Thank you for a wonderful 2023 Summer Concert Series!

Free, family-friendly and accessible chamber Music concerts

The RRAC Summer Concert Series aims to find connections between the visual and musical arts and to make classical music more accessible to all members of the Buchanan area community. Performances are presented in a casual setting, allowing interaction between the musicians and audience. Musicians share the history and stories behind the works presented, and they create a deeper connection between the audience and music. These concerts are family and kid-friendly, accessible, and free to the public due to the generous donations from the community and our generous sponsors: South Bend Area Music Teachers Association, Inc, Shirk’s Piano Gallery, Monday Music Club – Parr-Blohm Fund and the Berrien Community Foundation.

BAYBERRY STRING QUARTET

June 25th @ 2pm ET

The Bayberry String Quartet combines performing and education to encourage people from all walks of life to enjoy and play music together. The name of the group comes from a neighborhood in New York, where first violinist Nurit Pacht lives, and it exemplifies its spirit of teamwork and cooperation. BSQ embodies this spirit, believing that playing together, rather than alone, is its greatest source of inspiration. Through their individual and collaborative work, the four musicians have impacted the lives of thousands of musicians.

The members live in three different states and rely on rehearsing virtually with a Digital Audio Workstation. They codified their virtual chamber music approach in a program called PhoenixPhest Virtual, and have worked with student, professional, and amateur groups across North America.

CLARICELLO

SUNDAY, JULY 23, 2023 @ 2 pm ET

From playing bass clarinet upside-down in front of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra to an impromptu performance of Mozart’s clarinet quintet just after almost drowning in the Panama Canal, clarinetist Jason Gresl spends his days diving from one artistic adventure to another. Recently, Jason has been dividing his energies in two directions. On one side, he explores contemporary music with his duo, Claricello, and on tour with Chicago-based theater ensemble, Manual Cinema. On the other, he juggles various wind instruments playing for musicals including Wicked, Phantom of the Opera, In The Heights and West Side Story. Jason teaches at Andrews University, Lake Michigan College, Indiana University – South Bend, and Saint Mary’s College. In his spare time, Jason attempts to learn feats of wonder with decks of cards and enjoys cooking up a storm.

An active performer on cello, baroque cello, and viola da gamba, Lara Turner enjoys a varied career performing music ranging from contemporary to baroque. She has held the position of Principal Cello with the South Bend Symphony since 2004. As a member of Claricello, she has performed in Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, and across the United States. Lara is passionate about performing baroque music on period instruments. She has been the principal cellist of the Baroque Chamber Orchestra of Colorado since 2005, is a core member of the Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra, and has been the featured soloist on viola da gamba in Bach’s St. Matthew Passion at the Baldwin-Wallace Bach Festival. A dedicated teacher, Lara maintains private cello studios in South Bend and Berrien Springs, and serves as adjunct cello faculty at Saint Mary’s College, Andrews University, and Bethel University. 

LAKESIDE PIANO TRIO

SUNDAY, AUG 27 @ 2 pm ET

An outspoken proponent of experimental sounds and expression, violinist Charlotte Munn-Wood is an improviser, chamber musician, and sought-after educator in New York City and beyond. Her music and visual art explores the textures and timbres of the natural world and of inner psychological environments. Munn-Wood is a graduate of the Contemporary Performance Program at the Manhattan School of Music where she studied with Dr. Curtis Macomber, and of Western Michigan University as a student of Renata Knific. Away from the violin, she is an avid runner, rock climber, and prolific fiber artist.

Emily Munn-Wood is a cellist and teacher based in Chicago. She holds degrees from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and DePaul University, where her principal teachers were Astrid Schween and Stephen Balderston. Emily is a cellist with the Peoria Symphony Orchestra. She is also a committed teacher of the cello and maintains studios with four Chicago-area music schools, as well as a private studio. In addition to the cello, Emily is passionate about public service and volunteerism. She is a proud alum of AmeriCorps and currently volunteers with RefugeeOne in Chicago. 

Pianist Geena Kam is the founder and artistic director of the Roti Roti Art Center Summer Concert Series. She has concertized throughout the Midwest, Asia, and Europe as a soloist and chamber musician, and her piano students have won regional and international competitions. A passionate educator, Geena has created and directed venues for young pianists and has presented workshops and masterclasses for area music teachers. Geena is a member of the piano faculty at Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, IN, and director of the Chamber Music Academy of the Fischoff National Chamber Music Association. She received her D.M.A degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Iowa.

PHOTO GALLERY

SUPPORT US

Your gift does make difference! As a small non-profit concert series, we are proud to provide free public concerts for the community. You can choose from several different levels of sponsorship. The donations are used for concert series expenses including stipends for performers, piano rental, promotional costs, and any other expenses. Click HERE to support our 2023 concert series!

CONTACT

Dr. Geena Kam, Founder & Artistic Director / jkam@saintmarys.edu