​Bach + Beethoven Experience Present ‘A Spanish Summer’ July 12 at Seman's Violins in Skokie

Skokie, Ill. — The Bach + Beethoven Experience — a Chicago-based music group that performs a mix of classical, folk, indigenous, and new music in an interactive and approachable way — is pleased to present “A Spanish Summer” July 12 at 7 p.m. Seman’s Violins in Skokie. Tickets are $25.

Developed in partnership with EnsAmble Ad-Hoc, directed by the husband-and-wife team of Francy Acosta and José Luis Posada, “A Spanish Summer” includes a collection of popular folk music that tells the story of the day-in-the-life of someone living in Colombia and Venezuela.

For example, audiences will be introduced to traditional folk songs such as “La Llorona,” a haunting Colombia story about a woman who was driven to madness after her children drowned in a river, and “La Sayona,” a Venezuelan legend about a ghost who haunts men who have had affairs. The concert will also feature a variety of more upbeat songs that are typically sung while milking cows, drinking coffee, or eating a meal.

Benson says she hopes to make the concert an interactive, family-friendly experience where audience members can sing along or dance to the music, and she said the performers will even be teaching a counting song to the audience that children typically sing while walking to school.

“We want people to really enjoy this experience and feel comfortable bringing their families, especially to the free concerts in the park,” Benson said.

The concert will feature music from different parts of Colombia — such as Bambuco music which is native to the areas in the Andean mountains, and Porro music from Columbia’s Caribbean coast — as well as a few songs composed by Acosta herself.

Most of the music dates back to the 19th century and incorporates elements of both Spanish and European music with sounds of the region’s indigenous population and African rhythms, all of which reflect Colombia’s own complicated history.

The music will be performed by Bach + Beethoven’s Brandi Berry Benson on violin and Leighann Daihl Ragusa on flute, as well as Acosta on vocals and percussion, Posada on vocals and tiple (a type of guitar), and Daniel Rojas on harp, bass, tiple and vocals.

“I had played with Francy and José Luis before, but our ensembles had never performed together, so I am really excited to collaborate with these amazing artists on this program,” Benson said. “I think people will really fall in love with joyous, soulful music.”

The Bach & Beethoven Experience Presents “A Spanish Summer”

The Bach & Beethoven Experience Directors Brandi Berry Benson and Leighann Daihl Ragusa team up with EnsAmble Ad-Hoc directors Francy Acosta and José Luis Posada to celebrate the music of Colombia and Venezuela in this family-friendly concert. It is a program of bright and beautiful songs, dances, ballads, romances, and instrumentals all about the day in the life in Colombia.

July 12, 7 p.m.

Where: Seman Violins, 4447 Oakton St., Skokie, IL 60076

Tickets: $25

Info: 847-674-0690, https://www.semanviolins.com/concerts

About The Bach & Beethoven Experience

Founded in 2010, the Bach & Beethoven Experience brings artists together to collaborate and transform the classical concert experience from a standard passive listening presentation to an interactive experience through classical, folk, indigenous, and new music, using period instruments. Because we feel music is for everyone, our mission is to build community by creating an atmosphere and experience that fosters and encourages a personal connection between the musicians and audiences before, after, and during the performances.

Hailed as “thrilling... charming… performed with such grace… joy and sincerity that a watcher and listener had to be won over" (Bloomington Herald Times), the BBE has performed across the U.S. including at Baroque on Beaver Island Festival, Early Music Academy in Ann Arbor, the Goodman Theater, The Green Mill, Martyrs’, Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago, the Dame Myra Hess series, the Bloomington, Boston, Indianapolis Early Music Festival series, in residency at the Old Town School of Folk Music, and more. The Bach & Beethoven Experience performs about four times a year and has released several albums including “A Gaelic Summer,” “An Appalachian Summer,” “Carols,” and “Chicago Stories the Album.”

For more information, visit bbexperience.org.