Community concerts begin Oct. 2

Idaho Falls Community Concerts will open its 2009-2010 season with Rudolf Budginas, a witty pianist with a humorous and ingenious show, "You, Me & the Piano," on Oct. 2 at the Colonial Theater. The show will begin at 7:30 p.m.

The Community Concerts Association presents one of the best values in town - a family (two adults and K-12 children) can attend the entire season (four shows) for a total of $125. Other season membership prices are adult $50 and student (K-12) $15. Individual shows are $20 each with reserved seats available at $25. For information or to buy tickets call (208) 522-4774 or (208) 524-2182.

Rudolf Budginas, Oct. 2, 7:30 p.m., Colonial Theater
In his ingenious show “You, Me & the Piano,” Budginas illustrates how classical music has influenced  contemporary artists by actually breaking down how Billy Joel might have drawn on Liszt’s “Hungarian Rhapsody”  to get “Piano Man.” Famous for audience and humorous asides, Budginas takes the audience from “Claire  de Lune” to “Rhapsody in Blue” with contagious energy and endless surprises!

Budginas was born into a family of musicians in Lithuania. He began his studies at the age of four and made his debut at the age of nine with the Lithuanian National Symphony. He is known for interacting with the audience by presenting information and humorous asides about the program.

The Canadian Tenors, Oct. 27, 7:30 p.m., Colonial Theater

Fuse the incredibly powerful tenor voices of four talented young men with diverse vocal styles, undeniable charm and individual international success with an eclectic blend of classical and contemporary pop and you have the recipe for one powerhouse group and Canada’s latest sought-after export. From Toronto to Tahiti, Vancouver to Vienna, the entire world’s their stage. Since their debut in 2007, The Canadian Tenors have criss-crossed the globe performing more than 150 concerts thrilling hundreds of thousands of music lovers.

This vocal sensation combines classical and contemporary pop to bring us some of the most beautiful melodies.The Canadian Tenors unique repertoire is sung not only in English and French but also in Spanish and Italian reflecting their multicultural heritage and establishing the group as an international success.

Casey MacGill's Blue 4 Trio, Feb. 15, 2010, 7:30 p.m., Colonial Theater

Casey MacGill’s Blue 4 Trio sweeps the audience back through time. Boogie-woogie pianist MacGill leads bassist Matt Weiner and percussionist Mike Daugherty through soulful renditions of pre-World War II swing classics, complete with impeccable three-part vocal harmonies.

Casey MacGill's Blue 4 Trio performs music that swings. Some have called it the Nat "King" Cole Trio meets the Mills Brothers. Others have called it Fats Waller meets Fats Domino.
It's music from the 20s to the 60s, all happening at the same time, woven into a seamless, beautiful whole. At the core of the sound are the band's sometimes sweet, sometimes rough-hewn three-part harmony vocals and a piano-ukulele-bass-&-drums rhythm section that swings along in a variety of textures.

Soft or loud, raw or mellow, Casey MacGill’s Blues 4 Trio plays it all, and keeps it 100 percent real.

Intersection, April 10, 2010, 7:30 p.m., Colonial Theater
Violinist Laura Frautschi, cellist Kristina Reiko Cooper and pianist John Novacek form  the group Intersection, which has forged a powerful connection with audiences worldwide. Their program is anything but typical — a Hungarian thread
 in Brahms may spin into Gypsy tunes, Dvorak into Slavic
dance forms, Ravel into ethereal French renderings.

Intersection presents an American repertoire spanning avant garde and popular genres. Drawing inspiration from their home base in New York City, Intersection is an exciting
musical embodiment of vitality, verve and diversity.

Tickets: (208) 522-4774 or (208) 524-2182. For more information about the community concerts association, visit www.ifcommunityconcerts.com.