Category: Musical Musings

New Voices: Deborah J. Anderson

“Five Songs for Kathleen” is a brilliant song cycle combining the often bittersweet imagery of the poets’ lines with Deborah’s signature warm and graceful melodic writing.

New Voices: The Art of Collaboration

One of the aspects we enjoy most about putting together one of our seasonal concerts is the opportunity to collaborate with a talented local artist in our area of Northern Michigan. But, what does it mean to “collaborate” with another artist—especially when you work in a completely different medium?

Winter Songs & Carols: A Magical Evening

Manitou Winds’ premiere concert, Winter Songs & Carols, was a splendid event! We were delighted to share our music with so many of our friends, colleagues, Facebook fans — and even some new faces! We are grateful for all of your support and enthusiasm… Continue Reading “Winter Songs & Carols: A Magical Evening”

Winter Songs & Carols: Susan Hatt Johnson

This post was written in preparation for our December 2015 Winter Songs & Carols program. Winter Songs & Carols will be Manitou Winds’ first-ever concert — one they hope to make an annual tradition in Northern Michigan. It’s a concert in exploration of the… Continue Reading “Winter Songs & Carols: Susan Hatt Johnson”

Three Celtic Carols

This post was written in preparation for our December 2015 Winter Songs & Carols concert. For information about our next Winter Songs & Carols program or our other seasonal performances, visit our Performances page. While putting together arrangements and selections for Manitou Winds’”Winter Songs… Continue Reading “Three Celtic Carols”

Winter Songs & Carols: The Art of Collaboration

You don’t have to look very hard to find folks in Northern Michigan who are proud to live and work here. The area is teeming with artists of all sorts — drawn here for the sense of community, the easy-to-find solitude, and of course… Continue Reading “Winter Songs & Carols: The Art of Collaboration”

Two Unique Quartets

When Manitou Winds performs its first-ever concert on December 5, 2015, it will be an evening of several premieres. Two of the pieces on the program, in particular, are quartets which were specially arranged for our concert. The first and probably most familiar of… Continue Reading “Two Unique Quartets”

New Age Music: Part I

It’s tempting to think of history — especially music history — as a very measured and predictable timeline. In our hindsight, we imagine each event leading directly to the next. In this myopic view, styles and influences are neatly trimmed and defined without much… Continue Reading “New Age Music: Part I”