The Grinnell High School and Middle School Annual Art Show will be on display at the Stewart Gallery in the Grinnell Arts Center, April 6 – 29. The opening reception is Saturday, April 8 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Doughnuts and coffee will be served. Regular gallery hours are Tuesday – Fridays, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Saturdays, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
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Erin Bustin, left, is shown with the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs Director Chris Kramer after being recognized with the Iowa Arts Council Governor’s Arts Award – Special Recognition for Arts Service for contributions to the arts in Grinnell on March 1. By J.O. Parker It was early summer 2017. Erin Bustin and her husband, Mark Laver, a music jazz professor at Grinnell College, had been living in Grinnell for three years, moving to the area from Toronto, Canada. A native of Berwick, Nova Scotia, Bustin had been involved in the music and arts management industry in Toronto and had been singing since she was a child and performed in the National Youth Choir of Canada. She also sang in professional choirs in Toronto before moving to Iowa. After arriving in Grinnell, Bustin wanted to continue working in the arts and music scene. That led to her securing singing opportunities in the Grinnell area. “People started asking for voice lessons,” she recalled. “A friend of mine, Georgeanna Robinson, who was a choral music singer and mom, said to me, ‘We need a children’s choir.’” It rang a bell with the two singers. They asked Peggy Parker, a piano and classroom teacher, if she would join them in the venture. She agreed and the three women formed the Grinnell Children’s Choir. “We put out a call in the summer of 2017 and within six days, we had 30 kids enrolled,” said Bustin. The interest in music wasn’t a surprise to Bustin, who said, “I thought there was a need for more children’s extra-curricular music (in Grinnell). With the interest (shown) in the children’s choir, that cemented the need.” The Grinnell Children’s Choir, which is for ages K–5, is still going nearly six years later. Students come from Grinnell and the surrounding area and meet after school on Fridays. During the pandemic, the choir went on-line. The choir sings at various community events including Jingle Bell Holidays, GHS Homecoming and at The Mayflower. “We’ve done a church tour (where the choir sang at two or three churches on the same day) and would like to do that again,” said Bustin. “We want to sing at more events around the community.” This year is special to Bustin, who said some of the first singers who joined the choir when they were in kindergarten in 2017 will finish fifth grade this spring and will graduate from the choir. In addition to the choir, Bustin continued to teach voice lessons and quickly learned that there was an even greater need for music lessons in the community. She said people would ask if she knew someone who teaches piano or gives violin lessons? “Sometimes I was able to help find a teacher,” she said. “That led me to realize there were more students than teachers.” In 2019, Bustin opened Studio E to meet the need for voice lessons. In late summer 2021, Bustin moved the school to 819 Broad St. in a former bank building on the corner of Broad and Commercial streets. The school offers piano, voice, guitar, ukulele and saxophone lessons taught by professional local and regional musicians to students of all ages. Bustin continues teaching voice lessons. She also offers Music Together, a music class for children ages 0-5. “It’s is the cutest thing ever,” noted Bustin. “It is really fun.” Governor’s Arts Award Bustin’s love for music and her work with area youth hasn’t gone unnoticed. On March 1, Bustin was recognized in a ceremony at the State Historical Building in Des Moines with the Iowa Arts Council Governor’s Arts Award – Special Recognition for Arts Service for contributions to the arts in Grinnell. “It felt really special to be recognized,” said Bustin. “I love what I do and ultimately I believe that all children should have an opportunity to get involved in music.” “Erin has a great skill of engaging with young musicians of any ability and interest level and meeting them where they are and helping them grow that musicianship and vocal talent from that starting place,” said Georgeanna Robinson, who helped start the Grinnell Children’s Choir and currently serves as the choir manager. In addition, Bustin and Robinson are part of Vox Feminae (voice of women), a capella group of women who get together to sing simply for the joy of it. The singers have different backgrounds but share a love for choral singing and have