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 Chilly 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
A performance with Jonathan Brown
March 22, 2026 at 2p
Jonathan Brown presents an intimate and expansive afternoon of music built on close listening, bold collaboration, and room for discovery. Centered on percussion, the program explores a wide palette of sound through instruments like marimba, vibraphone, and drums, opening up textures and rhythms that feel both refined and surprising. This concert highlights music as a living, flexible space—where precision and imagination meet, and where percussion leads the way into new territory. Expect music that’s thoughtful, grounded, and full of possibility. Learn more »
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 community masterclass
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. Story of the String Quartet explores the rich history, artistry, and collaborative spirit that define this timeless ensemble. Learn more »
Bayberry String Quartet
May 17, 2026 at 2p
Experience the artistry and passion of the Bayberry String Quartet in a performance that celebrates the timeless beauty of chamber music.
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 »
Amy Higgins, Poet
Immersed in Nature: A Poetry Writing Workshop
June 7, 2026 at 2p
Join poet Amy Rust Higgins for Immersed in Nature, a welcoming poetry workshop designed for writers of all levels. Amy brings a curated packet of ten nature‑infused poems, from Mary Oliver and Elizabeth Bishop to Frost, Wordsworth, Seamus Heaney, Keith Taylor, and one of her own, to spark conversation and inspire new writing.
Together, the group will spend 30 minutes exploring craft, 30 minutes writing in response to the poems, and 30 minutes sharing work in a supportive circle. This workshop is offered in partnership with the Beacon Arts Trio program at Macon Creek, creating a weekend shaped by landscape, listening, and creative connection. Learn More>>
Tales of the Piano
A free masterclass for piano students of any level
July 18, 2026 at 2-4p
This masterclass offers piano students of all levels an opportunity to perform for a live audience and receive feedback from an experienced teacher and performer.
Performers are invited to share music of their choosing—whether it’s a work in progress or ready for performance. This is an opportunity to grow as a musician and learn from others!
Student performers, private lesson teachers, and family members are welcome to attend free of charge.
Community observers are welcome to attend at an affordable admission price. Come to listen, learn, and be inspired!
Sign-up deadline July 16, 2026.
Amy I-Lin Cheng
Once Upon a Piano, There Were Four Hands
Tales of New Beginnings, Wonder, and Remembrance
July 19, 2026 at 2p
Join Amy I-Lin Cheng, Assistant Professor of Piano at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance, for an afternoon of piano music featuring works for solo piano and piano four hands—two performers sharing one keyboard in a uniquely intimate musical collaboration.
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
Make a sound, make your mark!
This community‑focused workshop invites participants of all ages to “make a sound, make your mark” in a joyful, hands‑on exploration of music and visual art. Composer‑violinist Daniel Fecteau, composer‑educator Mattie Levy, and visual artists Lucy Bugala and Luke Gleason — all young artists representing the next generation of creative thinkers and makers — guide the community in listening, seeing, reflecting, and responding through sound‑making, collaborative painting, and creative play. Their fresh perspectives, curiosity, and spirit of experimentation energize the entire experience.
No experience necessary, just curiosity, paint clothes, and a willingness to join in!
Instrumentalists are encouraged to bring their own musical instruments. Keyboards and percussion instruments will also be available for use. Art supplies will be provided.
Macon Creek, 8759 Clinton Macon Rd, Clinton, MI 49236
live@maconcreek.org
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 contemporary music, all unfolding alongside the creation of a live mural by artist Chilly 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 unfold in the moment.
The Myriad Project’s repertoire revolves around themes of authenticity, play, and connection. Audiences are often delighted to see how much fun the three musicians have on stage, and how communicative they are with each other and the audience while they perform. During this concert, you will hear some music that is more classically inclined, some that is more improvisatory, and some that is more playful - the Myriad Project is known for their arrangements of familiar video game music and will be performing a few of these selections at this concert! Perhaps the most unusual aspect of the ensemble's performance will be the loop station and effects pedal, utilized expertly by violinist Daniel Fecteau. You will hear several amazing percussive effects from the violin and experience the live creation of deep, complex textures for the ensemble to play in. At times, this group of three musicians may sound more like eight! Whatever your musical background, you are in for a treat with this fun and inventive ensemble!
Emily Brownlee, oboe
Donald Schweikert, bassoon
Daniel Fecteau, electric violin and loop station
Chris “Chilly” Rodriguez, artist/muralist