Marc Fink, professor emeritus of the Mead Witter School of Music at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, is returning to the Upper Peninsula this month as part of a series of benefit concerts supporting scholarships for Band Camp at Batawagama in Crystal Falls. The concerts bring together four nationally recognized musicians—Fink on oboe, clarinetist Bob Spring, trombonist Mike Hall, and oboist Lynn Hansen—for three free performances with donations encouraged.
Fink’s musical path began in elementary school in Waukegan, Illinois, when a band director identified his aptitude for a wind instrument and steered him toward the oboe. With strong encouragement from teachers and family, that early introduction grew into a lifelong pursuit. Summer music camps, including those at Interlochen and the University of Illinois, played a formative role in shaping his musicianship and ultimately led him to a career in performance and teaching. He joined the faculty at UW–Madison in 1973, where he taught oboe and chamber music for decades.
Now retired from full-time teaching, Fink continues to perform and to support music education initiatives. He has been involved with Band Camp at Batawagama for roughly a decade. He speaks highly of its combination of intensive musical study, access to professional musicians from around the country, and the traditional summer camp experience. From daily rehearsals and sectionals to shared meals and long-standing camp traditions, he sees the program as a powerful environment for building confidence, musicianship, and community among young players.
The current concert series serves a dual purpose: sharing music with regional audiences and rebuilding scholarship support after pandemic-related disruptions reduced camp enrollment. Proceeds will help more students attend camp this summer, restoring participation closer to pre-COVID levels.
Kurt Hauswirth spoke with Fink by phone:
Audiences can expect a varied program highlighting each performer’s strengths. Fink will perform works including Mozart’s Oboe Concerto and a concerto by Johann Nepomuk Hummel. Spring will showcase virtuosic clarinet repertoire, Hansen will perform the well-known “Gabriel’s Oboe,” and Hall will be featured in a work for trombone by Guilmant. In addition to the concerts, the musicians are visiting local schools and inviting student performers to share the stage, reinforcing the educational mission behind the tour.
The concerts take place Tuesday, January 13 at 6 p.m. in Reynolds Recital Hall on the NMU campus in Marquette; Wednesday, January 14 at 1 p.m. at the Calumet Theatre; and Thursday, January 15 at 6 p.m. at the Windsor Center in Iron River. Donations are welcome at each concert.
Visit campbatawagama.com for more information.
