Friends of Music begin concert series

When Friends of Music presents its seven free concerts this year, patrons will find a one-hour earlier starting time: 2 p.m. At the request of our audiences, this earlier time helps them put together a whole package of Sunday enjoyment. They can attend church, go out for a meal, then head over to the Community Center for musical entertainment, meet the artists at after-concert receptions, and get home in time for supper.

This 2 p.m. time applies to all Friends of Music concerts from October through April, and each concert will be at the Wickenburg Community Center, centrally located with ample parking. There are no reserved seats for these concerts.

The Sunday concert line-up for the coming season is as follows:

Oct. 21 - Jenny Lynn Stewart, soprano

Nov. 18 - Dan Franklin Smith, pianist

Dec. 9 - A Song for Christmas, vocalist and accompanist

Jan. 6 - Christine Vivona, harpist

Feb. 3 - Sankofa, singers, dancers and storytellers with a West African theme

March 9 - Belinda Gail and Curly Musgrave wrap up the Fringe Festival

April 6 - Bach to the Future, a quartet updating Bach

Added to this schedule will be special musical events at Aguila and Congress schools in November.

Jenny Lynn Stewart is a soprano who spent nearly a year touring with “Sound of Music” as the Mother Abbess. The program she has chosen to present here is “Richard Rodgers Revisited,” and reads like a list of every fondly recalled musical.

Dan Franklin Smith has toured the United States and Europe, recorded CDs, and gotten much airtime. His program will range from Beethoven to Brubeck.

When Enchanted Christmas comes in December, they’ll be doing a mix of Broadway and Christmas tunes.

Christine Vivona was here nearly 10 years ago, and it has taken us a long time to get her and her harp back. Described as “celestial” and “heavenly,” her music combines jazz, classical and pop.

Sankofa weaves instrumentals, singing, dancing and storytelling into an afternoon in Africa. They appear in native clothing styles and explain their exotic instruments.

Belinda Gail and Curly Musgrave are Western-style singers who have been in Wickenburg for Chamber of Commerce events. With lilting vocal arrangements and well-played guitars in Western, gospel, and country music, they’ll be wrapping up Wickenburg’s “Fringe Weekend.”

Bach to the Future lives up to its name as the quartet does Bach-era music in 21st century tempos and arrangements. They play cutting-edge instruments such as synthesizers and an electric violin.

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