MUSIC

Bemidji Area Church Musicians Summer Recital Series continues July 23

Pioneer Staff Report — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 17:00:00 GMT

BEMIDJI — The 38th season of the Bemidji Area Church Musicians Summer Recital Series continues at noon on Wednesday, July 23, at the United Methodist Church, 924 Beltrami Ave NW.

The recital will feature Glenn Seibel on euphonium and Wayne Hoff on piano.

"This talented duo has performed together for many years and are always a pleasure to hear," a release said.

A luncheon will follow the recital with a price to be announced.

The event is free and open to the public. Free-will offerings will be accepted at the door for the BACM's scholarship programs.

For more information, call Barbara Fisher at (218) 556-0098 or Carol L. Johnson at (218) 751-0415.

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Bemidji Area Church Musicians Summer Recital Series continues July 16

Pioneer Staff Report — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 19:00:00 GMT

BEMIDJI — The 38th season of the Bemidji Area Church Musicians Summer Recital Series continues at noon on Wednesday, July 16, at The Bemidji Covenant Church, 5404 Hart Lane NW.

The recital will feature Lois Simonson on piano, Kari Miller on flute, Sanna Gustafson on saxophone and Janet Pederson on violin.

"These fine musicians will offer a great program of varied selections, many of which are arranged by Lois Simonson," a release said.

A luncheon will follow the recital with a price to be announced.

The event is free and open to the public. Free-will offerings will be accepted at the door for the BACM's scholarship programs.

For more information, call Barbara Fisher at (218) 556-0098 or Carol L. Johnson at (218) 751-0415.

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Mid- and late-summer concerts to fill Minnesota communities with rhythm and song

Staff reports — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 18:11:00 GMT

There are always big names making their way to some of the bigger cities around Minnesota and beyond, but if you're looking for that small-town charm, here are some events around the state you can check out while traveling around the land of 10,000 lakes during July and August:
One-night only Prairie Winds Concert Band

When: July 9

Where: Willmar, Minnesota

Cost: Free

Information: The Prairie Winds Concert Band will conclude its outdoor concert series in Rice Park on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. Bring your own lawn chair. Popcorn and water will be provided free of charge by Walt's and EcoWater. For more information, visit www.prairiewindsconcertband.com or Facebook at www.facebook.com/prairiewinds.

Squid Fest

When: Aug. 16

Where: Granite Falls, Minnesota

Cost: Free

Information: Squid Fest will take place in Memorial Park from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., celebrating the community's wealth of art, music, food, culture, care and crafts. The event will also celebrate the 100th anniversary of Memorial Park. The after party will take place downtown from 6 to 10 p.m., with live music by Severio Mancieri at the Bluenose Gopher Public House from 7 to 9 p.m.

Ongoing

These summer concert series will take place at regular intervals throughout the season. Some listings may change, so watch local websites and social media for updates.

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Thalea Quartet to present concert July 13 in Bemidji

Dennis Doeden — Sun, 06 Jul 2025 14:00:00 GMT

BEMIDJI — The Thalea String Quartet will perform a free concert at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 13, at First Lutheran Church in Bemidji.

It’s part of the Lakes Area Music Festival’s 2025 Prelude Series.

“To kind of kickstart our season, we always like to start with these prelude series concerts,” said Connor Bitterman, artistic administrative intern for the festival.

This year’s Lakes Area Music Festival will be held July 25 to Aug. 17 in Brainerd. It will feature a variety of performances ranging from children’s groups to chamber music and operas. The theme for the festival is “Myths and Magic.”

More information on the festival can be found online at lakesareamusic.org.

The Thalea String Quartet features Christopher Whitley and Kumiko Sakamoto on violin, Lauren Spaulding on viola, and Alex Cox on cello. The group has performed across North America, Europe, and China, and has appeared at the Kennedy Center, Massey Hall, and Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall. They first performed in Bemidji two years ago.

The quartet won the 2021 Ann Divine Educator Award from the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and were top prize winners at the 2018 Fischoff Competition and 2018 Chamber Music Yellow Springs Competition.

“They are known nationwide, and we have been partners with them for a couple of years,” Bitterman said. “We are just so privileged to have their expertise and get to experience their love of music … and their willingness to spread that love of music to cities that might not typically get as much love as, say, Minneapolis, St. Paul, or major urban cities.”

There is no charge for the July 13 concert, but donations will be welcomed.

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Christian Haugen to perform at Blackduck Senior Center

Pioneer Staff Report — Sat, 05 Jul 2025 15:00:00 GMT

BEMIDJI — The Blackduck Senior Center will host local musician Christian Haugen from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 12, at the center, 24 First St. E.

Haugen will play some joyful, fun, toe-tapping, easy listening music on the piano, a release said.

Everyone is welcome and refreshments will be served.

For more information, call (218) 751-8836.

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Bemidji Area Church Musicians Summer Recital Series continues July 9

Pioneer Staff Report — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 17:00:00 GMT

BEMIDJI — The 38th season of the Bemidji Area Church Musicians Summer Recital Series continues at noon on Wednesday, July 9, at First Baptist Church, 1555 Paul Bunyan Drive NW.

