Concerts and Events
The 2021 — 2022 Concert Series is sponsored by the Downers Grove Music Club and the Downers Grove Public Library. All Concert Series programs are held at the Downers Grove Public Library, 1050 Curtiss Street, Downers Grove unless noted otherwise.
Reservations are strongly recommended through the DG Public Library, since the library limits the audience capacity through its reservation system to maintain adequate spacing. Note that masks are required while in the library. You may register on the library website by clicking RSVP next to the concert date or by calling the library at 630-960-1200.
Our music programs are open to the public. With the exception of our two fundraising House Concerts on November 12th and March 18th, all of our music programs are free of charge.
Sunday, October 17, 2021 at 2:00 pm
Celebrate Live Music!
DGMC musicians are glad to be back to present a variety of classical music. It sounds so much better live than on Zoom! This live event features the artistry of Jaina Carpenter (harp), Francesca Korbitz (flute), Chris Garofalo (piano), Jim Molina (piano), and Dan Moroz (saxophone).
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Sunday, November 14, 2021 at 2:00 pm
West Towns Chorus
One of the Chicago area's premier men's choruses performs a cappella barbershop favorites.
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Sunday, December 5, 2021 at 2:00 pm
Holiday Treasures
The Holiday Treasures Concert is a delightful hour of holiday music and provides a musical welcome to the holiday season. Joyce Tumea has gathered a talented group of musicians from the DGMC, PriMerry Players, West Towns Chorus and Grove Players to present this well-loved annual event.
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Sunday, January 16, 2022 at 2:00 pm
Suenos Latin Jazz
Sunday, February 20, 2022 at 2:00 pm
Lecture & Concert: Blues 101 with Fruteland Jackson
Learn Blues music history through song, lecture, and discussion while hearing instrumental examples played on guitar. A short concert may follow dependent on current mask guidance.
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Sunday, February 27, 2022 at 2:00 pm
Miscellany and Mirth of the Midwest
Musician/storyteller Dave Martin takes us on a good-natured romp through the Midwest, performing both traditional and original songs while infusing romanticized anecdotes about America's heartland.
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Sunday, March 27, 2022 at 2:00 pm
Trillim
Folk band known for performing an energetic mix of Celtic, folk, ragtime, bluegrass and Dixieland music. The band is named for a Midwest wildflower that’s been known to spring up just about anywhere!
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Sunday, April 24, 2022 at 2:00 pm
Celebrate Spring!
April is “Earth Month.” What better way to celebrate it than with a collection of beautiful music – some classical, some brand new – performed by DGMC musicians and friends.
view concert PROGRAM
Sunday, May 8, 2022 at 2:00 pm
A Mother’s Day Serenade
Pianists Noelle Kelly and Louise Kelly, and Soprano Angela Presutti Korbitz, guitarist Ron Korbitz and flutist Francesca Korbitz will be featured in this concert presented by DGMC musicians.
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Sunday, June 12, 2022 at 2:00 pm
Dave Rudolf's Beach Party
Do you want to lie back and soak up the vibe of beaches and warm winds? Then come join Dave as he performs tunes by Jimmy buffet, Harry Belafonte, and more. Beach attire encouraged.
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Fall House Concert
Friday, November 12, 2021 at 7:30 pm — hybrid concert: participate in-person at a private home (limited seating) or participate remotely via ZOOM live-streaming
The first of two fundraising events featuring a Benefit Concert with all proceeds used to fund the Rising Star and College Music Awards given to talented local high school music students.
This is a ticketed event. Tickets are $35. Program
2022 Piano Festival & Competition
Sunday, March 6, 2022
Community United Methodist Church, 20 Center Street, Naperville
Well-established, adjudicated event open to piano students in Downers Grove and its surrounding communities.
2022 Piano Festival Honors Recitals
Sunday, March 13, 2022
Downers Grove Public Library
1050 Curtiss Street, Downers Grove
Recitals featuring the piano students who excelled at the 2022 Piano Festival & Competition.
View 1:30pm concert View 3pm concert
Spring House Concert
Friday, March 18, 2022 at 7:30 pm — Hybrid concert: participate in-person at a private home (limited seating) or participate remotely (streamed after event)
The final of two annual fundraising events featuring a Benefit Concert with all proceeds used to fund the Rising Star and College Music Awards given to talented local high school music students.
Tickets ($35) are required to participate either in-person or remotely. Remote participants will receive a link to view a high quality video recording of the concert following the event.
Rising Stars Concert
Tuesday, April 5, 2022 at 7:00 p.m.
