By K.D. Norris
Not unexpectedly, St. Cecilia Music Center announced this week the cancellation of its originally scheduled January through March 2021 live concerts. But, continuing to not be silent in this winter of pandemic, the center also announced a series of virtual concerts running January through April.
The initially bad, but ultimately good, news includes jazz star Christian McBride laying down a base line — his much-anticipated “Winterfest with Christian McBride” series, originally scheduled Feb. 25–27, has been cancelled. But added to St. Cecilia’s virtual offerings is Christian McBride & Edgar Meyer — two superior bassists with different backgrounds but speak the same musical language — on Feb. 25, with a $15 per ticket program.
Among the other cancelled live in-person concerts cancelled are Joshua Redmond (Jan. 21), Shawn Colvin (Jan. 22), the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s “Magical Schubert” presentation (Jan. 28), Leo Kottke (Feb. 18); Kat Edmonson (March 4) and Rodney Crowell (March 18).
“St. Cecilia Music Center is committed to our audience in helping to ‘Keep Music Alive’ in West Michigan,” Cathy Holbrook, St. Cecilia executive and artistic director, said in supplied material. “While we are still unable to gather audiences in person at this time due to COVID-19, we remain committed to bringing our patrons great music into the safety of their own home.”
Other virtual concerts announced this week include three by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (CMS) — “The Brandenburg Concertos” (Jan. 7), “Mendelson, Liszt & Field” featuring pianist Gloria Chien (Feb. 11), “Schumann, Shostakovich & More” featuring violist Paul Neubauer (March 18), and “CMS Brahms & Dvorák” featuring violinist Ani Kavafian (April 1).
All CMS virtual concerts are free to view on the St. Cecilia website beginning the date they first air and for seven days after.
The SCMC folk series virtual concerts include Mariza Sings Amália (Jan. 29) and Judy Collins (Feb. 12), each with $40 tickets allowing viewing for 48 hours. Kat Edmonson (March 4) will be free to view on St. Cecilia Facebook page and YouTube channel.
For tickets and more about virtual concerts offered by St. Cecilia for home viewing, see scmc-online.org/virtual/.
More about those cancelled concerts
The St. Cecilia announcement notes that “many of these (canceled show) artists who were to appear in person have now been rescheduled for St. Cecilia Music Center’s 2021-2022 Presenting Series” and that the 2012-22 season will be announced in late spring 2021.
All ticket holders for the cancelled concerts will receive individual emails to opt for a full refund, gift cards for future concerts, or making a tax-deductible donation.
For additional questions about cancelled concert tickets, contact Kelly Herremans, St. Cecilia box office manager, at Kelly@scmc-online.org.
About the McBride & Meyer, and Ms. Edmonson
The six-time GRAMMY-winning jazz bassist McBride is so much more than just a “jazz bassist” — with a career now into its third decade, the Philadelphia native has become one of the most requested, most recorded, and most respected figures in the music world today. His work goes from jazz to soul to pop/rock to classical, including working with Kathleen Battle, Shanghai Quartet … and Edgar Meyer.
Meyer is in demand as both a performer and a composer, and has been hailed by The New Yorker as “…the most remarkable virtuoso in the relatively un-chronicled history of his instrument.” One of his most recent compositions is the Double Concerto for Double Bass and Violin, which received its world premiere July 2012 with Joshua Bell at the Tanglewood Music Festival with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He has also collaborated with Béla Fleck and Zakir Hussain to write a triple concerto for double bass, banjo, and tabla, which was commissioned for the opening of the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville.
Edmonson, known for her vintage pop and jazz with a Texas touch, began crafting her signature sound while performing in Austin’s local club circuit for years before releasing her debut LP “Take To The Sky” in 2009. She has toured with Lyle Lovett, Chris Isaak, Gary Clark Jr., Shawn Colvin, Willie Nelson, Smokey Robinson, Nick Lowe and more. She recently released “Dreamers Do”, an album that “blends original compositions and reimagined mid-20th century classic Disney songs to tell a story which takes place over the course of one sleepless night.”
