture
Mozart: Serenade No. 9 in D (“Posthorn”)
Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 in A
SATURDAY, JUNE 17
Jive with Jazz (ages 2-10)
10 a.m., Murphysboro Youth and Recreation Center, 1818 Walnut St., Murphysboro
Klassics for Kids (ages 2-10)
3 p.m., Du Quoin Middle School
“Compose Yourself!”
Beethoven, Mozart and Mendelssohn
7:30 p.m., Shryock Auditorium, SIUC
Beethoven: Coriolan Overture
Mozart: Serenade No. 9 in D (“Posthorn”)
Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 in A
$9.50 adults, $6.50 children and seniors
SUNDAY, JUNE 18
Chamber Music at Mélange
2 p.m., Mélange, 607 S. Illinois Ave., Carbondale
Wind quintets
Chamber Music Recital
7:30 p.m., Old Baptist Foundation recital hall, SIUC
Klughart: Wind quintet
Mozart: Quintet for oboe and strings, featuring Edward Benyas, oboe
Brahms: Piano quintet, featuring Junghwa Lee, piano
$9.50 adults, $6.50 children and seniors
TUESDAY, JUNE 20
Klassics for Kids (ages 2-10)
10 a.m., Sesser Opera House
“Compose Yourself!”
Bach and Mozart with Misha
7:30 p.m., Sesser Opera House
Strauss: Serenade, Op. 7
Bach: Violin Concerto in A Minor, featuring Misha Rosenker, violin
Mozart: Symphony No. 38 (“Prague”)
$6 adults, $3 children and seniors
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21
Klassics for Kids (ages 0-5)
10 a.m., Altgeld Hall, SIUC
“Compose Yourself!”
Mozart and Strauss Serenades
7 p.m., Blue Sky Vineyard, 3150 S. Rocky Comfort Rd., Makanda
Strauss: Serenade, Op. 7
Mozart: Gran Partitta, K. 361
$6 adults, $3 children and seniors
Music for Summer Solstice
8 p.m., Carbondale Town Square
String chamber music and jazz
THURSDAY, JUNE 22
Three Centuries of Classics
7:30 p.m., Shryock Auditorium, SIUC
Debussy: Clair de lune
Bach: Violin Concerto in A Minor, featuring Misha Rosenker, violin
Dvorak: Legends, Op. 59
Mozart: Symphony No. 38 (“Prague”)
$9.50 adults, $6.50 children and seniors
FRIDAY, JUNE 23
Klassics for Kids (ages 0-5)
10 a.m., Marion Cultural and Civic Center
Brass quintet
Klassics for Kids (ages 0-5)
10 a.m., Herrin Civic Center, Gallery Room
Strings, clarinet and piano
Copland and Prokofiev
Music for Young Listeners (ages 6-13)
11 a.m., Herrin Civic Center, Gallery Room
Strings, clarinet and piano
Copland and Prokofiev
Brown Bag Chamber Music Series
Noon, Old Baptist Foundation, SIUC
Mozart: Flute Quartet in D
Brahms: String sextet
Beethoven's 5th Symphony
7:30 p.m., Marion Cultural and Civic Center
Rossini: Overture to Il Viaggio a Reims
Mozart: Horn Concerto No. 3, K. 447, featuring Erich Peterson, horn
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5
$6 adults, $3 children and seniors
New Arts Jazztet
7:30 p.m., Shryock Auditorium, SIUC
$9.50 adults, $6.50 children and seniors
SATURDAY, JUNE 24
Klassics for Kids (ages 0-5)
10 a.m., Altgeld Hall, SIUC
Orchestra: Beethoven’s 5th
Summer Band Concert I
1:30 p.m., Shryock Auditorium, SIUC
Beethoven's 5th Symphony
7:30 p.m., Shryock Auditorium, SIUC
Rossini: Overture to Il Viaggio a Reims
Mozart: Horn Concerto No. 3, K. 447, featuring Erich Peterson, horn
Beethoven: Symphony No. 5
$9.50 adults, $6.50 children and seniors
SATURDAY-SUNDAY, JUNE 24-25
Art Fair
1-7:30 p.m., Altgeld Plaza, SIUC
Organized by Carbondale Community Arts
SUNDAY, JUNE 25
Chamber Music Recital
2 p.m. Schweinfurth House, Mount Vernon
Brahms: Complete Violin Sonatas, featuring Stephen Boe, violin, and Christopher Harding, piano
$9.50 adults, $6.50 children and seniors
Chamber Music at Mélange
2 p.m., Mélange, 607 S. Illinois Ave. Carbondale
String Quartets
Chamber Music Recital
7:30 p.m., Old Baptist Foundation recital hall, SIUC
Copland: Sextet
Brahms: Violin Sonata No. 3
Percussion music
Mozart: Serenade for Winds in C Minor
$9.50 adults, $6.50 children and seniors
TUESDAY, JUNE 27
Jive with Jazz (ages 2-10)
10 a.m., Eurma Hayes Center, 441 E. Willow, Carbondale
Klassics for Kids (ages 0-5)
2 p.m., Schweinfurth House, Mount Vernon
“Compose Yourself!”
Music for Young Listeners (ages 6-13)
3 p.m., Schweinfurth House, Mount Vernon
“Compose Yourself!”
Bach, Mozart and Brahms
7 p.m., Mitchell House (outdoors), Mt. Vernon
Bach: Violin Concerto in A Minor, featuring Misha Rosenker, violin
Mozart: Symphony No. 40
Brahms: Symphony No. 4
$9.50 adults, $6.50 children and seniors
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28
Mozart, Brahms and Stars of Tomorrow
7:30 p.m., Shryock Auditorium, SIUC
Mozart: Symphony No. 40
Solo winners TBA
Brahms: Symphony No. 4
$9.50 adults, $6.50 children and seniors
THURSDAY, JUNE 29
Mozart’s Don Giovanni
7:30 p.m., Sesser Opera House
Mozart: Don Giovanni complete
$6 adults, $3 children and seniors
FRIDAY, JUNE 30
Brown Bag Chamber Music Series
Noon, Old Baptist Foundation, SIUC
Mozart: String quartet
Percussion music
Poulenc: Brass trio
Mozart: Clarinet quintet
Jive with Jazz (ages 2-10)
2 p.m., Cairo Public Library
7:30 p.m., New Arts Jazztet
Halliday Plaza, Cairo
SATURDAY, JULY 1
Summer Band Concert II
1:30 p.m., Shryock Auditorium, SIUC
Mozart's Don Giovanni
7:30 p.m., Shryock Auditorium, SIUC
$9.50 adults, $6.50 children and seniors
SUNDAY, JULY 2
Chamber Music at Mélange
2 p.m., Mélange, 607 S. Illinois Ave. Carbondale
Brass quintets
MONDAY, JULY 3
All-American Concert
7:30 p.m., Tilden and Rosalee Parks, Rotary Centennial Amphitheater
(across from Marion High School)
Vocal soloists and chorus
Fireworks
TUESDAY, JULY 4
All-American Concert
7:30 p.m., SIU Arena
Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue, featuring Junghwa Lee, piano
Vocal soloists and chorus
Fireworks
Leading in creative activities is among the goals of Southern at 150: Building Excellence Through Commitment, the blueprint the University is following as it approaches its 150th anniversary in 2019.