Bjorklunden Hosts Three Concerts

Lawrence University’s Björklunden will host a number of free concerts, featuring students, faculty and guest artists, in the upcoming weeks.

On Thursday, May 6, 4:30 pm, Patrice Michaels’ voice studio and the Lawrence University Symphony Orchestra’s first violins will perform. The students of Professor Patrice Michaels, soprano, will present “Say Ahhhh,” a program featuring the art of the vocalise, or songs without words. This program will be showcasing selections from three centuries of song, all written specifically to take advantage of the wonderful lyric qualities of the voice while exposing and developing virtuosic technique. The violinists will be performing various works of the Baroque area with bows designed in the style of that period. There will be a mix of solo and ensemble pieces.

Then on Sunday, May 9 at 1:30 pm, a program of Chamber Music as well as Balinese gamelan, will be performed by Lawrence University string students coached by guest artist Mathias Tacke (Northern Illinois University) and members of the Lawrence University string faculty . The group will perform string quartets and piano trios, including works by Bartok, Ravel, Dvorak, and Schubert. Gamelan is a traditional, percussion-based music ensemble from Indonesia. Lawrence’s own Balinese gamelan group, Gamelan Cahaya Asri (chah-HIGH-ah AHS-ree), led by Balinese musician Dewa Ketut Alit Adnyana, will perform traditional and 20th century instrumental and dance pieces. They will also perform kecak, or Balinese “monkey chant.”

Then on Sunday, May 16, 1:30 pm, following a weekend of Master Classes with Christine Rutledge of the University of Iowa, The Viola Studio of Matthew Michelic will present a recital.

The performances will be held in the serene surroundings of Björklunden’s Vail Hall. Entrance to the Björklunden lodge is located on Highway 57, south of Baileys Harbor, across from Anschutz Plumbing. For more information call 920.839.2216.