a lot of experience singing. “Over the years, the act of carving out time to sing in our otherwise busy lives has led to rich friendships and a wonderful sense of community,” said Bustin. “We perform whenever we can pull together a program and we enjoy singing many types of music.” The group’s next performance is on April 22 at Grinnell UCC, at 7 p.m. Admission is by free will offering. Studio E / Grinnell School of Music Studio E currently has 55 active students. The Grinnell Children’s Choir operates as a separate organization, as an outreach and education project of the Grinnell UCC. Bustin said the school is full every weekday from 3:15 – 6:30 p.m. And as nice as the space is, Bustin said there are some limitation with apartments upstairs, neighboring businesses and only two spaces for private lessons with one being in the main room. “We couldn’t grow and meet the needs in this space,” she said of the current studio. That led the Grinnell School of Music to lease the former Michaels Italian Restaurant at 720 5th Ave. earlier this year with an option to buy. Bustin had considered the space earlier, but at the time it wasn’t possible. Now, as a non-profit organization, Bustin has worked with the Board of Directors of the Grinnell School of Music to secure the building. “The building has tons of features that our current space does not have if we wanted to grow,” she said. She said there is a one-way alley on the west side of the building providing for a safe drop off and easy access. In addition, the building is freestanding and there are no apartments or other businesses connected. “It has already been gutted, so we are able to build it to what we need,” said Bustin. The building will feature a large classroom and three soundproof teaching spaces with a separate entry for easy access. The Grinnell School of Music was incorporated as a non-profit in July 2022 and has applied for charitable 501 (c) (3) status. A name change is also on the agenda as the Grinnell School of Music will now encompass all of what Studio E offered and more. The Grinnell School of Music recently unveiled a $625,000 fundraising campaign to purchase the building, complete the renovations and open the school. Part of the fundraising will include the establishment of a $100,000 endowment fund. “The goal is to allow us to make lessons affordable (for everyone),” noted Bustin. “We want to be able to subsidize with scholarships to create affordable programing and to pay our teachers a competive wage.” Other possible uses of the space include rentals for local bands to practice when its available. Construction on the new space is slated to begin in the fall of 2023 with an opening date of August 2024. “That is when we plan to be up and running,” said Bustin. Once the building is complete, Bustin said the Grinnell School of Music will take over all the activities of Studio E, which will be dissolved. The school is under the direction of a volunteer board, and Bustin has been engaged as the Executive Director. “The new space will allow for more diversity of our programs,” noted Bustin. “We can do more group lessons, classes and summer camps. We do a musical theater summer camp and we will be able to do more of that kind of thing.” More importantly to Bustin is making music available to all. “If kids don’t feel like they belong, they can find a place in music,” she said. If you would like to donate to the Grinnell School of Music, reach out to director@grinnellschoolofmusic.org or visit the website, www.grinnellschoolofmusic.org. Proposed Grinnell School of Music renovation in the former Michaels Italian Restaurant at 720 5th Ave. This picture shows the main classroom space, standing near the front door and looking south towards the back of the building. Design rendering by Generate Design. Proposed Grinnell School of Music renovation exterior view of the former Michaels Italian Restaurant at 720 5th Ave. Design rendering by Generate Design.Proposed Grinnell School of Music renovation exterior view of the former Michaels Italian Restaurant at 720 5th Ave. Design rendering by Generate Design.
The Fourth Annual Tiger Football Club Trivia Night is slated for Saturday, April 8 at the Grinnell Eagles Club. Doors open at 6 p.m. with trivia starting at 7 p.m. The evening includes six rounds of trivia and five bonus rounds, all for $25 for an individual or $130 for a table of six. A silent auction and 50/50 raffle are also part of the event as is a tailgate style potluck (please bring a dish). Cash bar from the Eagles with Ben Latimer serving as the evening DJ. All proceeds will help purchase new practice jerseys, new pads for equipment and much more. Please pre-register your table. Click here: https://bit.ly/TriviaNight23 Tables go quick! Go Tigers!
