By Scott Gaertner
The 29th annual Arizona Musicfest festival season this year brings an even more diverse lineup of exceptional artists right to Scottsdale North audiences. From Grammy award winner Michael Bolton; to multi-talented entertainer Vanessa Williams and acclaimed country star Sara Evans; all the way to iconic TV, stage and screen celebrity Tony Danza. And the best part? Almost all of the performances are either located right here in Scottsdale North or they are just a stone’s throw away! No more driving in the early dark of those fall and winter evenings to travel all the way to downtown Phoenix or Tempe to hear the rhythms your heart has been longing for.
Founded in 1991, the Arizona Music festival is a secular non-profit arts organization based in North Scottsdale and produces an annual concert festival as well as important music education programs, youth performance opportunities and a community lifelong learning series for the Greater Phoenix area. We recently did a spotlight video for Connecting Scottsdale North at a fantastic event at Highlands church and it was clear that everyone enjoyed the venue and the performances.
A Salute to John Williams, Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, as well as works by Beethoven, Ravel and Rachmaninoff highlight this year’s Festival Orchestra Week in February. Under the direction of Maestro Robert Moody, The Festival Orchestra is comprised of musicians from the nation’s finest orchestras. Additional symphonic works include Elgar’s Enigma Variations, featuring the stirring “Nimrod” movement, as well as Peter Boyer’s Ellis Island: The Dream of America, which tells the dramatic stories of immigrants to our nation.
“We are thrilled to offer Musicfest audiences another exciting season filled with exceptional artists from across the music spectrum.” said Arizona Musicfest Executive and Producing Director Allan Naplan. “While some artists are returning to the Musicfest stage, others are making their much-anticipated festival debuts. Combined, our line-up of diverse artists and musical genres offers something for everyone.”
January highlights include:
UNDER THE STREETLAMP
Saturday, January 18 at 7:30pm
Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale
Under the Streetlamp performs an electrifying evening of classic hits from the American Radio Songbook, featuring a unique blend of tight harmonies and slick dance moves from Doo-Wop, Motown, and old-time rock & roll. Comprised of former cast members from Broadway’s Jersey Boys, Under the Streetlamp is acclaimed for their live performances, as well as their three popular PBS specials.
GLEN BURTNIK’S SUMMER OF LOVE CONCERT
Monday, January 20 at 7:30pm
Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale
The Summer of Love Concert features iconic rock music from between 1967’s release of The Beatles Sgt. Pepper’s album and the Woodstock Music Festival of 1969. Created by Glen Burtnik, alumnus of Styx and Beatlemania, the concert features hits from The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and much more!
Winter Fest will run from January 18, through March 13, 2020. Tickets for all Arizona Musicfest performances may be purchased online at azmusicfest.org or by calling (480) 422-8449.
Scott Gaertner is our real estate expert, Founder of Connecting Scottsdale North, and a Lifestyle contributor.
