Concerts on the Square
Capitol Square 2 E. Main St., Madison, Wisconsin 53703
press release: Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra’s famous Concerts on the Square is headed back to the square this summer, returning with a six concert series, no restrictions and all the fun the community has come to expect when the weather turns warm.
The first concert is scheduled for June 29. This marks the return of the WCO’s 38-year tradition, kicking off Concerts on the Square on the last Wednesday of June. The remaining five shows will run throughout July, with the final performance scheduled for August 3.
Reflections on Liberty, the third in our six-concert series, will feature the latest work from Dr. Bill Banfield, our Composer in Residence. Banfield will unveil his first commissioned work, “Testimony of Tone, Tune and Time,” featuring award-winning jazz saxophonist Grace Kelly. In addition, the program features guest composer and Grammy nominee Patrice Rushen along with local choir, The Stanleys & Friends, and UW-Madison professor of jazz piano Dr. Johannes Wallmann.
Banfield, whose works have been performed by top symphonies and orchestras around the U.S., is known for creating sound statutes of prophetic figures, using not only music, but narration and imagery. His new work features the words of Frederick Douglass, critical as we continue to work toward finding unity and common ground in our democracy.
Banfield, working alongside the WCO, plays a vital role in our efforts to make classical music more accessible and interesting for new and diverse audiences. He does this not only through amazing compositions, but by creating immersive experiences that bring together all-star musicians.
Program
CLAUDE CHAMPAGNE | Danse Villageoise (Allegro Champagne)
FAURE | Requiem (Pie Jesu, In Paradisum), feat. Middleton High School Choir
WILLIAM BANFIELD | Testimony of Tone, Tune and Time, world premiere
PATRICE RUSHEN | Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory, I. Power from the Pulpit, III. Freedom is not Free
STANLEY | Songs by Leotha, feat. Mt. Zion Gospel Choir and Middleton High School Choir
STANLEY | Encore
*Program subject to change
Guest artists:
Mt. Zion Music Director Leotha (Lee) Stanley is a retired firefighter / paramedic for the city of Madison and currently works as an employment specialist for the Urban League of Greater Madison. Tamera currently serves as the liaison for family, staff & community engagement at the Verona Area School District.
Lee & Tamera are very engaged in community activities where they may be seen conducting choirs or providing music as a dynamic duo. (he plays / she sings). The Stanleys have written or arranged music for the Madison Symphony Orchestra and performs their charts each year at the MSO Christmas Concert. They conduct an 80 voiced choir for the MLK Commemoration program each year. Since the pandemic, they have learned the art of video editing releasing a variety of music videos where concert goers could not attend. They also produce a Gospel Carols Concert each year giving traditional carols a Stanley twist. (www.gospelcarols.com) You can also find the Stanley’s each Sunday evening at the Stanley Gospel Café, a live broadcast featuring guests from Madison and the surrounding communities.
Since 1990, Lee has worked with countless schools in Madison and throughout the Midwest as an artist in residence teaching many different genres of music to children. He has written two books of music for children, has composed scores of songs and has been the music director for the Mt. Zion Church in Madison for the last 47 years.
2021 the Stanley’s debuted with a group of friends put together just for the Concerts on the Square. This year, 2 of the songs from “The Stanleys and Friends” will include the Middle High School Choir.
Grace Kelly, saxophone: Kelly is a saxophonist of prodigious talent. She was named nine times consecutively in the Annual Downbeat Magazines Critics Poll "Rising Star Alto Saxophone" from the age of seventeen, making her the youngest sax player ever named to the poll and winning the Critics Poll in 2016. Kelly is also a skilled songwriter and was named the winner of "Song of the Year" for her single "Feels Like Home" in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest. She has won multiple ASCAP Composer Awards, Boston Music Awards, and International Songwriting Awards.
Featured by Vanity Fair as a millennial shaking up the jazz world, Grace's state-of-the-art brand of electro jazz-pop and inventive digital content push her to the forefront of the fusion scene, alongside names like Jon Batiste, Jacob Collier, Esperanza Spalding, and Too Many Zooz.
Grace's latest album was inspired by the words of incredible women who embody great courage and resilience, including Maya Angelou's "And Still I Rise," a poem that ignited much musical inspiration. The result of this album is a deeply personal collection of songs with anthemic beats, upbeat grooves, and soulful melodies and lyrics. Grace created this album to help people connect to their inner strength and voice and find the courageous hero within themselves.
Aside from thrilling audiences in concert, Grace's stardom reaches the acclaim of her audiences online. The millennial artist has developed a new paradigm to exhibit her remarkable talent and unparalleled showmanship with the masses, curating an immersive user experience for her fans across multiple social media platforms. Grace's dedication to posting engaging content and offering insight into her daily life has deepened her brand, bringing thousands upon thousands of eager fans into her world and gaining millions of views online, allowing the artist to bridge the gap between virtuosic musician and cultural phenomenon.
For further information about Grace Kelly, visit her website at www.gracekellymusic.com, on Instagram at instagram.com/gkellymusic, on YouTube at www.youtube.com/gracekellymusic, on Facebook at facebook.com/GraceKellymusic, on or Twitter at @gracekellymusic
The full schedule for the summer:
- June 29 – Motown with Spectrum
- July 6 – Summer Celebration
- July 13 – Reflections on Liberty
- July 20 – The Planets & Ho-Chunk
- July 27 – Rachmaninov’s Third
- Aug. 3 – Finale with Foley
Visit https://wcoconcerts.org/
Each concert will include the full orchestra, made up of world-class musicians from around the U.S. along with special guests. They’ll feature an array of genres and diverse, cross-cultural programming meant to entertain and introduce the community to music they may not otherwise hear.
To keep up-to-date with performance schedules, community members can sign up for email updates on the WCO website or follow the orchestra on Facebook and Instagram. To donate, visit wcoconcerts.org/donate.