June 03, 2008

Music Festival performances set in Mount Vernon

by Andrea Hahn

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The annual Southern Illinois Music Festival, presented by Southern Illinois University Carbondale and the Southern Illinois Music Festival Orchestra with conductor Edward Benyas, brings four performances in two dates to Mount Vernon this summer.

A wind quintet visits Trinity Episcopal Church on Harrison Street in Mount Vernon for a Klassics for Kids program beginning at 4 p.m. on June 13. Klassics for Kids is an interactive musical performance that introduces classical music and the instruments that make it to children ages newborn to 8 years old. This is a free program.

Later that day, beginning at 7:30 p.m., the woodwind quintets put on a chamber concert at the Trinity Episcopal Church. Tickets are $12 for general admission and $5 for students of all ages.

On June 17, the New Arts Jazztet represents the Music Festival at Mitchell Museum, part of the Cedarhurst Center for the Arts.

Beginning at 5:30 p.m., the New Arts Jazztet presents Jive with Jazz, a program designed especially for children ages 3 to 12 years old. This free program introduces children to the music and instruments of jazz in an interactive and fun way.

At 7:30 p.m., the New Arts Jazztet will present a jazz concert. The group is known for its original compositions, but maintains a repertoire of jazz classics and new jazz as well as a ready supply of jazz improvisation. The New Arts Jazztet features Tyler Kuebler on woodwinds and MIDI; Bob Allison, trumpet and flugelhorn; Tim Pitchford, trombone; Phil Brown, bass; and Ron Coulter, drums and percussion. All are members of the SIUC School of Music faculty.

Here are details on the Mount Vernon performances:

2008 Southern Illinois Music Festival

June 13

Klassics for Kids -- Wind Quartet, 4 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church on Harrison Street, free admission.

Chamber Concert -- Woodwind Quintets, 7:30 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church on Harrison Street, general admission, $12, students, $5.

June 17

Jive with Jazz -- New Arts Jazztet, 5:30 p.m. at Mitchell Museum at Cedarhurst Center for the Arts, free admission.

New Arts Jazztet concert, 7:30 p.m. at Mitchell Museum at Cedarhurst Center for the Arts, general admission, $12, students, $5.

More information, a complete schedule and any late changes are at www.SIFest.com.

Sponsors include: SIUC, Illinois Arts Council, The Southern Illinoisan newspaper, WSIL-TV Channel 3 ABC, WSIU Public Broadcasting, Peoples National Bank, Laborers’ Union International-Local 773, Southern Illinois Miners, the City of Marion, Mélange, the Harrison, Hastings, Moore-Corpora, Southern and Garwin Family Foundations, Drs. Hal and Susan Pearlman, Dr. Samuel Goldman, First Southern Bank, Crawford County Arts, Lebanon Fine Arts, BoundlessGallery.com, Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, Carbondale Community Arts, and the Southern Illinois Symphony Patrons Committee.