Beacon Arts Michigan & Macon Creek present
Tales, Legends & Legacy
2026 Community Music Series
Learn more about our partnership with Beacon Arts Michigan
United by a shared mission to expand access to the arts, Beacon Arts Michigan and Macon Creek join forces to present Tales, Legends & Legacy, inviting audiences into a world shaped by stories—those we inherit, those we imagine, and those we create together. Through concerts, masterclasses, workshops, and interdisciplinary collaborations, this series explores how music and art carry our histories, illuminate our present, and spark the narratives that will define our future.
Across the spring and summer, artists from Michigan and beyond bring their own tales to Macon Creek’s storied campus: percussionist Jon Brown exploring rhythmic dimensions, the Bayberry String Quartet tracing the lineage of the string quartet tradition; the Beacon Arts Trio weaving poetry and sound into vivid landscapes; pianist Amy I‑Lin Cheng guiding young musicians through the evolving story of the piano; and creators like Chili Rodriguez, Mattie Levy, and Daniel Fecteau inviting participants to reimagine how visual and musical stories intertwine. The season culminates in performances that blend classical craft with contemporary imagination, including the electroacoustic sound worlds of The Myriad Project.
Together, these events celebrate the power of artistic storytelling—its legends, its legacies, and the new chapters written each time a community gathers to listen, learn, and create. This series invites audiences into a world shaped by stories—those we inherit, those we imagine, and those we create together.
Jonathan Brown
Percussion Masterclass
Finding the Percussionist’s Craft
March 15, 2026 at 2p
Join acclaimed percussionist and educator Jonathan Brown for an immersive masterclass exploring percussion as both rhythm and narrative. Finding the Percussionist’s Craft looks beyond technique to examine how percussion instruments – hand to hand, mallet to bar, stick to skin—have always carried culture, movement, and human expression. Learn more »
Jonathan Brown
Rhythmic Dimensions
An interactive performance with Jonathan Brown
March 22, 2026 at 2p
Beacon Arts Michigan Collage
Tales, Legends & Legacy
A benefit concert featuring the artists & stories shaping 2026
April 19, 2026 at 2p
Step into the creative heart of Macon Creek as Beacon Arts Michigan launches its 2026 Summer Concert Series, Tales, Legends & Legacy, with a vibrant Collage Concert—a celebration of the artists, sounds, and stories that will shape the season ahead. Learn more »
Story of the String Quartet
A masterclass for intermediate & advanced string students in Lenawee County
May 16, 2026 at 2p
Join the acclaimed Bayberry String Quartet for an immersive masterclass experience designed to deepen your understanding of chamber music and the art of storytelling in music. Learn more »
Bayberry String Quartet
May 17, 2026 at 2p
Nurit Pacht and Steffani Kitayama, violins
Gabe Bolkosky, viola
Laura Usiskin, cello
Learn more »
Beacon Arts Trio
Merged | Submerged
Poetry and Sound Converge in the Forest, Harlem, and the Depths of the Sea
June 6, 2026 at 2p
Embark on a vibrant and imaginative musical adventure with Emily Olson (flute), Lorrie Gunn (violin/viola), and Maurice Draughn (harp), as they wander through lush poetic landscapes, channel the spirit of cultural rebirth, and explore the full spectrum of human emotion. Learn more »
Poetry & Writing Workshop
June 7, 2026 at 2p
This inter-generational and interactive workshop will continue the musical adventure started the day prior in creative written form.
More information coming soon!
Tales of the Piano
A masterclass for intermediate & advanced piano students in Lenawee County
July 18, 2026 at 2p
Intermediate and advanced pianists are warmly invited to participate in an inspiring piano masterclass led by guest artist Amy I‑Lin Cheng. This session offers students an opportunity to refine technique, deepen musical interpretation, and receive personalized guidance in a supportive, engaging environment. Auditors are welcome – come to learn, listen, and be inspired! Learn more »
Amy I-Lin Cheng
Once Upon a Piano, There Were Four Hands
Tales of New Beginnings, Wonder, and Remembrance
July 19, 2026 at 2p
Highlights include Mozart’s Sonata in C Major, K. 521, a radiant and joyful work, and Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite, a richly imaginative retelling of five beloved fairy tales through music. Learn more »
Composers & Creators Workshop
August 15, 2026 at 2p
Community members are invited to join this hands-on session that will explore the meeting point between two‑dimensional art—art that lives on the surface—and music, an art form that unfolds through time. More information coming soon!
More information coming soon!
The Myriad Project & Chris “Chilly” Rodriguez
Electroacoustic Soundscapes
Music & Art Reimagined – Live Painting & Performance
August 16, 2026 at 2p
The Myriad Project will be performing a concert of original works and new arrangements of modern music, all unfolding alongside the creation of a live mural by artist Chili Rodriguez. The result is an immersive, multisensory event where sound and visual art evolve together, each shaping and inspiring the other, offering audiences a rare chance to witness creativity happening in the moment.
More information coming soon!