Natchez Festival of Music Presents a Musical Tour of Homes

Beautiful private homes, great instrumental music, and Will Earl Spanheimer in Concert!

What a fabulous way to spend Sunday afternoon, November 7, enjoying this very special treat presented by the Natchez Festival of Music. From 2:00 to 4:00, four wonderful homes will be open to tour and enjoy the instrumental music in each.

Then at 4:00, “Magnolia Vale” will be the setting for a concert by Will Earl Spanheimer, followed by a reception honoring the artists and the owners of the homes on the tour.

For the past four seasons, Will Earl has starred in the productions of the Natchez Festival of Music, including leading roles in Falstaff, Oklahoma!, The Fantasticks, and Man of La Mancha.

He has also performed for Command Performance, Night of Stars, nursing homes, churches, a Sacred Music Concert, a Cabaret, Broadway Favorites, civic organizations, the Festival’s Outreach Programs to other communities, fundraisers for the Festival, and private concerts.

His beautiful bass-baritone voice is matched by his graciousness and warm personality, making him one of the most beloved of all of the artists with the Natchez Festival of Music. He has performed throughout the United States, as well as in Italy, Cuba, Canada, and St. Barths.

It is a tremendous privilege for the Natchez Festival of Music to present Will Earl Spanheimer in Concert and to welcome you to “The Arrighi Mansion,” “Casa España,” “The Stone House,” The home of Robert Adams, and “Magnolia Vale”.

From 2:00 to 4:00, you may tour the first four homes in any order before proceeding to “Magnolia Vale” at 4:00. The concert there will begin at 4:15. Tickets for the entire tour can be purchased at any of the homes and will be validated at each home.

Homes on tour from 2:00 to 4:00

700 Orleans, “The Arrighi Mansion,” the home of Dr. Brad and Sherri LeMay, with music by Vincent Bache (flute) and Millett Cuthbertson (piano)

713 North Union Street, “Casa España,” the home of Paul and Analisa Therrien, with Spanish music by Richard Butler

804 Washington Street, “The Stone House”, the home of Joe Stone, with classical piano music by Joe Stone

209 Arlington Avenue, the home of Robert Adams, with music by The Natchez String Quartet: Louis DeVries (viola), Larry Konecky (cello), Dwayne Traylor (violin), and David Troutman (violin)

At 4:00

“Magnolia Vale,” below Learned’s Hill Road, the home of David and Betty Paradise, will be the setting at 4:15 for Will Earl Spanheimer in Concert, accompanied by Donna Schaffer and followed by a reception.

Tickets include the tour, the concert, and the reception. They are $25 and are available at any of the houses at the time of the tour, from the Natchez Festival of Music Guild at 601.446.8280, or through Natchez Pilgrimage Tours by phone at 601.446.6631 or 1.800.647.6742 , in person at the NPT booth at the Natchez Visitor Center, or online at www.natchezpilgrimage.com.

Please check the Festival website, www.natchezfestivalofmusic.com, for more details about this great event, as well as the upcoming 2011 season for the Natchez Festival of Music.

(Photo by Elodie Pritchartt)

An Evening with Jonathan Levin

Please Join

The Natchez Festival of Music

At a Piano Concert By

Jonathan Levin

Friday, April 23, 2010

7:00 PM

Woodville Baptist Church

Reception Immediately Following

Home of Jeretta and Holmes Sturgeon

457 Church Street

Woodville, Mississippi

 

Jonathan Levin has distinguished himself in his home state of North Carolina with performances with the Raleigh Symphony, Durham Symphony, North Carolina Symphony orchestras and appearances at the NC Governor’s Mansion and the NC Museum of Art.

 Through the sponsorship of the NC Federation of Music Clubs, he was afforded the opportunity to compete in many state and national piano competitions. Two major prizes awarded to him were the National Stillman-Kelly Prize and the Eastern Music Festival Scholarship.

During the summers of 1998-1999, Jonathan attended the world-renowned TCU/Cliburn Piano Institute at Fort Worth, TX, where he participated in masterclasses by such celebrated pianist/teachers as Jose Fegahli, Barry Douglas, Earl Wild, and Anton Kuerti.  In 2001 at Houston, TX, he attended the American Festival for the Arts and received the Piano Dept. Award for “outstanding musicianship and leadership.”

Jonathan holds a Bachelor of Piano Performance degree from the Manhattan School of Music and a Masters Degree from Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music While at Brooklyn College, he was chosen to perform in the 2^nd Annual Presidents Concert, hosted by Sopranos star Steve Schirripa which was televised throughout NYC.

Recent performances have included a lecture recital tour of North Carolina, Tennessee and Florida, appearances at Steinway Hall, Brooklyn Public Library, the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland and the Kosciusko Foundation in Manhattan.

