Sunday 31 May 2015

Come And Listen To The Wealth Of Great Music In Newport RI

By Ericka Marsh


Rhode Island has distinguished itself as one of the premier summer music spots in the world. With plenty of annual festivals and streams of popular musicians, there are enough activities to satisfy the enthusiastic fans year round. Getting to know the premier attractions is a must for any music lover.

Most everyone has at least heard of the Newport Jazz Festival. This is a must attend for anyone interested in music in Newport RI. It has the reputation for presenting jazz greats from around the world. It usually has a three day run, and one hundred musical acts are almost certainly guaranteed to perform. It started out the summer of 1954. Top jazz artists came to sing their hearts and play their instruments. Billie Holiday, Gene Krupa, Oscar Peterson, George Shearing and Ella Fitzgerald were among the group of established and new musicians. All tickets to the Newport Casino were sold. The event made news around the globe.

Fort Adams State Park is the current venue for the contemporary festival. There are generally over a hundred performers lined up for the concert. The city harbor is the location, with its cool breezes and equally cool jazz floating through the groups of listeners. There are plenty of great seats, but the tickets sell fast. With wonderful things to eat and drink, plus other souvenir vendors, there is something for everyone who comes. Extra options include attending a cocktail party and annual opening evening concert, which have very limited tickets available, but are held in the International Tennis Hall of Fame located at the now famous Newport Casino.

For those interested in being part of the non profit organization that supports festivals in the city, contacting Newport Festivals Foundation, Inc. Is a start. This group presents a gala each year for an intimate gathering of dedicated philanthropists.

Also held at Fort Adams, and of keen interest to folk music fans is the Newport Folk Festival. It all began in the year 1959. This event has included a history book of famous performers throughout the decades since its founding. Arlo Guthrie and Pete Seeger are just two of the notable musicians who have all made indelible marks on the flavor of this musical and social gathering. The list of popular favorites increased annually, adding worthy new trends along the way.

Chamber and classical repertoire have not been excluded. The mansions of the Newport Preservation Society are the delightful venues for debut performances of international concert artists. Over a thousand have made their debut in Rhode Island homes, since 1920. Some popular guests include pianist Claudio Arrau and baritone Robert Merrill, to name two. The support for classical music continues year round at intimate venues throughout the area.

A wonderful family event sponsored annually by the Arts and Cultural Alliance is called Bridgefest. Its goal is to make the best of emerging musicians accessible to entire families. To make this possible, venues from all around the city are booked with concerts. For four days, adults and children are welcomed to local parks, beaches, mansions, wineries and restaurants to hear what is new locally.

A summer trip to musical Rhode Island is a given for many in New England. But plenty of the international musical world come along for the fun, too.




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