Redstone Review Staff

LYONS – Attention music lovers: Sounds of Lyons is bringing music to every corner of the town on June 3, 4, and 5. Think confluence, think legendary, think Earth, topped up with imagination, river, and caffeine: that is Sounds of Lyons 2011 in a nutshell.

The impressive line-up starts with confluence and the versatile and exciting musicians Jayme Stone on banjo, Sandra Wong on nyckelharpa, and Grant Gordy on guitar. They will be joined by MinTze Wu on the violin and early music specialist Ann Marie Morgan on viola da gamba in the unusual, haun

tingly beautiful timbre of Bach’s Art of the Fugue and music of African, old-time American, Swedish, and Jewish heritage.

Legendary is where the worlds of early music and folk music converge in a new kind of authenticity. The ensemble-in-residence, the Sage Quartet, is returning for the third time with music of Beethoven, Shostakovich, and Benjamin Britten, revealing the duality which the music presents and the world we live in: conflict and resolution, discordance and harmony, war and peace.

The final concert will be devoted to a unique Earth program, reflecting on our ever-evolving relationship with the planet:  a true story of love, betrayal, revenge, forgiveness, and hope. Pianist Alexandra Nguyen, flutist Cobus du Toit, percussionist Luke Wachter, and children from Lyons Community Montessori will join the ensemble to depict this powerful story through music.  The venues that have traditionally housed the three concerts will once again be Rogers Hall, Lyons Community Church, and Wildflower Pavilion.

Along the line of eclectic musical offerings, this year Sounds of Lyons is also creating more buzz around town with three mid-day concerts that are free to the public: Music on Canvas is a mini-concert for children ages four and up. Working in conjunction with local artists, children are invited and mentored to express their listening experiences through the creation of art. Collectively they will create a piece of original work, which will be subsequently displayed at the evening concert The Legendary.

Music on the River will have a tent and two speakers set up in Bohn Park along the St. Vrain River, where the audience can stretch out on the lawn and enjoy the natural setting while listening to the murmuring of the river and a Schubert string quartet.

Music Espresso at the Stone Cup is a fun and interactive event where the audience will be able to order their favorite music along with their favorite cup of latté.

To enjoy the whole spectrum of Sounds of Lyons, there are limited offers of a festival pass at $40. Tickets are $15 for single evening concerts, available online at www.soundsoflyons.com as well as at the Stone Cup. Sounds of Lyons is made possible by generous grants from Lyons Community Foundation and Boulder County Arts Alliance, sponsorship from Planet Bluegrass and Redstone Review, and support from many mindful local residents, businesses, and volunteers. Please visit www.soundsoflyons.com for everything you want to know about our artists, program, and philosophy. Sounds of Lyons 2011 promises to be a whole new experience with classical music.

MinTze Wu contributed to this story. She is the founder and director of Sounds of Lyons, and a proud resident of Lyons for four years.

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