The recital will feature Wade Martin on vocals and guitar, his wife Amanda Willis-Martin on piano and their son, Mathison, on piano. They will present a number of selections in a variety of styles, a release said.

A luncheon will follow the recital with a price to be announced.

The event is free and open to the public. Free-will offerings will be accepted at the door for the BACM's scholarship programs.

For more information, call Barbara Fisher at (218) 556-0098 or Carol L. Johnson at (218) 751-0415.

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Hopes, Dreams and Smiles presents signed guitars from Kick'n Up Kountry

Pioneer Staff Report — Sat, 28 Jun 2025 18:00:00 GMT

Hopes, Dreams and Smiles recently presented guitars signed by artists from the Kick'n Up Kountry Music Festival to this year's recipients, Jane and Mya.

Hopes, Dreams and Smiles is a charity organization that brings children with life-threatening illnesses who are country music fans to the festival, held June 12-15 this year.

The Bemidji Eagles Aerie and Auxiliary donate to Hopes, Dreams and Smiles to help keep this program going.

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Bemidji High �� to host annual 'Meet the Band' event July 1

Daltyn Lofstrom — Sat, 28 Jun 2025 13:30:00 GMT

BEMIDJI — �� may be out, but the Bemidji High �� marching band is still in session.

Coordinating their steps, waving flags in unison and playing their instruments with technical skill, students and directors alike have continued to frequent school grounds in preparation for the band’s "Meet the Band" event set for 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 1, at BHS.

The annual event serves as a fundraiser for the marching band to offset costs associated with competition season, namely travel expenses.

For a $20 admission fee, attendees will be treated to a pulled pork dinner followed by performances and awards for senior members.

Initial musical preparation began in March with steps being fully fleshed out once the last day of school concluded.

“We have rehearsals a couple times a week where we work mostly on music, but then do a little bit of footwork and some marching technique with whoever can make it — working around spring sports,” Director Derek Wickum said. “Our season officially starts the first day after school gets out.”

With "Meet the Band" quickly approaching, Wickum commended the work of the students as well as additional staff for their assistance throughout the process.

“I can’t do this by myself. It’s just too much,” Wickum said. “There are too many moving pieces to be able to take control of all of it.”

Wickum added that student membership is also on the rise, nearly matching pre-pandemic numbers.

“We’ve got numbers in the 70s now, and that’s really good,” he said. “Pre-COVID, we were in the 80s or 90s, so we’re almost there.”

Regardless of numbers, the opportunity to showcase each member at "Meet the Band" can’t come too soon for Wickum.

“I’m just excited for everybody to see the show that the kids will put on. They’re doing such a great job with it,” Wickum left off. “It’s a really fun event and it’s going to be a great show.”

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Bemidji Area Church Musicians Summer Recital Series continues July 2

Pioneer Staff Report — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 14:16:00 GMT

BEMIDJI — The 38th season of the Bemidji Area Church Musicians Summer Recital Series continues at noon on Wednesday, July 2, at St. Mark's Lutheran Church, 2220 Anne St. NW.

The recital will feature musicians of the St. Mark's congregation, a release said.

Attendees should expect to hear a variety of selections and styles. A luncheon will follow the recital with a price to be announced.

The event is free and open to the public. Free-will offerings will be accepted at the door for the BACM's scholarship programs.

For more information, call Barbara Fisher at (218) 556-0098 or Carol L. Johnson at (218) 751-0415.

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Bemidji Area Church Musicians Summer Recital Series continues June 25

Pioneer Staff Report — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 15:22:43 GMT

BEMIDJI — The 38th season of the Bemidji Area Church Musicians Summer Recital Series continues at noon on Wednesday, June 25, at St. Philip's Church, 702 Beltrami Ave. NW.

"The recital will showcase young musicians of St. Philip’s performing a variety of compositions," a release said.

Performers will include Brooklyn Hougen on violin, Reid Zemen on piano, Molly Johnson on bassoon, David Aguilera on the cello and others.

A luncheon will follow the recital with a price to be announced.

The event is free and open to the public. A free-will offering will be received at the door for the scholarship programs of the BACM.

For more information, call Barbara Fisher at (218) 556-0098 or Carol L. Johnson at (218) 751-0415.

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MUSIC

Bemidji Area Church Musicians Summer Recital Series continues July 23

Bemidji Area Church Musicians Summer Recital Series continues July 16

Mid- and late-summer concerts to fill Minnesota communities with rhythm and song

Thalea Quartet to present concert July 13 in Bemidji

Christian Haugen to perform at Blackduck Senior Center

Bemidji Area Church Musicians Summer Recital Series continues July 9

Hopes, Dreams and Smiles presents signed guitars from Kick'n Up Kountry

Bemidji High �������� to host annual 'Meet the Band' event July 1

Bemidji Area Church Musicians Summer Recital Series continues July 2

Bemidji Area Church Musicians Summer Recital Series continues June 25

Bemidji High �� to host annual 'Meet the Band' event July 1