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Door Community Auditorium is pleased to announce
a 2012 season brimming with diversity and quality. Between May and December,
more than 80 performances and events will take place at DCA including national
music legends, favorite local performers, first-rate classical concerts,
fun-loving musical theater, a reading by a former U.S. poet laureate and music
that runs the gamut from New Orleans jazz to Delta blues to Nova Scotia step
dance to classic American rock.
The Peg Egan Performing Arts Center is thrilled to announce
a crowd-pleasing line-up of nationally acclaimed artists for its 2012 Summer
Sunset Concert Series.
Performing on the center’s breathtaking stage will be Willy
Porter, Women with Spirit- featuring Julie Gold (Grammy winner of the song
“From A Distance, along with national touring aritsts, Karen Savoca, Dorothy
Scott & Sue Demel, also this summer you will enjoy the music of Cavern Beat, Dane Hicks and the Hot
Licks, Second City Improv All Stars, Dailey & Vincent, The Persuasions, and
Steppin In It.
Mezzo
soprano Cynthia Stiehl will present a benefit concert for the Door
County Maritime Museum as part of the Third Avenue Playhouse’s Tuesdays
at TAP Series on April 24 beginning at 7:30 p.m. at the downtown
Sturgeon Bay theater. The
concert is titled “I Get a Kick Out of Cole,” a tribute by Stiehl to
the famous American composer Cole Porter. It’s a program Stiehl
initially produced for a concert she gave at the Birch Creek Music
Performance Center along with pianist Judith Jackson, who will again
accompany Stiehl for the TAP performance.
Charlie Cheney of Fremont, Michigan feels right at home in
Door County. He came into the local music scene in June, 2006 at the
Steel Bridge Songfest. He wrote and performed a song about Palmer
Johnson’s, just down the street from the Holiday Music Motel.
Speaking of PJ’s, Charlie remarked “This Sturgeon Bay company is the
true representation of what manufacturing we have left in the United
States.” At that time, boat building at the firm was at a standstill,
and this workingman’s song hits a chord with the locals as he sings of a
“hole in the road” and a “hole in my heart”. At this writing, the
company’s fortunes have improved and some boats are now under
construction.
Kory Murphy at the Holiday Music Motel in Sturgeon Bay.
A
fairly new face on the Door County music scene is that of the very
talented Kory Murphy. You may have seen and heard him play at the
Holiday Music Motel or at "Untitled" Used & Rare Books, Maps and
Ephemera. Rolling into town last fall, Kory, companion Brittany, and the
music-lovin' cat Skyy, stayed the winter, and Kory hosted WRiTERS'
NiGHT.
Caleb Navarro emerges on the Door County music scene.
When Caleb Navarro picked up his
sister’s guitar in eighth grade, he surely did not know where it would take
him. Now a sophomore at Sturgeon Bay High School, Navarro is writing his own
music, posting videos of original music and cover songs on his own YouTube
channel, and performing at talent shows and open microphones around the county.
Sharon Grutzmacher of the PMF and teacher Lauren Bremer pose with the musicians after class.
Students
in Mrs. Lauren Bremer's English classes at Gibraltar High School know
that British novelist Jane Austen was an avid amateur pianist and
started her day at the piano. "She played piano perhaps an hour a day,
early in the morning," explained Stephen Alltop, pianist with the
Peninsula Music Festival.
Alltop, from
Evanston, Illinois, was joined by vocalist and violinist Josefien
Stoppelenburg, who now lives in this country but hails from the
Netherlands. The pair were in town for February Fest, The Peninsula
Music Festival's annual chamber music series. The
February Fest is made possible thanks to sponsorships from Doug
Peterson and Joan E. Mills, Gen Follingstad, and the Peninsula Music
Festival Sustaining Committee.
The
Peninsula Music Festival is now accepting applications for its college
scholarship. This three year, $1,000.00 per year, scholarship is to be
awarded to a graduating senior who desires to further his or her
education in music. The recipient must be an outstanding music student,
who has demonstrated his or her ability as a performer and has shown a
sustained interest in music-related activities. Also, the student must
major or minor in music while attending college.
To apply, a
student must write an essay outlining his or her qualifications,
including accomplishments in music, future plans, academic achievements,
high school transcripts, and any other information he or she feels is
appropriate for this music scholarship.
