Crossroads Music Festival Brings Music of the World to Cedar City

Published: June 06, 2023 | Author: Kol Gibson | Read Time: 4 minutes

Southern Utah University is proud to welcome the sounds and rhythm of world music and percussion at the First Annual Crossroads Music Festival on June 16 & 17, 2023. This inaugural festival will feature two professional groups, Samba Fogo and Heartland Marimba Quartet, bringing diverse music to our beloved Cedar City. These concerts are free and family-friendly, so bring your blanket, sit on the lawn of the SUU Library Quad, and enjoy two nights of great music!

The Crossroads Music Festival began as the dream of Dr. Lynn Vartan and Professor Joseph Howe, who both teach at SUU, because of their love of the diverse kinds of world music they present in the classroom. Set during the summer solstice, Crossroads Music Festival is the junction between seasons, Cedar City, and the world music scene.

“The mission of our festival is to combine our three loves of music, education, and percussion and world music and provide a unique opportunity for Cedar City to experience the sounds of the world,” says festival director Joseph Howe. “We hope that Crossroads will grow into a staple for our community.”

As education is one of the defining features of the festival, select students have earned the opportunity to join the Crossroads Festival Fellows program, which includes a week-long camp of lessons and rehearsals with Dr. Vartan and Professor Howe. Performing as the Red Rock Percussion Group, these students will be the opening act at 7:00 p.m. on both nights of the festival for the professional guest artists Samba Fogo and Heartland Marimba Quartet.

Samba Fogo is a cultural arts organization based in Salt Lake City, Utah with a mission to enrich and educate the community. The group weaves traditional and contemporary dance, fire dance, and diverse live music that transports audiences to the streets of Brazil. Samba Fogo will perform on the evening of June 16th at 8:00 p.m.

Heartland Marimba Quartet, which will perform on the evening of June 17th at 8:00 p.m., is an ensemble based out of Iowa with the mission to support and advance the classical marimba art form, its music, and its composers and performers. It is a versatile ensemble whose repertoire is accessible to all musical tastes.

In addition to the evening concerts, all are encouraged to participate in Crossroads Family Day on June 17th, starting at 10:30 a.m. In collaboration with artsFUSION, Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA), and the Johnson Center for Community Arts & Education, families will be able to create an art project and a percussion instrument inspired by samba music and Brazilian culture. Then at Noon, participants can march and play music along with Samba Fogo in the “Percussion Parade” from SUMA to the Johnson Center, located at 59 N. 100 W., just north of the museum. Finally, the Johnson Center will host the “Instrument Petting Zoo” where families are given a hands-on learning experience from Samba Fogo and Heartland Marimba Quartet. These family day activities, just like the concerts, are free!

Take advantage of the summer sunlight and savor the sounds of the world at the free and family-friendly Crossroads Music Festival on June 16 & 17, 2023 on SUU’s beautiful campus. For a full schedule and information about $10 VIP seating, please visit www.suu.edu/crossroads or email crossroads@suu.edu.

Crossroads Music Festival is grateful for its many sponsors including the Sorenson Legacy Foundation, JKS Legacy Foundation, Southern Utah University, Centro Woodfired Pizzeria, Cedar City Arts Council, The Johnson Center for Community Arts & Education, artsFUSION, and Southern Utah Museum of Art.

 

About the College of Performing and Visual Arts

The College of Performing and Visual Arts (CPVA) at Southern Utah University comprises 41 academic programs including liberal arts (BA/BS) and professional (BFA, BM, BMEd) degrees in art, design, dance, filmmaking, music, and theatre. It includes graduate programs in the fields of arts administration (MFA, MA), music education (MME), and music technology (MM). More than 60 full-time faculty and staff are engaged in teaching and mentoring over 900 majors in the College. CPVA presents over 100 performances, lectures, presentations, and exhibitions each year and is affiliated with the Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA), Utah Shakespeare Festival, and the Center for Shakespeare Studies. Southern Utah University is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Art & Design (NASAD), National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD), National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), and the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST) making SUU the first public university in the state of Utah to be accredited by all four associations. For more information about the College of Performing and Visual Arts, visit www.suu.edu/pva.

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Tags: SUMA Southern Utah Museum of Art Music Community College of Performing and Visual Arts Percussion

Contact Information:

Kol Gibson
435-865-8667
kolgibson@suu.edu