Music and visual arts on the bill across the region.
by John Cain
The Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Kirk Muspratt have announced the 2011 South Shore Summer Music Festival. The two-week festival begins July 15 in Hammond and concludes on July 30 in Crown Point. Free concerts by the Northwest Indiana Symphony will be performed in six Northwest Indiana communities. The public is invited to come early, bring lawn chairs and blankets and relax and enjoy the music.
“We are proud to be a part of everyone's summer here along the South Shore, playing audience favorite music in beautiful, peaceful settings all while building a sense of community and fellowship with our neighbors around the region,” says Maestro Kirk Muspratt, creator of the music festival. “Summer is just not summer without these concerts. Come share with us the enjoyment and experience of being with your loved ones and neighbors under the stars.”
The concerts will have something for everyone, with the orchestra featuring light classical and patriotic music, as well as music from Broadway musicals and movies. The festival will be presented at Wolf Lake, Hammond, July 15; Redar Park, Schererville, July 16; Centennial Park, Munster, July 22; the 137th Avenue Park, Cedar Lake, July 23; Central Park, Griffith, July 29; and St. Anthony Hospital, Crown Point, July 30.
Elkhart Jazz Festival–Since 1988, jazz legends and jazz fans have come together each summer for a memorable weekend at the Elkhart Jazz Festival. Combining warm, intimate, small-town hospitality with the excitement of big-city jazz, the festival has become an internationally acclaimed event.
The festival returns this summer for three exciting days of jazz, June 24 to 26, in six downtown venues, including the magnificently renovated Lerner Theatre. Spanning almost every jazz genre, more than 100 world-class jazz entertainers have been invited, including favorites such as Joan Collaso, Dave Bennett, Bucky Pizzarelli and Tim Cunningham. This year, Ariel Pocock, Alfonso Ponticelli, Swing Gitan and Sabertooth will be some of the new performers to appear at this legendary event. 574/295-8701.
Art Beat–This is a free, downtown South Bend stroll along the streets and sidewalks featuring the work of local visual, performing and culinary artists. The event showcases artists and arts organizations in South Bend and surrounding communities and creates awareness of the role that downtown organizations and businesses play in the promotion and success of the artists.
In 2011, this popular celebration of local arts and artists will take place on Saturday, Aug. 27, from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. Artists living in St. Joseph, Elkhart, LaPorte, Marshall or Starke counties in Indiana or in Berrien or Cass counties in Michigan can apply at artbeatsouthbend.org. The deadline for early registration is June 10, 2011; the final deadline is June 24. For more information, call 574/282-1110.
Lubeznik Center for the Arts–June's exhibits at the Lubeznik Center for the Arts in Michigan City include “Woman as Artist, Woman as Muse,” featuring posters from the Belle Epoque, 1890-1910; “Vintage Vogue: Cover Art” from the center's permanent collection; and “Tommy: The Material Girl,” featuring fiber art. Indianapolis jazz pianist Monika Herzig performs Sunday, June 12, at 7 p.m., with works by female composers. Visit the website www.lubeznikcenter.org for tickets.
Find out more about area arts activities and events by watching John Cain on Lakeshore Public Television's “Eye on the Arts,” every Thursday evening at 9 p.m. on “Lakeshore News Tonight.”
