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Photo courtesy of Grandview Heights Public Library
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Photo courtesy of Grandview Heights Public Library
Now preparing for its 27th season, Grandview Heights Public Library’s annual Music in the Atrium series is known for always holding special kinds of music performances.
With an intimate, almost house show-style setting; amazing acoustics; and diverse musical acts ranging from R&B and bluegrass to Celtic, these performances are an exciting way to experience and learn about new music.
“What’s nice about the series is that it’s intimate, so the audience gets to be close to the performer and the performer is close to the audience,” says Canaan Faulkner, public relations manager at the library. “Both the audience and the performer really enjoy that aspect of it.”
Performances will be held monthly in the library atrium on either a Tuesday or Thursday during the evening. Announced performers include Jazz duo Brett Burleson and Stan Smith in September, married singer-songwriter duo Jason and Michelle in October, and violinist Kristen Peters in November. Other performers will be announced later this fall.
Though only about 40 people can sit in the atrium to view the performances, anyone in the library can hear the music because the concert takes place during operating hours.
“If you come in to check out a book, look for a CD or are working on the computer, you get to see (and hear) a show,” says Faulkner.
The Mary Ludlum Atrium, where the series takes place, is named after the former director who started both the Music in the Atrium series and the Music on the Lawn series in the 1980s. Ludlum retired in 2013 after 32 years of service to the library.
Though the series is a community-focused initiative that gives many talented local musicians a chance to perform and expand their fan bases, the series generates interest from artists who live out of state, out of the country and even artists that have toured all over the world.
“We’ve had opera singers, African kora players, blues players, to indie rockers or artists that have played in arenas, and they all love performing in the space,” says Faulkner.
The setting gives the audience and performers a unique opportunity to interact in a way that wouldn’t be possible at a regular concert. During performances, the audience can ask questions, and the artists can go as far as to take apart instruments to show how they work. These kinds of interactions are what Faulkner says makes the series so great, and a good time for audiences of all ages.
“(The series) has an educational component, so we encourage the artists to talk about the songs, or tell stories in between. There’s kind of an open dialogue and a real engagement aspect to it,” says Faulkner. “As a library, we enjoy that people can come and not only enjoy themselves and enjoy a free concert, but also learn something.”
Charles Williams is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
