Summer Music Festival announces 2021 schedule

The Greencastle Summer Music Festival, which since 2005 (except for the 2020 COVID-19 shutdown) has presented a live concert in Gobin Church every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. from Memorial Day through mid-August, announces its 2021 season of 12 Wednesday live, in-person concerts, starting Wednesday June 2.

“We are so thrilled that we can make and enjoy music with each other in person again. Along with Gobin, we want to make sure everyone is safe,” Eric Edberg, the festival’s founding artistic director, said.

The concerts, each 60-75 minutes with no intermission, will follow the same health guidelines used at Gobin’s in-person services. For the time being, audience members will wear face masks and are asked to practice social distancing by sitting with family or “covid pods” (friends you know to be vaccinated or have recently tested negative), keeping six feet distant from other groups.

“We and Gobin are hopeful that as more people are vaccinated and the infection rate continues to go down, the polices on masks and social distancing can be relaxed,” Edberg explained.

Face masks and hand sanitizer will be available free of charge. The programs will be video recorded and made available online and on Channel 3 (local cable access TV) for those not comfortable wearing masks, attending indoor events or who are unable to make it in person.

“Our motto for many years has been ‘friends making music for friends,’” Edberg said, “and we have come to see that experiencing ‘community through shared arts experiences’ is another way to say what we are up to.”

To that end, the GSMF was the major sponsor of 29 “Greencastle Virtual Music Festival” online programs, which debuted every Wednesday night on Facebook and YouTube for more than six months starting in late October, with “watch parties” on Zoom; the programs are now being replayed frequently on Channel 3 on local cable television and can be seen at playlist.gvmnf.live. Video recordings of the summer concerts will soon be added to the mix.

The GSMF was recently awarded a COVID-19 Emergency Response Grant from the Putnam County Community Foundation to help offset both the lack of donations in 2020, the costs of the Virtual Music Festival, and for video recordings of the in-person summer concerts for broadcast online and on Channel 3. Financial support has also come from the Putnam County Convention and Visitors Bureau, the DePauw Performing Arts Series, the Inn at DePauw, and the Sunny Side Concert Series. Donations can be made at greencastlemusic.org/donate.

Greencastle Summer Music

Festival 2021 Season

Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.

in Gobin Church

June 2: “Together Again!” with Claude Cymerman (piano), Eric Edberg (cello), Bobbie Lancaster (vocals), Cathie Malach (piano), Tad Robinson (vocals), and Steve Snyder (jazz organ).

June 9: “From Vienna to Buenos Aires”: Beethoven and tangos, performed by Randy Salman (clarinet) with Claude Cymerman (piano) and Eric Edberg (cello).

June 16: Beethoven and Brahms with the Abel Family Quartet and Friends.

June 23: Virtuoso pianist May Phang.

June 30: “Notes from the Griot” with DePauw alum Joshua Thompson (including a guest vocalist and dancer).

July 7: Singer/songwriter Bobbie Lancaster and friends.

July 14: Contemporary Christian/Gospel singer and pianist Jason Powell.

July 21: Pianist Taka Kigawa.

July 28: Toco Rio, with Greencastle’s own Ben Hogan, performs traditional Brazilian choro music.

Aug. 4: Percussion Group DePauw.

Aug. 11: Pianist/composer Cathie Malach and Friends.

Aug. 18: Tad Robinson and his band