Downers Grove Public Library
1050 Curtiss Street, Downers Grove
Exciting concert featuring the 2021 Rising Star recipients and other talented young musicians in the Downers Grove community. View concert
Sunday, October 4, 2020 — Chris Garofalo performing Claude Debussy’s "Clair de lune" — streamed event
Five years ago, thanks to a bequest from the Estate of Donald and Mildred Drew, the DGMC donated a new Feurich Concert I grand piano to the Downers Grove Public Library. With this donation, the library and the music club formed a partnership to co-host the Concert Series held at the library. On October 6, 2015, we dedicated the new piano with a concert intended to show off the new instrument. The first piece on that program was Debussy’s Clair de lune, performed by Chris Garofalo. What a fitting way to begin our virtual concert series!
Sunday, October 11, 2020 — Gabrielle Henderson performing her original song "Brighter" — streamed event
While a high school freshman, Gabby was invited to perform her own composition at the 2013 Rising Stars program. The next year we heard her again, because she had won 1st place in the Junior Competition of the Piano Festival & Competition. As a junior in 2015, Gabby received a Rising Stars Award. Last spring, she graduated from DePaul University with a BFA in Film and Television, with a concentration in Sound Design. She has been doing a great deal of composing, performing and creating music videos and has shared this video from a concert in December of 2019.
Sunday, October 18, 2020 — Louise Kelly performing her original composition "What a Night, No Stars" — streamed event
In August of this year, Louise released Two Gardens, a CD of original compositions celebrating the two paths of growth for parents and their children. Louise has shared a video recording of one of the pieces from her album release show. We will be sharing another song from the Two Gardens release show for later in the concert series.
Sunday, October 25, 2020 — Dan Moroz performing his own composition, "Anomalous Liquidity" — streamed event
Chicago saxophonist, composer, and music educator Dan Moroz has a new composition that is a bit on the eerie side – perfect for Halloween. Dan notes he premiered this piece five days before we all went under lockdown due to COVID-19, and it evokes the unsettled feelings we all experienced during the early days of the pandemic.
Sunday, November 1, 2020 — Spirito! Singers featuring their Ragazze and Bravura Ensembles — streamed event
This event showcases the talented Spirito! Ragazze (5th - 8th grade girls) and Bravura (9th - 12th grade young women) ensembles from the western Chicagoland area. It’s hard to assemble such a large group of young singers for one of our in-person concerts, but now we can share this clip from a Comcast recording of a concert that was shown on an Elmhurst local access station.
Sunday, November 8, 2020 — Sarah Flanagan, performing Chopin’s Polonaise in C sharp minor and Nocturne in B major — streamed event
It’s so good to hear from our former DGMC member who moved to Kentucky 4 years ago. Sarah performs two popular Chopin pieces, the expressive yet lyrical Polonaise in C sharp minor, and the third Nocturne of Op. 9 in B major, with its waltz-like rhythm.
Sunday, November 15, 2020 — The Korbitz family, performing Duo No. 2 for Violin and Guitar by Carulli, and "Hercules" for Soprano and Violin by Hovhaness — streamed event
What a treat to hear violinist Amelia Korbitz, who won both a Rising Star and College Music Award, as she performs two selections – Ferdinando Carulli's Duo for Violin and Guitar No. 2 with her father, Ron, and Alan Hovhaness' "Hercules" for Soprano and Violin with her mother Angela. These selections are from a performance made in the spring by the Korbitz family to raise money for musicians who had lost their jobs due to Covid-19.
Sunday, November 22, 2020 — Chris Garofalo performing two lovely piano pieces by Japanese composers
This performance features a pair of short piano pieces by contemporary Japanese composers. The first piece, “Ondo no Funauta” written in 1964 by Hajime Okumura, has the form of a traditional Japanese folk melody. By contrast, the second piece, “To a Disappeared Pleiad” (1997), was written by Takashi Yoshimatsu who composes in the Western classical style.
Fall Benefit Concert
November 29, 2020 at 3 pm — streamed event
The Fall Benefit Concert is the first of two fundraising events we hold each concert season. 100% of the proceeds raised by this event are used to fund the Rising Star and College Music Awards, which are given each year to talented local high school music students.
This program features works by Debussy, J.S. Bach, Beethoven, and Handel, as well as appearances from past student award winners. Although this benefit concert is open to the public, we hope you will make a generous donation to support our local student musicians. VIEW CONCERT PROGRAM
Sunday, December 6, 2020 — Autumn and Winter movements from Piazzolla's The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires — streamed event
The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires are a set of four tango movements composed between 1965–1970 by Ástor Piazzolla in response to Vivaldi's popular Four Seasons. We present the set of movements in the order specified by the composer, beginning with the Autumn and Winter pieces performed by Jen Leckie (violin), Tim Archbold (cello), and Chris Garofalo (piano). Next week's streamed concert will conclude the set with the Spring and Summer pieces.
Sunday, December 13, 2020 — Spring and Summer movements from Piazzolla's The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires — streamed event
Astor Piazzolla’s Four Seasons of Buenos Aires are a series of single Argentinian tango movements. Piazzolla composed the movements as individual pieces between 1965 and 1970 and often performed them individually; only occasionally were they performed as a suite. This video concert completes the set of movements with the performance of Spring and Summer by Jen Leckie (violin), Tim Archbold (cello), and Chris Garofalo (piano).
