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What's Happening at Montauk & Western Historic Trails Center
Montauk Launches Classics Series
Montauk,
home of Iowa’s 12th governor, William Larrabee and his wife, Anna, will
host “The Classics at Montauk,” a new spring series of concerts held
in the Music Room of the historic home.
The series begins Sunday, February 5 with a performance by soprano Kathy Havenstrite. Havenstrite received her degree in vocal music from the University of Northern Iowa, with graduate school and advanced voice training in Iowa and Seattle with many well-known operatic and voice coaches, including New York Metropolitan Opera singer Carrol Webber.
The inaugural concert series reintroduces parlor concerts in fine homes at the turn of the century. Trained musicians performed before well-dressed house guests in the United States, United Kingdom and “other civilized nations” at the time. All concerts will be accompanied on the Larrabee family grand piano.
The second concert in the series takes place Sunday, March 12 with guest Richard Palucci, noted woodwind player and director of the Valley Community School District bands. The final performance is scheduled for March 26 with Douglas Poppen, vocal director at North Fayette and acclaimed vocalist. All concerts will be held at 2 p.m.
Tickets for the events are free. While the February 5 concert is sold out, anyone wishing to attend without tickets should call Montauk at (563) 423-7173 for information on standby admission.
WHTC Creative Weekend February 16-18
Western
Historic Trails Center in Council Bluffs will host a weekend of music and food
February 16-18.
The event kicks off Thursday afternoon with the popular “Jam ‘n’ Bread” from 1 to 4 p.m. This weekly gathering allows members of the public to join in an open musical “jam” while enjoying tasty homemade bread.
On Friday, February 17, the Trails Center continues the event with music and food during an evening jam session with light snacks and drinks from 7 to 9 p.m.
Renowned fiddler Dwight “Red” Lamb from Onawa will talk about old-time fiddling and his participation in it at the Trails Center on Saturday, February 18 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Lamb has been fiddling for nearly 60 years and comes from a heritage that includes several generations of fiddlers, including his father and grandfather. He was also a featured performer in the Smithsonian’s 1996 festival of American Folklife and the Sesquicentennial Festival of Iowa Folklife.
From 3 to 5 p.m., nationally-renowned bluegrass banjo player Bob Black will talk about his years playing bluegrass and his new book, Come Hither, Go Yonder, Playing Bluegrass with Bill Monroe. Black, of North English, began playing banjo at 15. He moved to Iowa City in the 1970s to play in The Bluegrass Union, a band that also included fiddler Alan Murphy. From there he went straight to Nashville and played with the legendary Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys from 1974-1976.
At 6 p.m., a dinner of biscuits and gravy will be served. The evening will conclude with a concert with Bob Black and his band, Banjoy at 7:30 p.m.
Cost to attend the Creative Weekend is $5 per day Thursday through Saturday, with an additional $10 for the Saturday night concert. A $15 all-event ticket is available if purchased before 1:30 p.m. Saturday. For more information, contact Western Historic Trails Center at (712) 366-4900.