On
Friday, February 17, associate conductor Stephen Alltop and
soprano/violinist Josefien Stoppelenburg will present a program entitled
"The Music of Jane Austen" as part of the Peninsula Music Festival’s
annual February Fest. The 7:00 p.m. concert will take place at the
Ephraim Moravian Church. This will be a program of romance, humor and
beautiful music celebrating the 200th anniversary of the printing of
Sense and Sensibility, featuring composers loved by Jane Austen
complimented by Stephen Alltop's historical narrative. Jane Austen
played the piano every day and this concert will highlight the music she
loved and the music she played. The program includes the music of
Beethoven, Schubert, Clementi, Handel and much more. There will be a
reception immediately following the concert.
The
Door Community Auditorium goes “down under” next weekend with a
screening of the Australian-centered film Rabbit-Proof Fence, as well as
concert and lecture by Brian Pertl, didgeridoo expert from Lawrence
University.
Didgeridoo Concert and Lecture
On Friday, February 17, at 7 p.m.,
the DCA’s Fireside Lobby will come alive with the distinct sounds of
aboriginal Australian instrument the didgeridoo, presented by Brian
Pertl of Lawrence University, as part of DCA’s Coffeehouse Concert
Series.
Third
Avenue Playhouse is launching a new series called Tuesdays at TAP.
Every Tuesday there will be a concert at TAP to benefit a local
nonprofit. This series starts on February 14th and the featured
nonprofit is United Way of Door County.
The concert starts at 7:30 pm. The artist is Hans Christian. Hans
Christian’s unmistakable cello playing moves the listener with a
haunting beauty, and his use of various ethnic string instruments
expresses a universal musical language that transcends boundaries,
cultures, and generations. This concert is a kick-off toappearances around the world.
On
Saturday, February 11, at 7 p.m., six Door County teens will compete
for the title of 2012 Door County Idol. This highly anticipated annual
event serves as both a vibrant community gathering and as a celebration
of Door County’s abundant homegrown talent.
From dozens of auditioning students, Door County Idol screeners have
chosen six finalists for this year’s competition.
Door
Community Auditorium’s popular winter event series is well underway and
will continue this weekend with an intimate fireside concert on
Saturday evening by popular local singer-songwriter Seth Raddatz, as
well as a free movie showing on Friday night and a lecture about the
U.S. educational system on Saturday morning.
Seth Raddatz will
play in the DCA fireside lobby at 7 p.m. on Saturday, January 28. Door
County audiences may recognize Seth Raddatz as the son of veteran local
folksinger Mark Raddatz, but after writing and performing in Door County
for several years, Seth has developed his own reputation and following
on the peninsula.
The
Peninsula Music Festival will present its annual chamber music series,
February Fest, on Saturday, February 11 and Friday, February 17. The
chamber music series was started to feature PMF orchestra musicians
during the off season to highlight the depth of the talent in the
Festival Orchestra as well as make concerts available to the local
community during a quieter time on the Peninsula. The February Fest is
made possible thanks to sponsorships from Doug Peterson and Joan E.
Mills, Gen Follingstad, and the Peninsula Music Festival Sustaining
Committee.
On
January 20 and 21, Door Community Auditorium will provide the second
installment of its 2012 lecture, concert, and movie screening series.
After a Friday evening showing of the hit film Super 8, DCA will present
a Saturday morning lecture about academic biblical interpretation and a
Saturday evening concert by well-known local folksinger Katie Dahl.
Katie Dahl will play
as part of DCA’s Coffehouse Concert series at 7 p.m. on Saturday,
January 21, having played to a sellout crowd at the DCA in 2010. Known
for the easy humor of her live performances, the depth and power of her
alto voice, and the poignant candor of her original music, Dahl has
gained a strong reputation in Door County from her solo shows as well as
her work with American Folklore Theatre and Door Shakespeare. She tours nationally on a regular basis and has shared the stage with such respected songwriters as Julie Gold and Dar Williams.
When
it comes to finding a fun and supportive place for impromptu
performances of the latest song, poem, or comedy sketch you've either
just written or had laying in a drawer for thirty years, all roads lead
to Sturgeon Bay. And we're not talking just locals. WRiTERS' NiGHT at
the Holiday Music Motel in downtown Sturgeon Bay is an open mic
opportunity for songwriters, poets, playwrights, storytellers, authors,
comedians, and
so forth. Visitors from all over the country and even the world have
stopped in to participate or just hang out.
The
gathering happens almost every Thursday evening of the year from 7:00 -
9:00 pm in the cozy lobby of this musician-owned lodging establishment,
a charming retro motel reminiscent of the 1950s; in fact, it was a
landmark place to stay in the area back in that day, and has been
totally restored to that look and feel as a friendly "Mom & Pop"
type place.
