Norris Gallery series continues with Jay Casmirri singing 'Songs You Love'
St. Charles' most intimate concert venue - the gallery of the Norris Cultural Arts Center - will host singer/songwriter Jay Casmirri in a concert called "Songs You Love" at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15.
Tickets for this family-friendly performance are available at $15 or $10 for children under 12, either by calling The Norris box office at (630) 584-7200 or by visiting www.NorrisCulturalArts.com.
Casmirri infuses favorite songs of the past several decades - and some originals that he wrote - with a soulful style of his own. Appealing to music lovers of all ages and covering a variety of popular music genres, Casmirri has entertained audiences from Arizona to the Midwest both as a soloist and as frontman for several bands including the longtime popular Arizona duo, The Blenderz.
"Music in the Gallery" continues on Jan. 22 with a performance by the popular swing/jazz combo, the Flat Cats, who will be joined by dancers from the Fred Astaire Dance Studio in St. Charles.
On Feb. 5, just in time for Presidents Day, Abraham Lincoln and his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, will come to life, personified by Michael Krebs and Debra Miller. "Meeting the Lincolns" is an entertaining and enlightening performance (including a Q&A and meet-and-greet sessions) that is sure to delight audience members of all ages.
In an all-youth program on Feb. 19, the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra's acclaimed Maud Powell String Quartet and Earl Clemens Wind Quintet will perform classical chamber music. And the new Elgin Master Chorale Children's Chorus, featuring some of the area's most talented student performers, rounds out the program.
To start out the week of St. Patrick's Day, The Norris welcomes back to "Music in the Gallery" the Ragged Rascals, who thrilled a sold-out audience last season. Prepare for celebrating St. Patrick's Day on March 12 with an Irish folk band and songs appropriate to St. Paddy's. The Ragged Rascals, who rove the Chicago area performing their own brand of Irish songs, have audiences singing along with traditional Irish favorites.
The NIU Steel Pan Studio returns to "Music in the Gallery" on April 2 after a successful appearance last season. This small ensemble from the full NIU Steel Band is appropriately scaled to provide an excellent steel band experience for the gallery audience. Their music and enthusiasm will put audience members in the mood for spring.
On April 23, the Fox Valley Flutes present a musical tour around the world with selections from lilting ancient melodies to imaginative modern pieces. Some of the members of the Fox Valley Flutes have been performing together for over 15 years, as part of Fox Valley Concert Band and other small woodwind ensembles.
The 2016-17 season concludes on Mother's Day, May 14, with a performance by concert pianist Jeffrey LaDeur, who enjoys a busy career as soloist, chamber musician and educator. He has concertized around the world including performances at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Hochschule für Musik in Frankfurt, and Banff Centre for the Arts. Recent concerto performances have included concerts with the Oakland Symphony, San Jose Chamber Orchestra, and the Denver Philharmonic. LaDeur is a founding member of the acclaimed Delphi Trio.
The Norris offers a season ticket opportunity to anyone desiring to buy tickets for the remaining eight Music in the Gallery events. Patrons may purchase two season tickets for a total of $160, a saving of 33 percent compared to single-ticket prices, which would be $240 for a pair of $15 tickets to each of the eight events. Call the box office at (630) 584-7200, stop during the gallery's regular hours of 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday or online at www.NorrisCulturalArts.com for more information on upcoming concerts.