Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra Conductor Kirk Muspratt describes a July 26 free outdoor concert date for the City of Gary as “a homecoming” and an “exciting opportunity.”
“Gary is where our orchestra began, making this concert date included for our summer celebration extra special,” said Muspratt, now in his 23nd year as maestro for the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra.
“All of our concerts include a repertoire mix of classical, patriotic, Broadway musicals and popular movie scores. There is also always an honorary musical piece to recognize our troops and veterans.”
In addition to his two decades of concert leadership duties in Northwest Indiana, Muspratt’s other musical assignment is his role as the conductor and artistic director for New Philharmonic Orchestra in Glen Ellyn, Illinois.
David Mika, executive director for South Shore Arts, the umbrella non-profit organization which oversees the NWI Symphony, said the formula for planning the annual free summer concerts is to “simply provide the makings of a quintessential quality of life event for the residents of Northwest Indiana and our surrounding communities.”
“Bring together our terrific symphony musicians matched with a personality like our Maestro Kirk Muspratt guiding a fantastic array of amazing music performed at a variety of centrally located community sites with easy access to all, backed by a gorgeous summer evening and free admission and you have what the Northwest Indiana Symphony envisions each year with our South Shore Summer Music Festival,” Mika said.
Just six months prior to Muspratt’s starting his role as conductor of the NWI Symphony, in August 1999, Muspratt had already traveled to Northwest Indiana as a guest conductor to lead the NWI Symphony Orchestra for a free outdoor concert at Whiting Park.
The 2024 summer outdoor concert series launches this weekend with free concerts in July and August starting at 7:30 p.m., except for a 6 p.m. show with the Gary Civic Symphony performing before the 7:30 p.m. NWI Symphony.
Dates are: July 19 at Fox Pointe, 18138 Henry St., Lansing, Illinois; July 26 at Marquette Park, 1 N. Grand Blvd., Gary; July 27 at Crown Point at Franciscan Communities, Corner of Main and Franciscan streets; July 29 at Munster at Centennial Park, Calumet Ave. at Centennial Drive; July 31 at Valparaiso at Central Park Plaza, 68 Lafayette St.; Aug. 2 at Hammond/Wolf Lake at Wolf Lake Pavilion, Calumet Avenue at Sheffield Avenue; and Aug. 3 at Griffith at Central Park, 600 N. Broad St.
Mika said each summer, more than 20,000 concertgoers enjoy the free orchestra outdoor performance dates, with as many as 4,000 guests in attendance at each of the concerts.
“We are just as excited as our maestro for this year’s special program at the new Marquette Park venue on July 26 to celebrate 83 years of our orchestra in the City of Gary, with both the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra and the Gary Civic Symphony Orchestra sharing the stage,” Mika said.
“The night begins with a performance by the Gary Civic Symphony Orchestra at 6 p.m., followed by comments by Mayor Melton and other community leaders to note the occasion, all before our own Northwest Indiana Symphony’s performance starting at 7:30 p.m.”
Mika emphasized it is the generous underwriting from area businesses and the communities which allow the concerts to be free. “Community support is critical to this event each year,” Mika said.
“Each participating community, either directly or through community organizations and supporters such as the Crown Point Community Foundation or the Porter County Community Foundation, provides about 50 percent of the cost of each performance. Support from our long-time lead underwriter, the John W. Anderson Foundation, as well as a fantastic sponsor since that very first Summer Music Festival, Strack & VanTil Food Market, has helped ensure these performances continue every year.”
Mika said this summer’s concert festival welcomes a new sponsor from Gary, the Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana, which allowed for an expanded line-up of seven host community concerts.
“It is a reflection of the strength of our region that this type of public and private partnership invests in our not-for-profit arts organizations to deliver these experiences that add to the quality of life in our Northwest Indiana communities,” Mika said.
Philip Potempa is a freelance reporter for The Post-Tribune.
NWI Symphony 17th Annual Summer Concerts
When: July and August 2024
Where: Northwest Indiana locations and Lansing, Illinois
Cost: Free
Information: 219-836-0525; nisorchestra.org
