If anyone ever said there is nothing to do in Muncie during the summer, they might have a bone to pick with a few people - mainly the School of Music faculty.
Tonight is the first of four performances that are part of the Summer Chamber Music Festival in which faculty, students and guests perform for the surrounding community.
The festival will be entering its 66th year. That makes it one of the longest running festivals of chamber music in the United States, said Paul Reilley, professor of music performance and coordinator of music.
Three of the four performances are at Sursa Hall while one will take place at Unitarian Universalist Church in Muncie. There will be a few guest artists from Anderson University and a visiting professor from Taylor University performing as well.
Keith Sweger, a music performance professor, said he feels this is a great opportunity to take a step back from life and experience something different.
"It's not just about finishing up your business class or zoology class or whatever class may be but the idea of university is to have all these things that are really the culmination of man's learning, whether it be Western culture or not, are here in one place, and you should take advantage of them as much as possible," Sweger said.
Each performance is free and funded by the Sue Derexa Smith Memorial fund according to Reilley.
Mihoko Watanabe and Gene Berger are professors performing in the festival, and this isn't their first time.
Sweger said the musical arts quintet, which is a faculty quintet, is playing tomorrow night and are the last group on the program.
The festival was established to feature the faculty as well as bring in guests, Sweger said. He said this is a rare opportunity for Muncie residents to see world-class musicians play for free.
"The faculty that we have are world renown. For instance, Dr. Watanabe will be performing in Japan this summer, Gene is leaving for Columbia in a couple of days to perform and teach, I'm going to Beijing, China, to teach and perform in July and here we are in Muncie, Indiana," Sweger said. "People don't realize that that level of performance is available and if you're in a larger city to hear some of the people or the level of performance you might have to pay $40, $50, $60 and we offer these concerts for free."
There are going to be several different groups performing in different arrangements throughout the festival, ranging from all types of instruments.
"We're all small chamber groups," Reilley said. "We have lots of different things going on. Like for example the first concert starts with a group for flute, French horn and piano, and another group, myself, guitar and harpsichord."
Sweger said he felt that having this opportunity for free is like having a world-class chef serve up free meals here in Muncie.
"It's like having a chance to have an incredibly good meal at a restaurant where the chef is flying around the world making dinners and it's free," he said. "Not only are you getting food, but it's good food. You should go. Even if you're not sure you'll like it, you should go try it. It's a must-see."
"A must-hear," Watanabe added. "Usually we meet every week during the semester, five of us, but you know, collaborating with other faculty in the school of music, it's kind of fun."
At the end of the festival, the hope is that students and residents will utilize the university and, of course, come enjoy their performances.
"That's one of the great things about universities is that there are things going on whether it be art museums or athletics or plays that are going on that are here that you normally wouldn't find," Sweger said. "Take advantage of it all. Not only is it a good thing to have but literally, it's world class."
Sursa Hall
7:30 tonight
3 p.m. June 3
7:30 p.m. June 7
Unitarian Universalist Church
7:30 p.m. May 31
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