At
the final concert of the Peninsula Music Festival’s August 2011 season,
Music Director and Conductor Victor Yampolsky announced the new
concertmaster of the Festival Orchestra. Igor Yuzefovich will take over
the duties effective with the 60th Anniversary Season in August of 2012.
The Festival held auditions for the chair over a two-year period of
time seeing five different candidates. Each violinist led the orchestra
for one week of the August season and was also a featured soloist.
On
January 13 and 14, Door Community Auditorium will begin the new year
with a bang, by kicking off its 2012 lecture, concert, and movie
screening series. After a Friday evening showing of Brad Pitt’s hit
movie Moneyball, DCA will present a Saturday morning lecture about the
Supreme Court and a Saturday evening concert by popular local bluegrass
band Highland Road.
Highland Road will kick off DCA’s Coffeehouse Concert series at 7 p.m.
on Saturday, January 14. Highland Road are familiar favorites in the DCA
Coffeehouse series, having played to sold-out houses in both 2009 and
2010.
This winter, the Door Community Auditorium presents a series of events
sure to stimulate the mind, the heart and the funny bone. Comprised of
coffeehouse concerts, free lectures, complimentary film screenings, and the
perennially popular Door County Idol, the Auditorium’s diverse winter lineup brings
a great depth of musical, intellectual, and cultural enrichment to Fish Creek
and Door County. On the Mainstage The winter season consists of three mainstage presentations.On December 30, Wagner-Guthrie
Entertainment presents crooner Steve March Tormé (son of the legendary Mel
Tormé).Steve March Tormé is known
for wowing audiences with his delivery of jazz standards, Broadway favorites,
and original songs. On February 4, DCA partners with Peninsula Players and Fish
Creek Winter Fest to present Baby Wants Candy, an entirely improvised and
hysterical 60-minute musical. And, on February 11, teens from across the Door Peninsula
compete for the title of 2012 Door County Idol.
Open auditions for Door County youths ages 15-19 will take place the week of November 14 at Door County high schools.
Gibraltar HS - Monday, November 14 from 4:00 p.m.-5:15 p.m. Sevastopol HS - Tuesday, November 15 from 4:00 p.m.-5:15 p.m. Sturgeon Bay HS - Wednesday, November 16 from 4:00 p.m.-5:15 p.m. Southern Door HS - Thursday, November 17 from 4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
A
little slice of New York City comes to Fish Creek on October 27 and 28,
when two of the hottest bands from Brooklyn’s thriving roots music
scene play at the Door Community Auditorium.
Thursday, October 27, from 3-5 p.m., Howard Fishman and The Hot Holy
Mess will host a free Songwriting and Improvisational Workshop for high
school music students. Students are instructed to bring instruments and
open minds. Workshop participants will also receive one complimentary
ticket to Fishman and The Hot Holy Mess’ Main Stage performance the
following evening, Friday, October 28.
Legendary
Jazz Artist Rick DellaRatta will be in Sturgeon Bay to donate his time
and talents to raise funds for Door County Renaissance Development
Group. The benefit concert will take place at the Oasis Center of the
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 1756 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay, on
Friday, September 30, 2011 at 6:00 PM. Advance ticket prices are $25
and at the door $35. Thanks
to Door County business sponsors: Door County Realty, Welcome Home
Realty, W.E. Construction, Village Green Lodge, Peninsula Vision Care,
Peninsula Jeweler, Spa Verde, and Sandra Stetler - LMT; a limited
number of FREE VIP tickets are available.
One
of the most popular fundraising events of the Peninsula Music Festival
is "Help Program the Season". For the second year in a row, Conductor
Victor Yampolsky has given the Festival audience a chance to pick the
overture that will open the season. The 2011 season opened with Verdi's
Overture to Nabucco. Now it is time for Festival friends to cast their
vote for the overture that will open the 60th season in August 2012.
On
September 18, American guitar virtuoso Leo Kottke will take the stage
at the Door Community Auditorium in Fish Creek. Famous for his unique
blend of guitar-based jazz, blues, and folk, and for his unparalleled
instrumental sophistication, Kottke will deliver a one-of-a-kind concert
that should not be missed.
Leo
Kottke is a self-styled guitarist with an unconventional picking style
who has continued to innovate and experiment throughout his long and
illustrious career.
Eric Lewis and Friends are set to perform at the Fishstock Concert Series on Sunday, September 4 at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $15.00.
Door
County's favorite bluegrass performer returns to Fishstock for the final
show of the season! Eric Lewis is a multi-instrumentalist who performs
and records with some of the top Memphis artists.
