Summer music in Naples, Marco, heats up with four series

Summer is quiet only if you insist on it in Southwest Florida. At least four series are rising to the challenge to blow you away, perhaps literally with their brass-fueled funk, or figuratively, with music from pianists who have taken prizes all over the world. 

As if that isn't enough good news, much of it is free:

• The long-running monthly Summerjazz series at the Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Resort,
• The Naples Philharmonic Chamber Series, which starts Tuesday, roams the city to bring free concerts of both venerated classical and 20th and 21st century music to music the community.

But a little outlay of cash can also bring you a lot of music and support local institutions and outreach. Marco Island Center for the Arts has joined the ranks of summer series, extending its monthly Musical Interludes concerts through July, and the Grand Piano Series, which ventured into summer music last season is doing it again, bringing one of the top Chopin competition winners among its performers. Its stars include free master classes for local students before or after each concert while they're here.

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Take a look at your possibilities: 

Philharmonic Chamber Ensembles

All concerts are in Naples and all are free, no tickets needed. Information: artisnaples.org or call 239-597-1900.

1 p.m. Tuesday, May 29: Kapnick Hall at Naples Botanical Garden, 4820 Bayshore Drive. Telemann Sonata for Two Violins, Taneyev String Trio in D Major, Lachner Woodwind Quintet No. 2

 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 29: Vanderbilt Presbyterian Church, 1225 Piper Blvd. Augusta Read Thomas' "Pilgrim Soul," Haydn Divertimento in E-flat Major, Shostakovich String Quartet No. 3

 3 p.m. Wednesday, May 30: Regional Library, 650 Central Ave. Mozart Duo for Violin and Bass in G Major, Jan Bach's "Laudes," Dvořák String Quartet No. 10

 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 30: Trinity-by-the-Cove Episcopal Church, 553 Galleon Drive. Piazzolla's "Valsisimo," "Oblivion" and "Histoire du Tango"; Beethoven — Serenade, Opus 8; Taneyev String Trio in D Major

2 p.m. May 31: South Regional Library, 8065 Lely Cultural Parkway. Haydn Divertimento in E-flat Major, Lachner Woodwind Quintet No. 2, Dvořák String Quartet No. 10

7 p.m. May 31: Wang Opera Center, 2408 Linwood Ave. Telemann  Sonata for Two Violins; Bill Molenhof, "One Notch Higher"; Thieriot Octet for Clarinet, Horn, Bassoon and Strings; Mozart String Quartet in B-flat Major, “The Hunt”

 2 p.m. June 1: Moorings Park Bower Chapel, 120 Moorings Park Drive. Mozart  Duo for Violin and Bass in G Major; Piazzolla's "Valsisimo," "Oblivion" and "Histoire du Tango";  Beethoven Serenade, Op. 8

7 p.m. June 1: Naples United Church of Christ, 5200 Crayton Road. Augusta Read Thomas' "Pilgrim Soul," Jan Bach's "Laudes," Shostakovich String Quartet No.3

Marco Island Center for the Arts

All concerts are 5:30-7 p.m. at the center, 1010 Winterberry Drive, Marco Island.  Admission is $25 members, $30 nonmembers. Information and reservations: marcoislandart.org or 239-394-4221

Abby Yetter Brings Broadway: June 14. For more than20 years, Marco resident Abby Yetter has performed in professional, regional and community theaters across the country, playing the lead in such Broadway classics as "Peter Pan," "Annie" and "Oliver!" She still performs regionally as well as studying and teaching. Tickets are $25 for members and $30 for non-members. Call the Art Center at 239.394.4221 or visit the website at www.marcoislandart.org/musicalinterludes.

Brennan Yetter Jazz Trio: July 18. By day, he's director of bands at The Community School of Naples. But by evening, Yetter puts all that knowledge he's absorbed and new sounds he's testing in the work of his jazz trio, which has a wide-ranging repertoire. Yetter studied jazz in his music major at Temple University, of which he's a graduate, and plays locally with jazz orchestras and in the pit for a number of musical theaters.

SummerJazz on the Gulf

All SummerJazz concert series are free. They're 6:30-9:30 p.m. on the Watkins lawn of the Naples Beach Hotel and Golf Resort, 851 Gulf Shore Blvd. N., Naples.

Parking is north of the hotel at Lowdermilk Park, with free trolley service. Guests may bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating but no outside food and beverage. Beverages and finger foods such as grouper tacos, wraps and sandwiches are available at its Sunset Beach Bar & Grill or restaurant reservations are available at HB's on the Gulf.

Information: 239-261-2222, or online at NaplesBeachHotel.com.

Show Biz Kids: June 23. The Summerjazz debut of a 12-piece Steely Dan tribute band that won Creative Loafing’s “Best of the Bay Award” for “Best Tribute Band” in 2016. Members have worked with such artists as Blood Sweat & Tears, Spyro Gyra, Gloria Estefan, Barry Manilow, Diane Schuur and Tower of Power

Late Night Brass: July 14. The 10-piece horn band is celebrating its 10th year as entertainment at Summerjazz. Its known for its arrangements of favorites from Chicago, Earth Wind & Fire, Tower of Power, Blood Sweat & Tears and  Kool & The Gang.

T Bone Hamilton’s Big Easy Revue: Aug. 18. Brass-forward, New Orleans-style music to inspire dancing is this band's specialty. Count on jazz, blues and funk and "second line music" favorites that draw followers for Big Easy parades.

Pocket Change: Sept. 15. A returning favorite, the Tampa-area band specializes in R&B, blues, funk and variety hits. It has opened for stars such as Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Journey, Cheap Trick and more.

Grand Piano Series 

All performances are at Trinity-by-the-Cove Episcopal Church, 553 Galleon Drive, Naples. Tickets are $40. Reservations, see the website, www.grandpianoseries.com/; for information, call 646-734-8179

HyeJin Kim plays Bach, Ravel: 7:30 p.m. June 7. A native of South Korea, pianist HyeJin Kim, won third prize in the prestigious Busoni Competition in Italy, its youngest participant at age 17. Since then, Kim has received prizes at the 2008 Hong Kong International Piano Competition, Steinway & Sons Advancement Award Competition and the Toronto International Piano Competition. She will perform Schumann and Kasputin works along with the others.

Sophie Shao plays Dvorak: 7:30 p.m. June 21. Cellist Sophie Shao, winner of the Avery Fisher Career Grant and top prizes at the Rostropovich and Tchaikovsky competitions. She is on the faculty of Vassar College and plays on a cello made by Honore Derazey from 1855 once owned by Pablo Casals. Her program will feature works of Bach, Dvorak, and a transcription of a Chopin Nocturne. 

Eric Lu performs Brahms and Chopin: 7:30 p.m. July 19. Pianist Eric Lu, 20, is the 1st prize winner and audience award at the 2017 International German Piano Award in Frankfurt. Lu was a prizewinner at the 2015 International Fryderyk Chopin Competition in Warsaw at the age of 17, becoming one of the youngest laureates in its history. That year he also won first prize at the 9th U.S. National Chopin Competition in Miami.