February 24, 2010

Charlie King and Karen Brandow, noted folk singers from the Boston area, will perform in the Quad Cities Friday, March 12, to raise money for the Centro Maya Project, to help children and families participating in a school for children with disabilities in San Juan La  Laguna, Guatemala.

The concert will be at 7 pm at Broadway Presbyterian Church, 710 23rd St., Rock Island.  Weavings and jewelry made by the mothers of the children will be sold before the concert.

Until the last few years, children with disabilities were not able to attend school in the Mayan villages in Guatemala.  Because there are few jobs and a shortage of affordable food, 70% of children in Mayan villages like San Juan are malnourished.  The children with disabilities were not expected to live to adulthood.

In 2002, Jeanne Nakamaru, a speech therapist for the Black Hawk Area Special Education District in the Illinois Quad Cities, went to Guatemala and volunteered at Centro Maya, which was a center run by parents.  After she came back she made a presentation about the project at her church, and since that time,  the Unitarian Church in Davenport has raised funds for the Centro Maya program as a social justice project.  Some of the money that has been raised has paid for a physical therapist, hearing aid molds and audiology services, water filtration for village families, and supplemental corn and beans for families of the children attending the Centro Maya school.  Donations have also included children's books in Spanish, hearing aids, eyeglasses, wheelchair, even a van to pick up children from nearby villages.  A number of church members have visited Centro Maya.

Jeanne and her husband Bob Nakamaru have purchased land in San Juan La Laguna and created garden space with water supply for some of the families to grow their own vegetables.  They are aided by local people, including a well-known artist of the area, Benedicto Ixtamer.

Charlie King has been performing in the Quad Cities every year for many years.  Pete Seeger has called him, "One of the finest singers and songwriters of our time." His songs are topical, sometimes moving, and often humorous.  His wife, Karen Brandow, studied vocal performance and guitar during her eight years living in Guatemala in the 1980's.  She performed while there, and has performed with Charlie King sine 1998.  More information about their music is available at www.charlieking.org.

ROCK ISLAND, IL (02/11/2010)(readMedia)-- The 2010 Augustana Symphonic Band will perform throughout the Midwest from February 19-28. From your area, this includes:

Grace Drenth, a first year from Davenport, IA majoring in elementary education.

Gaetano Iaccarino, a sophomore from Davenport, IL majoring in music.

Katie Lambrecht, a first year from Moline, IL majoring in psychology.

Paul Lambrecht, a senior from Moline, IL majoring in political science, history, and secondary education.

Audrey Taylor, a junior from Moline, IL majoring in biology education.

Jennifer Youngs, a sophomore from Taylor Ridge, IL majoring in psychology.

The band's tour will include performances in Valparaiso, Indiana; Michigan City, Indiana; Wabash, Indiana; Aurora, Illinois; Brookfield, Wisconsin; Cary, Illinois; and Rockford, Illinois. For specific performance times and locations, please visit www.augustana.edu/bandtour.

The Augustana Symphonic Band was established in 1874, making it the oldest musical organization at Augustana. The band took its first concert tour to central Iowa in the spring of 1883 and became one of the first American collegiate bands to tour in Europe in 1928.

The band is under the direction of Dr. James Lambrecht, professor of trumpet and director of bands at Augustana. He received his M.A. and Ph.D. of music from Indiana University and now serves as a guest conductor, clinician, and soloist throughout the country and abroad.

Lambrecht sees the tour as an important part of the band program. "Our students talk about the tour as the hallmark of their experience," he said. "As a private college, it is also an important part of our tradition. Large universities are not able to do this, so the tour distinguishes us as a college and lets us reach out to people through our music."

Dana Gustafson, a junior majoring in communication sciences and disorders, agrees with Lambrecht. "At a larger school there is no way I could play in the top touring ensemble without majoring in music and having that be my whole life. At Augustana I can tour with the band every year, which gives me the opportunity to pursue my passion for music, meet so many incredible people, and play amazing literature along the way."

In April, the band will perform at Orchestra Hall in Chicago's Symphony Center, along with the Augustana Choir and Augustana Symphony Orchestra. The grand multiple-ensemble performance will be one of several celebrations held throughout the year in honor of the college's 150th anniversary.

For more information, contact Kamy Beattie at kamybeattie@augustana.edu or 309-794-7721.

About Augustana: Founded in 1860 and situated on a 115-acre campus near the Mississippi River, Augustana College is a private liberal arts institution affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The college enrolls 2,500 students from diverse geographic, social, ethnic and religious backgrounds and offers more than 60 majors and areas of study. Augustana employs 226 faculty and has a student-faculty ratio of 11:1. Augustana continues to do what it always has done: challenge and prepare students for lives of leadership and service in our complex, ever-changing world.

You are invited to an African Drum Circle that will start at the TERANGA: House of Africa on Wednesday,

January 27, 2010 @ 6pm, then every other Wednesday, 1706 3rd Avenue Rock Island, Il 61201 (Downtown).

We welcome all drummers, at any level, to come and drum with us, even if you

are just starting out.

Contact Linda VanHoutte @ 309-762-4469

Tammy Reed @ 309-269-7260 or

Sonya @ TERANGA, HOUSE OF AFRICA 309-788-0801

Donations welcomed: To bring in future Drum Masters and Seminars

The Blackhawk Chapter of the American Guild of Organists is pleased to announce "Harpsichord and Violin in 18th century France," a program featuring Dr. Gregory Hand, Assistant Professor of Organ at the University of Iowa and Allison Guest Edberg, concertmaster of the Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra.

The duo will present French music from the baroque to the early classical on Sunday, April 18 at First Presbyterian Church, Davenport, beginning at 3:00 p.m.  The public is cordially invited to attend at no admission charge.