Red Wing presents a third annual Winter Roots Concert with The Steel Wheels and special guest, Driftwood. Virginia-based indie folk-rock band, The Steel Wheels, has spent two decades crafting their own distinct style of American roots music. Renowned for their heartfelt lyrics, masterful musicianship, and astounding harmonies, they have captivated audiences with their authentic sound and storytelling. The band is also the founder and host of the Red Wing Roots Music Festival, a three-day music festival in the Shenandoah Valley that draws artists and music fans from around the world.

Jeff Wells is a seasoned voice-over artist whose passion lies in the art of transforming words into persuasive emotion. The voice is the world's most versatile instrument and Jeff brings a unique blend of charisma and skill to his work, whether he's singing or speaking.

Jamison Walker is a versatile and accomplished vocalist with a commanding vocal range and an extensive repertoire spanning opera, oratorio, musical theater, and pops. With performances in recital, opera, symphonic, and academic settings, he has captivated audiences nationally and internationally across the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Carl Donakowski was a prize winner in the 1989 Mendelssohn Competition in Berlin. His recital performances have aired on WQRS Detroit, WQXR New York and Sudwestfunk Radio Baden-Baden. As a member of the West End Chamber Ensemble, he participated in the National Endowment for the Arts/Chamber Music America Rural Residency Chamber Music Initiative. His major teachers were Timothy Eddy, Janos Starker, Gary Hoffman and Christoph Henkel.

Masa Ishikawa, a pianist/composer orginally from Japan, will premiere his original new works dedicated to various critters, such as sandhill cranes, evening cicadas, fireflies, swallowtail butterfiles and northern cardinals. The performance features Ishikawa on piano, Dave Pope on saxophones, Sam Suggs on bass, Wanchi Huang on violin, Adam Larrabee on guitar, and Emre Katari on drums. 

Flutist Beth Chandler Cahill enjoys a performance career as soloist and chamber musician. Praised for her musical versatility and colorful sound, she has been featured at major venues, universities, and festivals throughout the U.S. and abroad. She can be heard on TIME PLACE SPIRIT (MSR Classics), an album of music for flute and piano. In demand as a pedagogue, she is Professor of Flute at James Madison University. She is a past president of the National Flute Association. Dr. Paulo Steinberg has performed as a soloist and as a collaborative pianist across the U.S., Canada, South America, and Europe, including prestigious music venues such as the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Theatro Municipal de São Paulo.

Written when Mozart was only 25, this operatic masterpiece filled with stunning arias, choruses, and ensembles, brings the myth of Idomeneo to life. On his way home at last from the Trojan War, the King of Crete, Idomeneo, is shipwrecked at sea. In desperation, he promises to sacrifice the first creature he finds if he safely survives the storm. However, in a twist worthy of the greatest Greek tragedies, it is his son, Idamante, he first encounters along the beach. Sung in Italian with English Surtitles.

Before each performance, JMU Director of Opera Theatre Joshua Borths will share his insights about the work, starting one hour before curtain and lasting 30 minutes. 

Revel in the delightful sound of glorious classical music as JMU’s Symphony Orchestra joins the esteemed 2024 School of Music Concerto Competition winners Jondra Harmon, mezzo-soprano and Dylan Royal, alto saxophone to bring you a captivating concert. Majors from each of the six areas of the School (woodwinds, brass and percussion, strings, piano, and voice) competed, and two finalists were then selected to compete in the finals in February for a coveted spot in this concert.