Christmas Time Is Here is a popular Christmas song written by Vince Guaraldi for the 1965 TV special A Charlie Brown Christmas. It quickly became a hit and has become a holiday staple known and loved everywhere.
This performance by Natasia Preys, who performed in a DGMC Rising Star concert over six years ago, won 1st place in the national Thanksgiving Online Piano Competition 2020.
This is the last track in Louise’s CD titled Two Gardens. Performing with Louise are Dorothy Deen (cello), Kelly Jozwiak (violin), Marie Bennett (flute), Jack Murray (bass), Scott Liebenow (drums).
Piano Reflections (1953) is considered the most important recording by Jazz legend Duke Ellington as a pianist. Chris Garofalo performs the piece “Reflections in D” from this album.
These selections are from a performance made in the spring of 2020 by the Korbitz family to raise money for musicians who had lost their jobs due to Covid-19. DGMC first premiered pieces from this performance last year in November.
In this webconcert, Chris Garofalo plays the adagio from the dramatic F major piano sonata No. 12, K.332 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Here are two delightful pieces played by flautist Carolyn May, Adagio from Mozart's Flute Quartet in D Major, K. 285 and Tambourin by Francois Joseph Gossec.
Noon on March 7, 2021 — Piano Festival & Competition video submission deadline — streamed event
Well-established, adjudicated event open to piano students in Downers Grove and its surrounding communities. This will be an online event.
You can imagine the "vision of hills" that the composer saw from her Vermont studio as she composed this exciting piano trio centered around the simple melody of "Be Thou My Vision." Performed by Chris Garofalo (piano) and friends.
Just in time for St. Patrick's Day — you'll enjoy flautist Carolyn May performing this lively Irish jig.
Sunday, March 21, 2021 at 2pm — Piano Festival Honors Recital — streamed event
This event features the piano students who excelled at the 2021 Piano Festival and Competition. These recitals are so much fun to watch! Please note that these videos will not be available to view until 2 pm on March 21, 2021. Right before they are released, students and teachers will take part in a zoom Presentation of Awards Ceremony. This ceremony, which includes messages from our judges, will be recorded and added to this video event within a week of the initial release.
Sunday, March 28, 2021 — Fantasy in F# minor by Felix Mendelssohn — streamed event
We continue to feature talented young pianists with high school sophomore Pierre Hanlet performing the 1st Movement of Mendelssohn’s Fantasy in F# minor.
We begin our month-long program of Rising Stars with pianist Lincoln Peckenpaugh playing the “Prelude” from Suite Bergamasque by Claude Debussy.
Sunday, April 11, 2021 — "Faites-lui mes aveux" by Charles Gounod — streamed event
Diana Kwak performs the light-hearted aria from the opera Faust, "Faites-lui mes aveux" by Charles Gounod.
Friday, April 16, 2021 — Spring Benefit Concert (private showing for donors) — streamed event
Our second fundraising event for the season. This will be a private online event available only to supporters who purchase a "ticket" in advance. The benefit concert will not be released to the general public until May 2nd. All proceeds from ticket sales and donations to this event are used toward the student music awards.
Sunday, April 18, 2021 — “Élégie” by Gabriel Fauré — streamed event
Isaac Hsu performs “Élégie” by Gabriel Fauré. The work was composed after the death of Fauré's wife, and expresses a range of emotions from upset, to anger and frustration, and ending with exhaustion and devastation.
Jonah Sprandel performs “White Field~a bird sings an epilogue” by Tsutomu Narita, a Japanese composer and arranger known for his video game music works. The work is about the changing seasons of a white world as seen from the unique perspective of a bird.
Sunday, May 2, 2021 — Spring Benefit Concert (public debut) — streamed event
The public debut of our second fundraising event for the season originally released on April 16th. Although this was a private online event available only to supporters who purchased a "ticket" in April, we still request that new viewers consider making an online donation. All proceeds from ticket sales and donations to this event are used to support our student education programs in the local community.
This week DGMC’s webconcert continues our spotlight on talented student musicians in our community. We proudly note that Andrew Molina was the recipient of both a Rising Star (2013) and College Music Award (2014) from DGMC. Currently, Andrew is pursuing joint MD-PhD degrees at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine in the Medical Scientist Training Program. In his “spare” time, he continues studying cello and has performed for the University Symphony Orchestra.
We end the 2020-2021 webconcert season of the Downers Grove Music Club with Chris Garofalo performing this beautiful piano Prelude in G# minor Op. 32 no. 12 composed by Sergei Rachmaninoff. We are so thankful for all of the talented musicians who have generously contributed to our Sunday video series.