Chris Irwin and Friends return to the Woodwalk Concert series this Friday, August 26th. Irwin
describes his music as country/bluegrass and indie, as he brings his
original tunes and favorite folk style tunes to the his show.
Known
for his years as an actor and singer at American Folklore Theater
presentations and for concerts with Lewis and Burroughs, he brings his
music home to Door County every summer.
Friday August 12th Robin Bienemann CD Release Concert
Robin
Bienemann brings his wickedly funny original songs to the Woodwalk
stage. His new CD , "Songs About Work", is brilliantly funny,
intellectual, and raw crazy outrageous. This hilarious and touching new
batch of songs is inspired by stories of people working for a living.
Work is a common thread of experience that ties us all together. We might like, or not like it, but we all do it.
Pianist
Inna Faliks, originally scheduled to perform the Liszt Piano Concerto
No. 1 with the Festival Orchestra on Thursday, August 18, has cancelled.
Ms. Faliks, who is eight months pregnant, had hoped to be able to
fulfill this engagement. Without a doctor's clearance to fly, Ms. Faliks
was forced to cancel her appearance.
The
Door Community Auditorium is excited to present Lee Ann Womack live in
concert on Sunday, August 14. Womack, a six-time Country Music
Association Award winner and frequent Billboard chart-topper, is a
progressive country vocalist with a strong sense of her musical roots -
an astonishing performer whose strength derives as much from the power
of her message as from the power of her inimitable voice.
Krista Detor is a performer out of Bloomington, Indiana, whose album "Mudshow" was
released in 2006 to international critical acclaim, garnering an average
of 4+ star reviews, and reaching the #1 spot on the Euro-Americana Chart.
Signed in Europe with Corazong Records, Detor's follow-up album, "Cover
Their Eyes", made similar waves in the European musical world.
Detor brought
audiences to their feet last year at Woodwalk combining her amazing songwriting,
inspired piano work and soulful, sultry voice with her dry sense of humor.
The Door Community Auditorium is thrilled to
present a one-of-a-kind performance by acclaimed songwriter Rickie Lee Jones on
Friday, July 29. Always a musical maverick, Rickie Lee Jones effortlessly
incorporates elements of jazz, folk, rock, R&B, soul and spoken word into
her work, topping charts and winning Grammy Awards along the way. She is
indisputably one of the most accomplished and innovative songwriters of our
time.
Lovers of powerful and authentic music, take
note: blues phenomenon Ruthie Foster is coming to the Door Community Auditorium
on Friday, July 22. Foster has earned kudos from everyone from O: The Oprah Magazine, who called her "a
blues powerhouse," and the Grammy Awards, who nominated her 2009 album The Truth According to Ruthie Foster for
Best Contemporary Blues Album. The gutsy strength of Foster's live performances
is a phenomenon not to be missed.
July 21 sees a special Thursday night event
called Science and Sustainability!
Dr. Roger Kuhns is a geologist and
environmental scientist with over 30 years experience. He will give entertaining short talks with
amultimedia show on the topic of
how to introduce sustainable practices into everyday life.
Kuhns says the
application of sustainable practices requires experienced knowledge and
practical application of the triple bottom line: Environment, Economy,
Community.
Steel
Bridge Songfest in Sturgeon Bay brings together musicians of all ages,
and one of the coolest aspects of the week-long experience is the
opportunity for mentoring the new faces on the music scene. Thus was the
case during the 2011 event, where the three youngest participants, two
guys and a gal, spent a lot of time with their older musical peers and
had a blast learning, playing music, and just plain having fun.
Eli Mattson got his start singing in coffee shops, bars and
theaters in Door County when he was 18. In 2008, the whole country noticed his
passionate baritone vocals and stunning piano playing and voted Mattson second
place winner on the 2008's Americas Got Talent TV show.
Since then he has traversed the country performing all kinds of venues
including casinos and hotels in Vegas and Los Angeles. He enjoyed playing at Carnegie Hall
last fall. Mattson loves performing and
feels most alive on stage and likes playing lots of different scenarios. After
all these years he has finally found the right band and written the right songs
and will be recording this summer.
Join
long time friends and musical partners Stephanie "Martens" Seefeldt
& Scott Ramsay in a night of music from Broadway to the Silver
Screen and everything in between! Scott & Stephanie were regular
artists at the Cup 'O Joy Coffee House in Green Bay while studying music
together at UW-Stevens Point and have been making music together since
their high school days.
It's all happening on Thursday, July 7 from 7:00pm - 10:00pm at
Sturgeon Bay United Methodist Church, 836 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay.
Updated constantly ... What's going on in Door County
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