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| Center Stage | Florence Events Center | www.EventCenter.org | 541-997-1994
SEAcoast entertainment
Award-winning ‘Cantus’ to open season
From it’s beginning 36 years ago,
SEAcoast has been brininging top qual-
ity performers to audiences in Florence
— and this season is no different.
“This upcoming season continues that
tradition,” said Linda Gargis, SEA board
vice-president. “We have seven fantastic
shows, including midweek concerts, plus
a new ‘Dinner and a Show’ package
available for season ticket holders.”
The season opens Wednesday, Oct. 5,
at 7 p.m., with “Cantus,” one of the pre-
mier vocal groups in the United States.
This all-male ensemble will highlight
the camaraderie, bonding and honor of
the Armed Forces.
SEA will partner with local veterans
groups to help set the tone for Veterans
Day.
Cantus is a full-time, professional
vocal chamber ensemble, made up of
nine men singing in a tenor, tenor, bari-
tone, bass (TTBB), changed male voice
arrangement.
The artists are self-led, with program-
ming and musical direction coming from
within the group itself, making each
peformance unique and exciting for
audiences.
The ensemble is known for innovative
concert programming, often tying
together works of numerous genres to
explore a selected theme, including clas-
sical music, orchestral-vocal repertoire,
A LL - MALE ENSEMBLE “C ANTUS ” WILL OPEN THE SEA COAST 2016-17 SEASON O CT . 5.
folk music, art song, popular songs, spir-
The ensemble began as a student-run
and 30-40 education/outreach activities
ituals and newly commissioned works.
The vocal group maintains a schedule in a given season, both in the United organization at St. Olaf College in 1995.
After a successful northeast tour in the
of around 70 live concert performances States and abroad.
summer of 1998, Cantus transitioned
into a professional ensemble and non-
profit organization by 1999, based out of
Minneapolis, Minn.
The ensemble received the 2009
Chorus America Margaret Hillis Award,
the first collaborative ensemble to do so.
The ensemble’s regular work with stu-
dents nationwide also garnered Chorus
America’s Education Outreach Award in
2011.
Cantus was selected by Minnesota
Public Radio to be Artists in Residence
for the 2010–11 season. The residency
included supported touring, radio co-
hosting, and international broadcasts
via Performance Today.
In recent seasons, Cantus has been
featured with the Saint Paul Chamber
Orchestra, Boston Pops, and on “A
Prairie Home Companion” with
Garrison Keillor.
2014 marked the final year of the
group's critically acclaimed collabora-
tion with Theater Latte Da, All Is Calm:
The Christmas Truce of 1914, which
tells the true story of the Christmas
Truce of 1914, when World War I sol-
diers set down their arms to celebrate
the holidays with the enemy.
Tickets can be purchased at the
Florence Events Center box office, 715
Quince St., or by phone at 541-997-
1994 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Artist profiles, show times, links to
video clips, and more are available at
www.SEAcoastEA.org.
special events
Come enjoy a bit of Bavaria during Oktoberfest
The Florence Area Chamber of
Commerce promises authentic German
food, bier and entertainment as staples
of this year’s annual Oktoberfest set for
Saturday, Oct. 1, at the Florence Events
Center from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Admission is $7 for the all-day event.
Tickets will be available at the door, or
in advance at the Chamber Visitor
Center, 290 Highway 101, beginning in
mid September.
Florence Mayor Joe Henry will offi-
cially tap the keg, kicking off a day of
Bavarian music, traditional German
food and lots of bier and wein.
Don’t miss the highly popular weiner
dog races at 3 p.m. The third annual
races gives something for the furriest
members as the family. This year, there
is a larger race track for the short-legged
little friends who be will racing their
hearts out to please the crowd.
This will be followed by Happy
Bavarian Hour for kleines biers, with
weiner wraps and plenty of fun festival
games.
At 6 p.m., the fun will get amped up
in the Festhalle for the international
indie musical flavor of T-Club.
Live performances and games make a
full day of entertainment for the entire
family.
Throughout the day and into the
evening, attendees will enjoy the talents
of the Scandinavian dancers and Alpine
bands.
During the entire festival, participants
can enjoy German bier, brats, local
wines and other delicious authentic
German food, served up by local non-
profits.
And don’t forget your leiderhosen for
the “Best Dressed” contest for adults and
children, as well as a “Liter Holdin’”
contest for strong adults.
More information, including a full
entertainment line-up, can be found at
the Visitor’s Center or at florencecham-
ber .com.
“Gemutlichkeit!”
Come Join the Friends!
Volunteer – Event Planning – Fundraising
541•999•6078
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
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