An individual of broad musical interests, Jonathan was a member of an a Capella ensemble devoted mostly to early music called Parallel Motion acting both as a vocalist and accompanist from 2004 to 2006. He is now also active as a vocal accompanist and coach. Jonathan has worked with Paul Sperry as accompanist and coach for Sperry's Art Song Class at Brooklyn College.

This past summer he was on faculty of the Remarkable Theater Brigade’s Summer Young Artist’s Program for vocalists. He was recently featured on the Vox Novus/RTB Composer’s Voice Concert Series performing the New York premiere of The First Snow-Fall by Florida composer, Jeremy Ribando. In April, he was accompanist and musical coach/director for RTB's No Shirts No Skirts No Service, a production of emerging composers’ 10 minute operas and scenes.

This season will include solo performances in four Masterwork Conversations concerts at the Polish American Heritage Museum in Port Washington, NY, a series of lectures and performances dedicated to the music of Frederic Chopin and his influence, concerts in Mississipi where he will be musical director of Natchez Festival of Music’s Educational Outreach Program and a performance at the New York Society for Ethical Culture in Manhattan.

A Country Music Party in the Miss-Lou!

If you love Country music, then the Miss-Lou has a weekend planned that's sure to please.

On Saturday, January 9, The Delta Music Museum Arcade Theatre in Ferriday, Louisiana, and the City Auditorium in Natchez, Mississippi, will play host to two outstanding Country music bands -- the Gene King Band and Wild Horses.

The evening starts off at 7 p.m. in Ferriday, with the Delta Music Museum Arcade Theater Country Showcase, which features classic Country hits by Patsy Cline, Hank Williams and other greats performed by talented vocalists from Louisiana and Mississippi and the Gene King Band. The museum hosts the showcase on the second Saturday of every month, and features quality Country music for the entire family from 7 to 9 p.m.

Gene King has toured with some of the biggest names in Country music, including a tour with Grammy-award winner Jodie Miller. He has also played with Michael Landon, Roy Clark, the Haggar Twins, and many others.

In addition to Gene on electric guitar, the band also includes Jesse Middleton on acoustic guitar; Mike Estep on bass guitar; Nicky Ezell on steel guitar; Mark McClanahan on drums; Carl Bamburg on acoustic or electric guitar and Hallie Yarbrough, 2008 Louisiana State Fiddle Grand Champion. Tickets $10 at the Arcade Theater.

At 9 p.m., come on over to Natchez for an exciting evening of music, dancing, food and fun with Wild Horses from west Texas. The Natchez City Auditorium doors open at 7:30 with the band's live DJ, who will be there until the band hits the stage at 9 p.m. and will play until midnight. Concessions will be sold consisting of barbeque sandwiches and drinks. ID required for alcoholic beverages.

Wild Horses Band members include Angela Rae, Michael Blake Mahler, Ralph “Thundersticks” McCauley, Steve “The Head” Kellough, Lon “Fat Boy” Holland, and Chris “the Mule” Sigmon.

Founded in 1989, the band writes most of its own songs, one of which, "I Will Survive," was a top-40 hit. They've also had a video on CMT and GAC. Some of their songs have been recorded by other artists like George Jones and used as themes for great events like the Houston Rodeo.

Wild Horses has played at Caesar’s Palace, the Ryman Auditorium, PBR and PRCA finals in Las Vegas, Billy Bob’s Rodeo Houston Hideout, and the Wildhorse Saloon, along with just about every major Country music festival and fair on the mainland. Wild Horses plays everything from Elvis to classic Country to modern Country to classic Rock.

Joining them as a guest artist is George Hogan, artistic director for the Natchez Festival of Music. An internationally renowned operatic singer, George grew up with Country music in west Texas, and once performed as the warm-up act for Freddie Fender at Big Bad Bob’s Vapors Club in Memphis.

Because the band is wireless, the performers can get out on the floor with the audience, making a Wild Horses show a party with the fans as involved as the band.

“You see, we’ve been around 18 years and have played thousands of shows all over this great country. We understand what folks want for their hard-earned dollar — a good time. A Wild Horses show is the definition of a good time," said band leader Michael Mahler.

Tickets are $15 and are available online at natchezplgrimage.com, by phone at 601.446.6631 or 800.647.6742, in person at the Natchez Pilgrimage Tours booth at the Natchez Visitor Center, Scott Tractor Equipment Company in Jonesville, LA or at the door if still available.

So put on your jeans, dancing boots, and cowboy hats, gather up your gang of buddies, and catch up with the the best Country Music the Miss-Lou has to offer. If you're not in Ferriday or Natchez on Saturday, January 9, you're missing out on a whole lot of fun.