Community Calendar
Calendar
Hidden Gems - Southern Illinois Music Festival |
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Hidden Gems’ will be easily found at Southern Illinois Music Festival, May 25 - June 11 For the past 18 years, the nationally recognized Southern Illinois Music Festival (SIFest) has given the region the finest professional singers and instrumentalists from the United States and Europe, mixed in with SIU Carbondale faculty and students. The 19th annual festival, which runs May 25 - June 11, will feature orchestral and chamber music, opera, jazz, and educational programs, and promises to not disappoint during its nearly three-week run. Edward Benyas, SIFest artistic director and conductor, said the “Hidden Gems” theme is to highlight lesser-known works that are still beautiful. “In the spirit of 21st century openness, let’s expand our musical palette a little: This is still really good music, full of beautiful melodies and harmonies,” Benyas said. “I predict that many patrons will discover with delight a composer or a piece that they’ve never heard before.” The festival features the works of well-known composers, including Alexander Glazunov, Karl Goldmark, George Frideric Handel, Vasily Kalinnikov, Franz Liszt, Camille Saint-Saëns, Robert Schumann, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Giuseppe Verdi, and Richard Wagner. Audiences both young and old will have myriad opportunities to be immersed in classics performed by wind trios, string quartets, wind and brass quintets, and more. Artist biographies and the full schedule of concerts are available on the festival website: sifest.com. The festival kicks off May 25 with a free voice and cello recital featuring mezzo soprano and Carbondale native Emily Hughes and William Cernota, an assistant lecturer in SIU’s School of Music, at Carbondale Unitarian Fellowship, 105 N. Parrish Lane, Carbondale. The concert begins at 7 p.m. with donations accepted to benefit the Carbondale Warming Center. Other performances will be held in Carterville, Cairo, Anna, Marion, and Murphysboro. Tickets to most festival events are $20 for general admission and $10 for students of any age, with some performances being free. A season pass is available for $150 and includes an SIFest program booklet. Advance tickets are available by contacting Benyas at benyas@siu.edu or 312-560-2094. Checks for the total amount payable to “Southern Illinois Music Festival” may be sent to Edward Benyas, SIU School of Music, Mailcode 4302, Carbondale, Illinois 62901. Patrons will receive an email confirmation of their order and instructions. PROGRAM SCHEDULE Thursday, May 25 Saturday, May 27 Sunday, May 28 Tuesday, May 30 Wednesday, May 31 Thursday, June 1 Friday, June 2 Saturday, June 3 Sunday, June 4 Monday, June 5 Tuesday, June 6 Wednesday, June 7 Thursday, June 8 Friday, June 9 Saturday, June 10 Sunday, June 11 |