Manitou Winds holds Winter Songs and Carols concert
From staff reports
Manitou Winds presents “Winter Songs & Carols” at the Leelanau School on Friday, Dec. 13, at 7:30 pm. The concert is free. No tickets or reservations are necessary.
“WINTER SONGS & CAROLS” is Manitou Winds’ unique winter program. Now celebrating its fifth year, the concert celebrates the entire season of winter with songs of Advent, winter solstice, and Christmas intertwined with poetry and prose, setting a reflective mood to kick off the holiday season. This year’s program features favorites from the past five years plus seven brand-new selections. It’s an eclectic concert showcasing many different musical instruments. All the selections are arranged by the musicians themselves.
Special guest Emily Curtin Culler, soprano, will join the ensemble in several selections for this performance. Admission is free. Free-will donations will benefit art and music programs at the Leelanau School.
MANITOU WINDS is one of Northern Michigan’s most eclectic chamber music groups. They are known for creating up-close performance experiences, and for having a diverse repertoire. The ensemble does not perform solely as a classical wind quintet. Programs always include a variety of musical instruments and wide-ranging musical styles, from jazz to new age to folk.
The ensemble includes Suzanne Parker (Traverse City), flute; Jason McKinney (Maple City), oboe, saxophone, harp, and piano; Anne Bara (Interlochen), clarinet; Laura Hood (Cedar), horn and guitar; Christina Duperron (Honor), bassoon; and Jan Ross (Lake Ann), reader and narrator.
The mission of Manitou Winds is to share the intimate joy of chamber music with audiences, hoping to awaken the creative spirit within. The ensemble performs free concerts throughout Northern Michigan to raise money for local charities and causes, including Interlochen Arts Academy, The Leelanau School, the Traverse City Film Festival, ShareCare of Leelanau, the Glen Arbor Arts Center, and Jubilee Ministries of Grace Episcopal Church (Traverse City).
Manitou Winds has performed on Interlochen Public Radio’s “In Studio A,” and in February 2019, released their debut album (First Flight) with sound engineer Pat Niemisto (Maple City). The album contains eight all-original pieces composed by ensemble members Laura Hood and Jason McKinney. Their follow-up live album (A Celtic Summertide) is set to be released in 2020.
To hear music and to view concert footage, visit www.manitouwinds.com.
