Here I sit, writing, on the afternoon of the 4th of July, enjoying the cloud cover in Duluth this afternoon, since I shy away from summer sunshine. I also avoid loud music, fireworks, and conversations about ‘making America great’! I am too old, and too over-educated to get involved in those activities. Shortly, I will be able to hear music coming up from the Bayfront Stage, and my home is about as close as I want to be to those programs. Meanwhile, I want to share about some of the musical activities coming up in the next few weeks, and I’ll write later about the ones that I choose to attend.

Bayfield Summer Concerts: A Moveable Feast of Superior Music

For essentially 22 years now, a summer musical series has taken place in Bayfield, WI, on Thursdays, starting (this year) around 5:30pm. Between July 7 and August 25, eight quite different programs will be offered, with no stated admission, but with every opportunity for you to support these programs with your free-will contributions. These programs were begun by Dennis Michno, an Episcopal priest and very fine musician, who used Christ Episcopal Church as the venue for many years. In his honor, these programs have spread to four venues around Bayfield, and cover the entire musical spectrum.

Explore   http://www.bayfieldsummermusic.org/our-2016-season.html
for a complete listing of artists and locations over the next several weeks. A couple of classical pianists will be in town on July 7, another pianist (named Sam) will be joined by Deb (French horn) and Melanie (flute) on July 14, Claudia Schmidt will bring her brilliant song-writing style on July 21. I will share more as the summer moves along.

Many people come to these summer concerts, then go on to the Big Top for a full evening of entertainment. Most Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, the Chautauqua Tent has spectacular musicians across the summer. Tickets start as low as $22 for the local performers, but go from $75 on up for stellar performers like Emmylou Harris (July 17) and Lyle Lovett (July 21). Plan for a full Thursday with music in town at 5:30, followed by dinner and music at 7:30 at the Big Top.

Thirty years of Lake Superior Chamber Orchestra

Here in Duluth, the Lake Superior Chamber Orchestra will share four concerts at Mitchell Auditorium on the St. Scholastica campus, starting on Thursday evening, July 14. All performances begin at 7:30pm. Information: http://www.lakesuperiorchamberorchestra.org/seasons/2016-season/ where you will find a variety of ticket deals. UMD bassoonist Jefferson Campbell will be soloist on July 14, then pianist Alex Sandor and flautist Katie Sandor will share the July 21 program. As always, Conductor Warren Friesen programs music you have never (or rarely) heard in Duluth, performed live and wonderfully by this very special collection of local musicians. Names like Mozart and Dvorak do pop up now and then, but plan on hearing new creations when you attend LSCO concerts.

Explore more of The Reader for musical, theatrical, and artistic opportunities across this first month of true summer in Duluth, MN.