BEMIDJI, Minn. (Sept. 7, 2010) — A trio of concerts featuring violin, choir and jazz saxophone performances make up the 2010-11 schedule for the renowned Bemidji Concert Series.

The series, now in its ninth season, is presented by Bemidji State University’s Department of Music and attracts world-class musicians for performances as a service to the Bemidji community and the northern Minnesota region. Season ticket packages are available now. Performances will be held at the Bemidji High School Auditorium and the Thompson Recital Hall of Bemidji State’s Bangsberg Fine Arts Complex.

Ticket packages
Season tickets are available for all three concerts on the 2010-11 schedule, and individual tickets for each of the three shows also will be available.
• Regular season ticket: $55, includes all three concerts. Regular tickets are $50 for patrons age 65 and over.
• Single-event tickets are available for $20, or $5 for children under 18 and patrons with a valid student ID.

Season tickets may be ordered by mailing a check to the Department of Music, Attn: Bemidji Concert Series, 1500 Birchmont Drive NE, Bemidji, MN 56601-2699 or visiting the Department of Music office, second floor, Bangsberg Fine Arts Complex, or Lueken’s Village Foods North in Bemidji. Tickets, if available, will be sold at the door prior to each show.

Opening Concert: Tien-Hsin “Cindy” Wu
The 2010-11 Bemidji Concert Series opens Sunday, Sept. 26, with a performance by violinist Tien-Hsin “Cindy” Wu.

Wu, a pupil of last year’s Bemidji Concert Series performer Midori, is an emerging soloist and chamber musician. She has been heard on National Public Radio’s “From the Top” and on WHYY television and radio in Philadelphia, as well as several media outlets in Taiwan. Wu, who plays a 1734 Domenico Montagnana violin, has performed with notable musicians and ensembles throughout Europe, the United States and Asia and has appeared as a soloist in orchestras in Taiwan, Taipei and Russia. Wu’s Bemidji performance will include works by Mozart, Janacek and Bach and feature accompaniment by pianist Jiayi Shi.

Shi, who made her New York recital debut with Midori in 2004, has given recitals in notable venues such as Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco and St. Luke’s Hall in London. She often gives solo piano recitals in North America and China; upcoming performances will take her to Europe.

Wu’s concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Thompson Recital Hall of Bemidji State’s Bangsberg Fine Arts Complex. Her performance is presented by the non-profit organization “Partners in Performance” as part of its Young Artists Program. It is the second time Partners in Performance has co-sponsored a Bemidji Concert Series event.

2010-11 BCS schedule
The Minneapolis-based VocalEssence Ensemble Singers, led by Philip Brunelle, will perform in the series’ second concert on Saturday, Oct. 30. The ensemble will perform at 7:30 p.m. in the Thompson Recital Hall.

Jazz saxophonist Jeff Coffin will conclude the series on April 15, 2011, at 7:30 p.m. in the Bemidji High School Auditorium. The three-time Grammy Award-winning member of the Dave Matthews Band will perform with Bemidji State’s Jazz I ensemble and the Bemidji High School Jazz Band.

History and sponsorship
The Bemidji Concert Series began eight years ago with the goal of making Bemidji the cultural center for northern Minnesota and providing the Bemidji region with music that could not commonly be heard without traveling to the Twin Cities. The series is supported by sponsorships from the Bemidji State University Department of Music, Bemidji Pioneer, the Villa Calma Bed and Breakfast, Paul Bunyan Telephone and the BSU Student Activity Allocation Committee.

For more information, please call the Department of Music at (218) 755-2915 or visit www.bemidjiconcertseries.com.