Staff Report
The 2016-2017 concert season is the 77th year for the Sweetwater County Concert Association; and they have begun the membership campaign for the new concert season.
The association is a local nonprofit group whose mission is to bring the best in live professional performing arts entertainment to the residents of Sweetwater County at the lowest cost possible. The association offers guaranteed seats for the four concert series to members of the association for one low membership fee. Because of this, county residents have the opportunity to experience these family-friendly performances at local venues without the added cost and inconvenience of long drives or over-night stays. SCCA memberships are completely transferable.
Members of the Association also enjoy reciprocity with the Cheyenne and Craig, Colorado Concert Associations. This means that SCCA members are able to attend the concerts presented by these Associations as part of their local membership fee, thus tripling the number of performances available.
A membership in the SCCA offers “the best entertainment value in Sweetwater County.” Membership fees are $45 for adults, $35 for senior citizens (age 60+), $25 for students through high school and $110 for families (two adults and one or more students). Individual concert tickets are available at $20 each for adults, $15 for seniors and $10 for students.
By joining the SCCA, the membership fee for the four-concert series is about half of the per concert ticket price. If the reciprocity with Cheyenne and Craig is factored in, it lowers the cost per concert for the season membership even more. Members can see all four of the professional artists’ performances for less than the cost for each one at a large metropolitan venue.
To help generate funds and allow the membership fees to remain low, the Sweetwater County Concert Association hosts the annual “Bite Night” fundraiser in February. SCCA also sponsors a local scholarship program that provides music-related needs, such as instrument rental or repair, purchase of concert attire and other items for local students. The association also promotes music education by working with Sweetwater Board of Cooperative Educational Services to provide student matinees and master classes whenever possible.
Information on the concerts and membership fees has been mailed to previous members and is available at the Rock Springs and Green River Chambers of Commerce. Season memberships and individual concert tickets will also be available at the door the night of the first concert. The public may also contact any of the association volunteers, association president Tina Price or treasurer Bernadine Craft for more information.
The Sweetwater County Concert Association has four concerts slated for the 2016-2017 season. The first concert, set for Oct. 13 at Green River High School auditorium, will feature a modern folk trio inspired by the legacy of Peter, Paul & Mary. Musically accomplished, interactive and energetic, “A Band Called Honalee” draws inspiration from The Mamas and the Papas, Simon and Garfunkel, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Byrds and other legends of 1960s folk-rock. The group believes the melodies and messages of the 1960s folk and folk/rock era are just as relevant today as they were when they were first sung, perhaps even more so. By reinvigorating their iconic songs with fresh harmonies, “A Band Called Honalee” brings this vital American music alive once more.
There is a roster of 8 different vocalists who are all members of the Honalee family. Their names are Eli Zoller, Sarah Randall Hunt, Chris Ware, Matt Dure, Hanley Smith, Joe Young, Suzanne Lenz and Sam Sherwood. Each maintains an active solo career, in addition to frequently appearing with “A Band Called Honalee” around the country.
The next concert in the series is scheduled for Oct. 28 at GRHS auditorium. Fir, pronounced “fear”, the Irish word for “men,” is an International singing duo featuring two opera stars from Ireland. David Shannon has starred in Les Miz, Phantom, Miss Saigon, and Sweeney Todd in London’s West End. Simon Morgan has starred in La Boheme, Pagliacci, Tosca, Candide and Cosi Fan Tutti in Ireland. Both singers have performed around the world on the biggest stages. Program highlights will include “You Raise Me Up,” “Raglan Road,” “Music of the Night” from The Phantom of the Opera, “The Prayer” and “Danny Boy.”
The next performance is set for March 23, 2017, at the WWCC Theater and will showcase Nashville-based singer/songwriter Jenn Bostic from Waconia, Minn. She has a beautiful voice and engaging personality and is known as a fine pianist and guitarist. Her show will feature a blend of familiar tunes and her own compositions, including “Jealous of the Angels,” which won five awards at the 2012 Independent Country Music Association Awards and reached number one on the UK singer-songwriter charts. She has played the Grand Ol’ Opry and toured Great Britain and Europe.
The final concert of the season will feature “New Odyssey” on May 2, 2017 at the WWCC Theater. Known as “3 Guys with 30 Instruments, “New Odyssey” has been together for over 20 years. Whether performing in a formal concert, performing arts center, corporate promotional event, or festival, “New Odyssey” adapts to any audience and any performing environment. Utilizing the latest state-of-the-art technology, New Odyssey combines time-tested experience with cutting-edge innovation that remains the hallmark of the group’s extraordinary success. “New Odyssey” is Gary Todd, drummer and comic, Michael Jay, singer and instrumentalist, and Gary Polkow, pianist and musical director.
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