Country music artist Craig Campbell were perform at an outdoor concert at the Longhorn Saloon in Barnes City on Saturday, April 22. Joining Campbell will be Iowan Brooke Byam and The Daymakers. Tyler and Richton and the High Bank Boys and Cody Hicks will open the show, which starts at 5 p.m. General admission tickets are $25. By J.O. Parker Do to the success of last year’s Barnes City Bash, Siraj Thomason and company at the Longhorn Saloon are at it again. Mark your calendar for Saturday, April 22 and take a spin to Barnes City for an evening of good country music by Craig Campbell. The stage will be set up outside of The Longhorn. “I love being able to bring in country stars to Barnes City and to my hometown area,” said Thomason. “It’s truly awesome to see everybody have a great time!” Joining Campbell will be Iowan Brooke Byam and The Daymakers and local musicians Tyler Richton and the High Bank Boys and Cody Hicks. Barnes City’s North Street will be blocked off for parking. The Longhorn Saloon will be serving food and drinks all evening as well as having an outside drink stand. The show gets underway at 5 p.m. Tickets are general admission and are $25. They can be purchased at http://longhorn-saloon.ticketleap.com/. Craig Campbell Campbell has long been admired for his patience and persistence on the road less travelled. A consistent balancing act of traditional values and modern industry trends, Campbell is also considered by many to be one of the most talented yet under the radar stars across all genres. He put together a string of Top 10 hits on two labels before launching Grindstone Records with his “It’s About Time” single in 2020. His songs include “All My Friends Drink Beer,” “What a Girl Will Make You Do,” “Good Things You Do In a Truck,” “Family Man,” “Outta My Head,” “Fish,” “Keep Them Kisses Comin,” “Tomorrow Tonight” and his most poignant and well known work to date, “Outskirts of Heaven.” Campbell started signing and producing new artists to Grindstone Records including Cody Cozz and Ethan Payne. “I’ve been recording and producing music my way, and that includes things I’ve never done before, like playing piano and producing. I’m not gonna even entertain the idea of recording any song if it doesn’t give me chills, and the same goes for artists we sign to Grindstone Records. I have to be proud of it. I have to answer for it and it has to get me fired up,” Campbell said. “Man, oh man…I love where I am!” Brooke Byam and The Daymakers Brooke delivers a high energy, family friendly, classy and engaging show that will have audiences in awe all night long. The high pedigree performer has 25+ years of entertaining, film, theater, writing and producing experience under her belt. While currently an independent artist, Byam brings with her more than 10 years of Nashville entertaining and music performance. While living in the Music City, Brooke earned #1 Independent Country Artist. Her release "Thank You For Leaving" was on Independent Country and Nashville Country Hot 100 charts for months at a time. Her talent has opened doors for her to perform with stars such as Tanya Tucker, George Jones, Irlene Mandrell, Jerrod Niemann, Lonestar and Jamey Johnson. Her latest album, "Circus," was released in Summer 2022. Tyler Richton and the High Bank Boys Tyler Richton and the High Bank Boys have more than 50 years of experience playing live music combined. With this kind of dedication and devotion to country music, it's no wonder that the High Bank Boys have become the premier country band in the area. They have been honored to be the opening act for Locash, John Michael Montgomery, High Valley, Sunny Sweeney, Jordan Davis and Brett Young, among others. Each performance has been a great professional achievement for them, and they anxiously look forward to the next opportunity. Their repertoire includes iconic country cover tunes, as well as original music that is written and arranged by the band. Tyler Richton and the High Bank Boys are dedicated to keeping traditional country music alive. Cody Hicks Cody Hicks has been playing live music for over a decade from cover bands, original bands, and as a solo acoustic act. Cody and his band have opened for acts such as: Brothers Osborne, Casey Donahew, Granger Smith, Phil Vassar, Chase Rice, Tyler Farr, and Trace Adkins. Some of Cody’s hits include: “Gettin’ Our Feet Wet,” “In the Morning” and “Left Turn,” which quickly became the blue collar anthem for dirt track racers nationwide. This single also produced a music video which shared a combined 1M views between Facebook and YouTube. The Cody Hicks Band has performed at large music venues across the Midwest. Iowan Brooke Byam and the Daymakers will also be performing at the concert on Saturday, April 22.
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