The Saint Michael Concert Series is thrilled to present an enchanting evening with local pianist Jacob Adams, who is one of today’s leading authorities on Ragtime and an accomplished composer in the genre. He will present a concert at St. Michael on Friday, March 21 at 7 PM in the church. A veteran performer at major Ragtime festivals nationwide, including the Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival, Adams has composed over 90 original Ragtime works and brings an unparalleled depth of knowledge to this uniquely American art form.

In this engaging program, Adams will take us well beyond the familiar strains of Scott Joplin, delving into the works of lesser-known ragtime composers, more contemporary composers like William Bolcom, and showcasing his own original contributions to the genre. Through live performances and insightful commentary, he will reveal the intricate rhythms, harmonic ingenuity, and cultural influences that have shaped ragtime’s evolution over the past century. Whether you’re a devoted Ragtime enthusiast or a curious newcomer, this promises to be a wonderful and charming evening of music!

Changes to our next St. Michael Concert Series Concert – The recital planned for Sunday, April 21 featuring cellist Dane Johansen of the Cleveland Orchestra has been postponed until next season. In his place, SMCS artistic director Michael Finlay will be performing AT 4:30 PM at St. Michael Church – a solo recital featuring Mozart Sonata K. 333, Chopin Ballade No. 4, and Liszt Sonata in b minor.

Please join us for a piano recital presented by our very own former Assistant Director of Music! – Fresh from his stunning performance of the Rachmaninoff Piano Concert No. 2, Michael is an internationally acclaimed concert pianist and chamber musician most recently invited to perform at the Dame Myra Hess series in Chicago. He is a 2022 prizewinner of the American Prize Ernst Bacon Memorial Award. An avid chamber musician, Finlay has performed with members of the Cleveland, Chicago, and Montreal Symphony orchestras as well as with members of the Kontras, and Korner quartets.

Mozart – Piano Sonata K. 333
Chopin – Ballade No. 4
Liszt – Sonata in B minor

Our concert series is dependent on free will donations – To continue to bring these talented artists to our community, sponsors and private donations are needed and welcome. Please contact treasurer Fran Fuehrmeyer at Franban1014@aol.com if you can assist with our endeavor. Thank You!

Changes in our Spring Lineup

Our season finale will be Friday, May 10 at 7 PM at St. Francis of Assisi – Orland Park, IL. Please note the different day, time, and venue! – We will be hosting the marvelous Kontras Quartet, who will play an exciting program including a performance of the magnificent Brahms Piano Quintet in f minor, once again featuring pianist Michael Finlay – MORE INFORMATION BELOW!

Finally, we initially scheduled a piano recital featuring pianist Natalia Kazaryan for Sunday, June 2. This has also been postponed until next season, so we are making Friday, May 10 our season finale.