GRAND RAPIDS, MI (May 12, 2020)– St. Cecilia Music Center (SCMC) is looking forward to kicking off one of the best seasons of music yet. In its 137^thseason, St. Cecilia Music Center is planning to feature 18 evenings of outstanding performances by world-renowned jazz, folk, and chamber music artists. From September 2020 through April 2021, this season will be SCMC’s largest performance roster in recent history.  Concerts will include three Spectacular Jazz Series performances, three Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Series events, nine Acoustic Café Folk Series evenings of music and a brand new first-ever music festival of its kind in Grand Rapids, WinterFest featuring Christian McBride and Friends.

• The new WinterFest will features six-time GRAMMY-winning jazz bassist Christian McBride with some of his most talented musical collaborators for a three-evening festival in Royce Auditorium on February 25, 26 and 27, 2021. 
  
• Artists in SCMC’s Spectacular Jazz Series will include Grammy and Tony Award-winning Jazz Singer Dee Dee Bridgewater together with phenomenal Jazz Pianist Bill Charlap October 29, 2020, the charismatic Saxophonist Joshua Redman with his Quartet on January 21, 2021, and acclaimed trombonist, composer and producer Delfeayo Marsalis with the Uptown Jazz Orchestra on April 15, 2021. 
  
• The esteemed Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center will perform three concerts: Sensational Strings on November 12, 2020 featuring the music of Dvořák, Beethoven, and 20th-century master Erwin Schulhoff; Magical Schubert January 28, 2021 featuring three of Franz Schubert’s most significant chamber music works and The Brahms Effect on April 29, 2021 celebrating the music and influences of composer Johannes Brahms. 
  
• The Acoustic Café Folk Series will feature nine exciting concerts including singer-songwriters Marc Cohn (9/11/21) and Shawn Colvin (1/22/21) rescheduled from SCMC’s 2019/2020 season, popular returning artists from past seasons, the Milk Carton Kids (12/10/20) and Leo Kottke (Feb. 18), and new first-time artists to perform at St. Cecilia Music Center –  Sam Bush (11/5/20), Watkins Family Hour (11/7/20), Kat Edmonson (3/4/21), Rodney Crowell (3/25/21) and The Mark O’Connor Band (4/21/21). 

SCMC Executive Director Cathy Holbrook states, “This new season we’ve planned is our largest offering since I’ve been here as we celebrate 137 years of music-making history. Each year our outstanding artist roster grows as the word spreads about the incredible beauty and acoustics of Royce Auditorium. We always hear how much artists love our setting, the acoustics in the hall and the ever-so-welcoming audience who they get to see up-close and personal while performing.  The exquisite sound and intimate setting of the Royce Auditorium makes these specially chosen concerts at SCMC one-of-a-kind. This year we are excited to launch a new WinterFest Jazz Festival with Christian McBride and Friends for three evenings in February.”

St. Cecilia Music Center Series Concerts planned for the 2020/2021 season: 

Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Series
“Sensational Strings”– November 12, 2020
“Magical Schubert”- January 28, 2021
“The Brahms Effect”- April 29, 2021

Spectacular Jazz Series
Dee Dee Bridgewook & Bill Charlap – October 29, 2020
Joshua Redman with his Quartet – January 21, 2021
Delfeayo Marsalis with the Uptown Jazz Orchestra – April 15, 2021

SCMC Winterfest Jazz Festival
Christian McBride and Edgar Meyer – February 25, 2021
Christian McBride Trio with Cyrille Aimée – February 26, 2021
Christian McBride with Inside Straight – February 27, 2021

Acoustic Cafe Folk Series
Marc Cohn – September 11, 2020
Sam Bush – November 5, 2020
Watkins Family Hour – November 7, 2020
The Milk Carton Kids – December 10, 2020
Shawn Colvin – January 22, 2021
Leo Kottke – February 18, 2021
Kat Edmonson – March 4, 2021
Rodney Crowell – March 25, 2021
Mark O’Connor – April 21, 2021

Tickets
Season subscription tickets to the 2020/2021 SCMC WinterFest Jazz Festival, Spectacular Jazz Series and Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Concert Series are expected to be available online* starting July 1, 2020 at www.scmc-online.org or by calling 616-459-2224.