MAKE MUSIC MADISON: FREE OUTDOOR MUSIC ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21
Overture Center is proud to host Make Music Madison, our city’s annual one-day free, outdoor music festival. We’ll help create the continuous wall of music that will surround the city on Wednesday, June 21.
Overture will host these local artists on the Fairchild Street stage:
- 10 AM – 11 AM: Christian Rickman
- 11 AM – Noon: Josh Cohen
- Noon – 1 PM: Dave Alcorn, Mike Koszewski, & James McKenzie
- 1 PM – 2 PM: Andrew Yaun, “The Rockabilly Kid”
About the Artists:
Christian Rickman is a high schooler who likes to play music for casual listening. His set list has been adapted for the coffee shop crowd, where audiences can enjoy a mix of old and new tunes played clear and clean. He studies at the Madison Music Foundry, sings and plays guitar in three bands, plays bass in his high school orchestra, and performs in school musicals. Christian loves playing for audiences as a singer-guitarist because it is much more personal than the stage; and he is thinking about making a career in music.
Josh Cohen is an electric bass player and composer of solo bass and other bass-featured music. Having received his bachelor’s degree in music from Humber College, he is now currently attending York University for a master’s degree in music composition. His thesis focuses on writing compositions for the solo electric bass, drawing inspiration from the work of world-renowned composers such as Victor Wooten, Jaco Pastorius, and many more. Josh aims to not only continue this tradition, but explore the possibilities of the solo electric bass even further. Josh wants to bring this focus into the world of academia, a place that has never seen serious study on this topic, but has been codifying the study of solo piano and guitar writing for centuries.
Dave Alcorn is a contemporary percussionist, educator, composer, and entrepreneur. Dave earned his Master of Music degree in Percussion Performance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and received his Bachelor of Music degree in Percussion Performance and Music Education from the University of Michigan. He has taught private lessons, percussion ensembles, Latin jazz combos, and masterclasses. As a staff arranger and composer for the Mt. Lebanon Percussion Ensemble, his arrangements and compositions have been performed by groups throughout the United States, including the University of Michigan and the University of California-Los Angeles. Dave’s diverse background also includes video and audio recording and editing of live concerts, closed studio sessions, and documentaries. He regularly records recitals and other musical events in the Madison, WI area.
Michael Koszewski is an experienced percussionist well-versed in contemporary, classical, popular and world music styles. As a chamber musician he has performed and held masterclasses at Overture Center for the Arts, Wisconsin Union Theater, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, University of Wisconsin-Platteville, University of Michigan, Interlochen Arts Academy (MI), The Stone (NY), Queensborough College, (NY) Casper College (WY), Youngstown State (OH), Baldwin-Wallace University (OH), The University of North Carolina-Pembroke (NC), and The Ewell Concert Series (VA). Recent engagements include performances with Oakwood Chamber Players, Four Seasons Theater, Edgewood College Theater, the University of Wisconsin Brass Festival, and Tony-Award winner Karen Olivo. As a drum kit player, Michael regularly performs with the experimental jazz/rock combo Lovely Socialite as well as with the Ben Ferris Octet.
James McKenzie is now in his fifth year as Assistant Director of the percussion ensemble and percussion sectional coach for the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras. James has toured the country as a chamber musician, premiering works by composers like Marc Mellits and Ryan Lott of Son Lux, as well as performing and teaching in residency at many universities and the Interlochen Academy for the Arts. In Madison, James has performed with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, performs extensively with many local theater companies, and is the drummer/percussionist for the annual Tommy Awards ceremony at Overture Center for the Arts. Most recently, James can be heard drumming on Jennifer Hedstrom’s latest release Prairie.
Andrew Yaun, “The Rockabilly Kid” is a 19-year old from a small town who is starting a rockabilly revival! He is a solo artist who performs with a loop pedal of pre-recorded bass, a vintage microphone, and his Gretsch guitar. Andy loves playing music that gets people out on the dance floor. He has received two MAMA Awards and has competed in the Overture’s Rising Stars talent search. Andrew has also played at the Wisconsin State Fair, Symco Shakedown, and the Green County Fair. One of his biggest musical influences is Brian Setzer of Stray Cats; but you can also catch him playing tunes from Eddie Cochran, Elvis Presley, The Beatles, and Johnny Cash.
