Mondays in the Park Summer Concerts @ Liberty Park Sponsored by Div. of Arts & Museums (through Aug 22)

For immediate release
July 7, 2011

Contact: Wendi Hassan, 801.860.6396
Communications Specialist, Utah Division of Arts & Museums

Claudia Nakano, 801.859.8443
Communications Director, Utah Department of Community and Culture

Mondays in the Park
Division of Arts & Museums announces schedule for summer concert series in Liberty Park

SALT LAKE CITY — The Division of Arts & Museums is pleased to announce the summer performance schedule for the 2011 Mondays in the Park summer concert series. Performed by Utah artists, and presented by Excellence in the Community and the Utah Division of Arts & Museums, these events feature music and dance performances rooted in the traditions of Utah’s ethnic communities.

“Mondays in the Park have been anticipated community events for 24 years,” said Margaret Hunt, Director of the Utah Division of Arts & Museums. “The concerts are free and appropriate for all ages; in fact, many have made it a summer family night tradition. We encourage everyone to bring lawn chairs and join us for outdoor evenings celebrating Utah’s rich cultural heritage.”

Mondays in the Park concerts are held selected Mondays in July and August at 7:00 p.m. on the front porch of the Division of Arts & Museums Chase Home Museum of Utah Folk Arts, located in the center of Salt Lake City’s Liberty Park. Attendees can enter the park from 900 South or 1300 South at about 600 East. The series begins July 11 and runs through August 22, 2011.

2011 Concert Schedule

July 11 Shanahy. performs traditional songs and instrumental tunes from the British Isles, primarily Scotland and Ireland, augmented by contemporary compositions. At the core of Shanahy is the special sound of the Scottish Lowland Bagpipes, a rare instrument, joined by fiddles, highland pipes, whistles, flutes, bodhran (Irish drum), guitars and vocals. The musicians of Shanahy include nationally touring artists Kate MacLeod, Mark Hazel, Andrew Morrill and Bronwen Beecher.

July 18 Los Hermanos de los Andes, Come listen to the haunting, vibrant and majestic sounds of Andean pipes and drums with Los Hermanos de Los Andes, performing traditional Andean and Peruvian music using instruments that date back to the Incan civilization. Since 1989 Los Hermanos has traveled throughout the US, Canada, Mexico, Central America, Europe and Asia. They have made many guest appearances and recorded and consulted for Macmillan/McGraw-Hill, Brigham Young University, Embryo Records and TBS. Their full-length album is titled Mi Desventura

August 1 Island Time II plays a variety of music but with an authentic Polynesian vibe. The band started in Gardena and Carson California and has performed throughout the United States and Canada including involvement with the Polynesian Cultural Center, International Market Place, Duke Kahanamoku’s and Don the Beachcomber’s. Island Time II has been involved in many cultural celebrations, and leader Frank Fau’olo has been a judge for the World Fireknife Competition in Laie, Hawaii since 2002.

August 8 Ballet Folklorico Citlali Organized in 1992 by dancer and choreographer Martin Marquez, Ballet Folklorico Citali is one of the oldest Mexican dance companies in Utah. The company draws on traditional dance, music and songs as tools for cultural transmission. Since its founding, it has educated and provided performing opportunities to many people. Ballet Folklorico performed as part of the official program for the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympics, and has since toured Spain, Italy and Portugal.

and Grupo la Mezkla This 5 member dance band from Argentina has performed a variety of traditional cumbia and national rock music for 20 years. La Mezkla means “the mix,” an indication of the variety of Grupo la Mezkla's repertoire.

August 15 Praise United is a gospel choir of the Calvary Baptist Church Music and Arts Ministry. The members of this choir apply their vocal and instrumental skills to ministering in all genres of gospel music, including traditional and contemporary styles based on the African American religious experience. They have recently performed at the Sundance Film Festival, the Living Traditions Festival, and the Juneteenth Festival.

August 22 Corcovado Band The band gets its name, Corcovado, literally “hunchback,” from one of the most famous peaks in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, atop which stands a welcoming 130 foot statue of Christ. The equally welcoming Corcovado Band, which originally consisted of two musicians, has grown to eight highly trained musicians and superb vocal artists that transport audiences to the sun-drenched beaches of Rio de Janeiro for quintessential bossa nova, a type of Brazilian samba with strong ties to jazz.

For more information, visit artsandmuseums.utah.gov or contact Wendi Hassan at whassan@utah.gov, 801.860.6396.


About the Utah Division of Arts & Museums
The Utah Division of Arts & Museums is a division of the Utah Department of Community and Culture with a goal to promote innovation in and the growth of Utah’s arts and culture community. The Division provides funding, education, and technical services to individuals and organizations statewide so that all Utahns, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity or economic status, can access, understand, and receive the benefits of arts and culture. Additional information on programs and services can be found at www.artsandmuseums.utah.gov or by calling 801.236.7555.

About Excellence in the Community
Excellence in the Community is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of Utah’s best musicians with the understanding that they represent a resource that can be harnessed to enhance communities, improve our state’s reputation in the eyes of visitors, and inspire school children. Excellence in the Community has presented over 100 events and has raised over $250,000 dollars to create more and better performance opportunities for Utah artists. More information is available at www.excellenceconcerts.com.

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