Trinity Presents... Performance Series

Through the celebration of the performing arts, the Trinity Presents... Performance Series extends the reach of Trinity United Methodist Church’s offering for friendship and fellowship beyond the confines of the local congregation and presents it to the greater Little Rock and central Arkansas areas.

With this goal in mind, the Board of Directors for Trinity Presents... strives to present performances that will appeal to all audiences – both young and old alike. For the past 24 years, we have worked to bring in performers and groups that are uncommon for the Arkansas area. We have welcomed well-known and international performance by the Vienna Choir Boys, Chanticleer, Diane Bish, Dino and Sandi Patti – just to name a few.

We are excited to present an exciting line-up to our 25th season of the Trinity Presents... Performance Series.

For more information, contact David Glaze, Minister of Music or Alan Rail, Trinity Presents... Board of Directors.

Ken Medema - February 12, 2012 6 p.m.

Ken Medema has been doing musical events for over 30 years now. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1942, Ken has always been unable to see with his physical eyes. His sight is limited to distinguishing between light and darkness and seeing fuzzy outlines of major objects.

As a kid Ken was not widely accepted, and spent a lot of time by himself. Because he has lived with some degree of being different all his life, Ken has some sympathy for people who have been disenfranchised, whether they are disabled or politically oppressed or whatever.

Music early became a major component of Ken’s life. He started banging on the piano when he was five years old, making up crazy little fantasies on his mom’s piano. At age eight Ken got a wonderful teacher who taught him the classics with Braille music and taught him to play by ear. She also taught him to improvise. Every time he learned a piece she would tell him, "Now you can improvise in that style." So music became his second language.

After graduating from high school Ken studied music therapy at Michigan State University in Lansing, concentrating on performance skills in piano and voice. He worked as a music therapist in Fort Wayne, Indiana; returned to Michigan State for a master’s degree (1969); and then worked for four years as a music therapist at Essex County Hospital in New Jersey. It was while employed there that he began writing and performing his own songs. He had a bunch of teenagers who were really hurting, and started writing songs about their lives.

In 1973, Ken left work as a therapist and began a career as a performing and recording artist. He recorded albums for Word and Shawnee Press, then in 1985 founded Brier Patch Music, an independent recording, publishing, and performance-booking company.

Ken, and his wife Jane, have been married since 1965 and live in the San Francisco Bay area of California. They have two grown children, Aaron and Rachel. Be sure to join us for an exciting evening of piano and inspiring vocals with Ken Medema on February 12, 2012!

Collegiate Performance Showcase - April 1, 6 p.m.

In an effort to bring you "the best of the best" each and every season, the Trinity Presents Board of Directors looks for new and innovative ways to identify and secure talented performers in a variety of disciplines. In the 2007-2008 season, we took a risk on something new and inaugurated the Collegiate Performance Showcase. The result was an overwhelming success.

In each of the first four years of the Showcase, student musicians representing colleges and universities across Arkansas submitted applications for a spot in our Showcase competition. The quality of the musicianship displayed in the audition videos was truly outstanding. This made the process of choosing only four finalists for the competition very challenging.

Again this fall, we will contact the faculty of the music departments of Arkansas colleges and universities and begin an application process for the competition. The applicants will submit audition video recordings and supplemental information about themselves. Through a screening process overseen by the Trinity Presents Board of Directors, the finalists will be selected and will participate in the performance here on the Trinity Presents stage on Sunday, April 1, 2012. Again this year, a panel of guest judges will review the performances and select our overall winner. Each finalist will receive a cash prize and the overall winner will receive an additional cash award.

The exciting part of this performance is not only knowing that we are helping young, aspiring artists to further their futures in music, the contents of the program will be a surprise until you arrive!

Please make plans to join us for the 5th Annual Trinity Presents Collegiate Performance Showcase. We look forward to welcoming all of you to this very special event. We know that our always loyal and supportive Trinity Presents audience will want to be here to support these talented young people!

See you next season!

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