Over the weekend, the City Opera Company of the Quad Cities presented several events celebrating the musical genius (and the 250th birthday) of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The opera Cosi fan tutte and the Mozart Gala Concert integrated delicate ballet, raucous theatre, talented chamber orchestra, and a cast of soloists, who together gave us a taste of what Mozart did best: pleasing his audiences.

Last year, the Mercury Brothers produced a CD, Whiskey Kisses, and won the Iowa Blues Challenge. Later this month, the quartet will compete in Memphis at the International Blues Challenge. Not bad for a band formed in February 2005.

Unless you're holed up in your bedroom poring over blogs and obscure magazines for the best music that isn't being hawked by the major labels, there's an excellent chance you're a bit lost in the current marketplace.

Many youngsters were present at the Quad City Symphony concert on Saturday, December 3, but they weren’t the only ones encouraged to let the music lead their imaginations to faraway places. In a night of music written by artists who, as described by conductor Donald Schleicher, are “serious composers with imaginations,” the Quad City Symphony conjured an atmosphere that allowed words and music to stimulate our minds, and create worlds where elephants wear suits and angels are summoned.