By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
Three unique acts will be featured as part of Ransom District Library’s Winter Concert Series.
Wallace, Beebe, Moehle and Orr kick off the series on Sunday, Feb. 19, followed by the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra Burdick-Thorne String Quartet on Sunday, Feb. 26, and The ACE’s Trio on Sunday, March 5.
All performances take place in the Hill Performance Room and begin at 2 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided by Barbed Wire Café at the conclusion of the kickoff concert.
Ransom director Joe Gross is a life-long musician who enjoys providing opportunities for the community to enjoy a variety of musical styles.
“We enjoy offering music-oriented programs at the library as a natural part of cultural programming, but the concerts do play a special role,” he said. “Playing and listening to music have been proven to provide many health benefits to people of all ages. Anyone who has witnessed a toddler, or even a baby, react to a song can tell you that we come into this world hardwired for music.
“The concerts form an integral part of our musical literacy programming— the capstone to musical storytimes for toddlers, guitar/music lessons for hands-on learning and open-mic events for the community to perform. The concerts represent celebrations of what is musically possible and present good opportunities to gather as a community.”
When selecting the acts for each year’s concert series, Gross emphasizes the hiring of local and regional acts.
“I have hoped to provide a variety of styles and for patrons to expect a performance that will deliver instrumental virtuosity in one form or another,” he said. “To build on the guitar classes that the library offers, I try to make sure there is at least one act that features that instrument.”
Here is a closer look at this year’s acts:
Wallace, Beebe, Moehle and Orr
Bob Wallace, director of Kalamazoo’s Academy of Rock, leads a local all-star collective that specializes in rootsy Americana rock cover songs. Enjoy expert renditions of Elton John, Tom Petty and many others.
“They are a new band of great players who have established themselves in previous, well-loved acts, some of which have played our series before,” Gross said. “Bob Wallace’s position as director of the Academy of Rock is an interesting angle, as they teach young musicians how to play in a band with all the commitment of traditional orchestra and school band instruction.
“The intention is for the kickoff show to be a fun, casual event that showcases familiar music played by expert musicians.”
Symphony Orchestra Burdick-Thorne String Quartet
The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra Burdick-Thorne String Quartet returns for a performance of popular Broadway and Pops music.
“The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra Burdick-Thorne String Quartet is putting together a Broadway and Pops performance specifically for the Ransom performance,” Gross said. “It’s a chance to hear the highest quality classical musicians play in popular styles.”
The ACE’s Trio
Guitar virtuoso Elden Kelly is joined by harmonica master Andy Wilson and world percussionist Carolyn Koebel for a jazz and world music odyssey.
“The ACE’s Trio features a unique combination of talents,” Gross said. “Elden Kelly plays jazz, infused with Middle-Eastern influences on a fretless guitar. When you add harmonica virtuoso Andy Wilson and the incredible drumming of Carolyn Koebel, the result is really special and not like anything you’ve heard.”
This will be the second time Ransom has hosted Kelly, and Koebel has performed at the library with several acts.
“She is one of the finest drummers in our part of the country,” Gross said of Koebel.