With school back in session, Iowa arts events are revving up all across the state. This month’s Iowa Arts Showcase features:
- Two upcoming Iowa State Center events, with Iowa State Center’s Outreach Coordinator, Sara Compton, and ISU’s Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities, Dr. James Rodde
- An overview of the wcfsymphony’s 2015-2016 season with its music director and conductor, Jason Weinberger
- The Final Thursday Reading series, with co-coordinator and UNI Associate Professor of Language and Literature, Jim O’Loughlin
- The Red Cedar Chamber Music’s upcoming season, with founders and artistic directors, flutist Jan Boland and guitarist, John Dowdall
- And composer, Middlebury professor, and former KUNI Public Radio and Iowa Public television host, Peter Hamlin, on his newest work commissioned by the Des Moines Symphony to commemorate the Iowa State Fair
The end of September brings in two spectacular musical performances to the Iowa State Center. Clarinetist Narek Arutyunian comes to Ames September 28-30 as part of Iowa State Center’s Martha-Ellen Tye Performing Arts Institute Young Concert Artist residency series. Narek will give lecture-demonstrations and masterclasses, as well as a public concert on October 1. Sara Compton, Iowa State Center’s Outreach Coordinator, and Dr. James Rodde, ISU Director of Choral Activities, reveal details about Narek’s residency as well as the Chamber Orchestra Kremlin’s performance on October 8, which incorporates ISU choral musicians in the concert with a performance of Schubert’s Mass in G and Mozart’s Vespers.
With both the opening and closing concert of the wcfsymphony’s 2015-2016 season taking place at the RiverLoop Amphitheatre in Waterloo, and with two concerts at the Brown Derby in Waterloo, this season’s program promises to shake things up and provide listeners with a variety of musical treats. Music Director and conductor, Jason Weinberger, provides an overview of the season and unique guest artists like Klezmer clarinetist, David Krakauer; percussion duo Maraca2; and the lively salsa band Orquesta Alto Maiz.
The Final Thursday Reading Series, a collaboration between Final Thursday Press, the Hearst Center for the Arts, and the University of Northern Iowa, brings in a published author each month to perform readings of their own work. Co-collaborator Jim O’Loughlin shares the history of this unique series and details some of the upcoming featured authors.
This year’s Red Cedar Chamber Music concert series features two unique programs, “Mostly Folk-Inspired” on October 4, 2015 and “Music and Magic Lanterns” on April 30, 2016. Founders and artistic directors, flutist Jan Boland and guitarist John Dowdall detail the music of this season, and the process and plans with handing over the reins of the organization to violinist Miera Kim and cellist Carey Bostian for the 2016-2017 season.
The Des Moines Symphony’s season debut concert features a world premiere commissioned to commemorate the Iowa State Fair. The Symphony on a Stick was written by Peter Hamlin, a professor at Middlebury and former KUNI Public Radio and Iowa Public Television host. Hamlin shares his secret revelations behind his new 10-movement masterpiece and the connections between the movements and the experience of the Iowa State Fair.
You can now listen to the September show right here, along with extra material that we just didn't have time for. Tune in to the Iowa Arts Showcase on the first Saturday of the month at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Iowa Public Radio Classical.