FRIEND (Andrew Fitzpatrick + Jon Mueller)—featuring Koki Sato and Nate Krebs • August 31, 2024
Our first MUSE-produced concert! Performed in quadraphonic sound and featuring two incredible sets of musicians!
Andrew Fitzpatrick and Jon Mueller previously shared the stage as members of the group Volcano Choir. As FRIEND, the duo explore a new direction, using acoustic drums, percussion and synthesis to create rhythmic, textural and thought-provoking work that shares elements of folk music in its performance and modern electronic music in its sound.
Nate Krebs (composer and electronics) and Koki Sato (piano) collaborate to create and premiere a new multimedia work for piano and live electronics. Generative and fixed performance materials are provided to the pianist, and in return are processed and diffused across a 4-channel system. A series of projectors are used to cast light onto the performer, and in-turn are processed by their performance.
Midsummer’s Music: Grieg Piano Concerto and Jeannie Yu • July 27th, 2024
MUSE Sturgeon Bay’s first concert!
We were so happy that our friends at Midsummer’s Music provided our first concert and “test run” of the MUSE performance space, which sounded stunning! Thank you Midsummer’s Music!
About the concert: After her triumphant performances last season of Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto, pianist Jeannie Yu returned in the 2024 season to offer Grieg’s magnificent romantic treasure. Midsummer’s Music discovered a stunningly beautiful arrangement for string quartet that featured Yu in all her radiance.
Before there was MUSE there was SWY231
This all began with Shirley Weese Young (SWY)—our tireless founder and supporter.
In 2019, Shirley purchased the Door County Advocate building, located at 231 Third Avenue in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. She renovated the building, dedicating one half of the lower floor to an office space for Third Avenue PlayWorks (located next door to SWY), and the other half to a open space for artists to show work and for community organizations to meet. Early on in the development of SWY231, Shirley decided she wanted to host concerts at her new space, and so, SWY231 became known as a concert hall from 2019 to 2021. Eventually, the idea expanded and became MUSE Sturgeon Bay.
Starting from the most recent, here are some of our first concerts:
Midsummer’s Music • June 20th, 2021
An incredible concert by Door County’s premiere chamber music ensemble Midsummer’s Music!
Midsummer’s Music, founded by Jim and Jean Berkenstock, has brought chamber music to Door County, Wisconsin, audiences for more than three decades.
Their concerts, which have been called “exciting, pulse-pounding and riveting” have included world premieres, and feature world-class artists. The inspiring concerts have touched more than two thousand listeners with its music every year, plus 85,000+ more via Wisconsin Public Radio broadcasts, Live from WFMT, Facebook, YouTube, and on The Violin Channel.
Murmurations • April 24th, 2021
A one-off collaboration between MUSE Executive Director and flutist Kaira Rouer, MUSE Artistic Director and pianist David Utzinger, percussionist Jon Mueller and synth-builder Seren Bradley, this virtual concert was created for the Cactus Club in Milwaukee and performed and recorded at SWY231.
The idea was brought to the group by Jon, who connected the group to the music of Bohren & der Club of Gore and the works of minimalist composer Harold Budd.
Friends & Neighbors • February 29th, 2020
Another amazing Scandinavian jazz ensemble!
Norwegian/Swedish quintet Friends & Neighbors formed in 2008 in Trondheim, Norway. Since their first record, “No Beat Policy,” in 2011, they have released three more powerful albums, and established themselves as a force to be reckoned with on the Scandinavian jazz scene.
Their long experience playing together givers their music a clear and distinct sound. Stretching from melodic ballads to hard swinging free-bop and powerful free jazz, they keep the collective sound intact, showing influences from a wide spectrum of jazz history.
Rosenau + Mueller • February 15th, 2020
Our second concert—performed in the dark!
Chris Rosenau and Jon Mueller became friends in the early 1990s. By the end of that decade, they had co-founded the “post rock” bands Pele and Collections of Colonies of Bees, both of which released numerous records and toured throughout the United States and Japan. They later joined with band mates from these groups and vocalist Justin Vernon of Bon Iver to form Volcano Choir.
Today, Rosenau + Mueller’s musical relationship is strengthened by over 25 years of playing together in a myriad of configurations and situations.
Gard Nilssen Acoustic Unity • December 14th, 2019
Our first concert! An incredible night of free jazz and hard bop with one of the best jazz trios in Europe—Gard Nilssen Acoustic Unity.
Gard Nilssen is a drummer, composer, producer and bandleader from Norway that lives in Oslo. He is one of the most sought after and active drummers on the European jazz scene and has collaborated with artists such as Bill Frisell, Pat Metheny, and Joshua Redman.
With André Roligheten on sax, and Petter Eldh on upright bass, Acoustic Unity has been described as “One of the best trios in Europe,” by Phil Freeman of Stereogum.