For the second consecutive year, Neosho Arts Council will participate in the international music celebration “Make Music Day” to be held on June 21, 2024.
The committee will host a lunch and listening concert at 11:30 a.m. in the Neosho National Fish Hatchery pavilion, featuring jazz/blues guitarist Asher Perkins.
“Lunch & Listen is a come-and-go event that allows the community to bring their own lunch and enjoy a break from the day with live music,” said Neosho Arts Council Chair Sarah Serio.
This is also the second year the hatchery has hosted a lunch and concert. According to the council, presenting live music on the beautiful water and hatchery grounds was an easy decision as both have been proven to relieve stress.
Perkins was inspired by The Beatles, Nat King Cole, Stevie Ray Vaughan, BB King, Duke Ellington, Earth Wind & Fire, Billie Holiday and others influences, creating new songs and revising old standards.
Then at 6:30 p.m., award-winning soft rock duo Common Roots will perform live at Big Spring Park. The band, which fuses soft rock and folk styles, just won Acoustic Performance of the Year at the 2024 Arkansas Country Music Awards.
“Evening concerts in the park are great for the whole family,” Serio said. “Big Spring Park is an ideal venue. You can enjoy performances on the historic 1928 Greek Stage, while the kids can listen and enjoy the show in the playground area or swim in the park’s wading pool (for ages 8 and under Children). Sidewalk Chalk.
The Neosho Arts Council also sponsors musicians to present live music for elementary and middle school summer school programs.
“We are excited to once again bring live music to Neosho’s summer school program for students to enjoy live music performances,” said Serio.
The group also donated Horner harmonicas through the Make Music Alliance and donated them to students. “These are real harmonicas that students can take home,” Serio said. “Students will also receive in-person lessons from a musician on how to play their new harmonica, along with a link to a tutorial video so they can practice at home.”
Music Making Day is a day-long event that hosts free live music performances, music-making opportunities, and other music events around the world on the longest day of the year. Neosho Music Festival is part of a celebration of music creation in more than 1,000 cities around the world. This year, Neosho is one of only seven cities in Missouri participating, including St. Louis, Kansas City and Columbia.
This year’s community concert was supported in part by a grant from the Missouri Arts Council. For complete details about upcoming community concerts, visit neoshoarts.net or @NeoshoArts on Facebook and Instagram.
