The Hart Community Performing Arts Association is pleased to announce that it will celebrate the 25th season of the Hart Community Performing Arts Series from October 2024 through May 2025. The Series began in the fall of 1999 and has presented over 150 concerts in the 25 years since that date, featuring a wide range of regional, national and international artists. In addition to offering public concerts, the Series arranges for all its visiting artists to make educational presentations to the students from the Hart Public Schools and surrounding school districts. The Series is completely funded by its many local patrons and sponsors, including individuals, local service organizations and local businesses. The HCPAA operates the series through an agreement with the Hart Public Schools and is guided by an eight-person, volunteer Board of Directors.
The 2024-2025 Series will begin on Oct. 4 when the Seraph Brass Quintet takes the Hart stage. Celebrating its 10th anniversary season, Seraph Brass was founded by trumpet soloist Mary Elizabeth Bowden with a mission to showcase the excellence of female brass players and highlight musicians from marginalized groups, both in personnel and in programming. Winners of the American Prize in Chamber Music, the group has been praised for their “beautiful sounds” (American Record Guide), “fine playing” (Gramophone), and “staggeringly high caliber of performance” (Textura). Seraph primarily performs as a quintet, with a dynamic roster drawing from America’s top brass musicians. Seraph Brass performs a diverse body of repertoire, ranging from original transcriptions to newly commissioned works and core classics.
On Nov. 1, pianist Xavier Davis will bring his ensemble to the Series. Xavier Davis’s professional career as a jazz pianist took off when the legendary vocalist Betty Carter spotted his outstanding talent at the 1994 International Association of Jazz Educators convention in Boston while he was performing with his college ensemble. It was she who brought Xavier to New York, hiring him exclusively as the pianist of her working trio. Today, Xavier is one of the most accomplished jazz pianists worldwide. Having led master classes and clinics all over the world and coming from a family of music educators, passing on knowledge and skills to young musicians is very important to Xavier. As such, he is proud to be Associate Professor of Jazz Piano at Michigan State University. Xavier was also a member of the teaching staff in the Jazz Department of the Juilliard School of Music in New York for six years.
On Dec. 6, the Series will shift gears when it offers a concert by Creole du Nord. Dedicated to the traditional sounds of Southwest Louisiana, Creole du Nord delivers a lively Cajun and Zydeco groove featuring fiddle and accordion and a rockin’ rhythm section “pour les bonne temps.” Bandleader Mark Palms traced his family roots to Breaux Bridge and now brings the uplifting spirit of Louisiana to the northern Great Lakes with Michigan’s finest; Billy King (guitar), Walter Prettyman (fiddle), Carol Palms (bass) and Pete Siers (drums) or Will Osler. After learning from some of Louisiana’s best...such as Joe Hall, Steve Riley, Blake Miller, Jesse Lege, Ray Abshire, Walter Mouton and more, Mark and the band Creole du Nord have been playing festivals, dances and clubs across Michigan and the Midwest.
The Series will begin the new year with a Sunday afternoon concert on Jan. 19 when it presents the New York City-based and nationally recognized Horszowski Trio. Giving performances that are “lithe, persuasive” (The New York Times), “eloquent and enthralling” (The Boston Globe), and described as “the most compelling American group to come on the scene” (The New Yorker), the Horszowski Trio has quickly become a vital force in the international chamber music world. Since their debut performance in New York City in 2011, they have toured extensively throughout North America, Europe, the Far East, and India, traversing the extensive oeuvre of traditional piano trio repertoire and introducing audiences to new music that they have commissioned and premiered. The Trio takes its inspiration from the musicianship, integrity, and humanity of the preeminent pianist Mieczysław Horszowski (1892–1993);
A second Sunday afternoon concert will take place on Feb. 16, featuring the Annie & Rod Capps Quartet. Annie & Rod Capps’ sound meets at the intersection of Americana and Folk. Citing rock, jazz and bluegrass influences, they create a fresh and unique amalgamation with “songs about broken things and poignant little ponderings delivered with a rootsy vibe, a touch of twang and soulful groove.” As with many singer/songwriters whose instrumentation is primarily acoustic, the word “folk” covers a broad sonic range of genres and influences – what comes out is a hybrid sound all their own. Genuine and playful; effortless and endearing; this duo has been delighting audiences in quality music venues, house concerts, coffeehouses, and festivals throughout their home state of Michigan and beyond. The Capps have three albums topping the Folk-DJ charts and they are 2-time Kerrville New Folk Finalists.
Spring will bring some of New York City’s finest musicians to the Series on April 11 with the appearance of the Ehud Asherie Swing Quartet, featuring Asherie on piano along with nationally recognized Harry Allen on saxophone and Jon-Erik Kellso on trumpet. Largely self-taught, or rather, “old-schooled,” Asherie learned the ropes at Smalls, spending much of his early teens becoming a fixture of the late-night jam sessions held at this now legendary Greenwich Village club in New York City. He has become, in the words of The New Yorker, “A master of swing and stride.”
Harry Allen has recorded over 70 CDs as a leader and many more as a sideman. He has performed at jazz festivals and clubs worldwide, frequently touring the United States, Europe and Asia and has performed with a multitude of famous artists such as Rosemary Clooney, Jay Geils, Ray Brown, Hank Jones and many others.
Since moving from Detroit to New York City in 1989, trumpeter Jon-Erik Kellso’s varied career as a performer, recording artist and educator has been distinguished by his deep knowledge of his instrument’s voice throughout American popular music. His sound is recognizable in television and movie soundtracks as well as in over 100 recordings.
The Series finale will take place on May 16 with a concert by Midtown, the 2023 International Quartet Champions of the Barbershop Harmony Society. Midtown formed in the spring of 2018 and quickly gained attention from the barbershop and a capella world. In their first year together, they won the Mid-Atlantic District Quartet contest, a fifth place Bronze Medal at the Barbershop Harmony Society’s International Quartet Contest, and the Dealers Choice Award for the highest scoring first-time quartet. After a three year COVID-hiatus, they returned to the international competition and brought home a second place Silver Medal. In July of 2023, they were crowned the 2023 Barbershop Harmony Society’s International Quartet Champion. They’ve put most of their time and energy into making music videos and other forms of media to get their music and brand out to the world. Specializing in several different genres including barbershop, contemporary a capella, jazz, and musical theater. Based out of New York City, Midtown is eager to share their music with audiences all over the world and to bring a new flavor of four-part harmony to the masses.
Friday night concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday afternoon concerts begin at 3 p.m. All concerts take place in the Hart Public Schools Auditorium at 308 W. Johnson St. in Hart. Season tickets for the 2024-2025 Series are now on sale at the Series website, hartseries.org. You may also contact Series Artistic Director Tom Kirk at tomkirk@hartseries.org.
