The Northern Michigan University Department of Music is presenting its second annual summer music lineup. Organized in part by Assistant Professor of Voice Keri Lee Pierson, the series utilizes Reynolds Recital Hall during the months of July and August when faculty members have more flexibility. This season places a major focus on collaboration, bringing together an eclectic mix of university faculty and local community performers to showcase a vast range of musical genres.
The programming kicks off on July 7th with an exploration of early jazz, followed by a July 14th folk and fiddle concert planned in coordination with the local Hiawatha Festival week. The latter half of July features a unique children's book-inspired saxophone premiere by Patrick Booth along with a classical guitar and lute performance by Christopher Schoelen. Moving into August, the lineup shifts toward an interactive, avant-garde Fluxus performance where audience members are given instruments to participate directly, before concluding with a collaborative showcase of classical Italian songs and arias.
Public Radio 90's Kurt Hauswirth spoke with Pierson about the concert series:
To differentiate these performances from the traditional academic-year recitals, the summer series offers a relaxed environment where the house lights stay on, and performers chat with the audience to share educational insights. Each of these public events is designed to run for 45 minutes to an hour starting at 5:00 p.m. While admission to every concert is free, the department accepts voluntary donations at the door to fund facility upkeep and student music scholarships.
Visit nmu.edu/music for more information.
