Gigs in the Garden

From old-time fiddle tunes to Broadway favorites, Ilace and David showcase the versatility of 80+ strings on hammered dulcimer, fiddle, and mandolin. Ilace’s musical background is in classical violin and piano, but her mid-life crisis (the dulcimer) has worked out well. She is the 2016 National Hammered Dulcimer Champion and loves her job entertaining insects and happy guests at the Butterfly Palace in Branson. David is a native Springfieldian with deep, multi-instrumental roots in the bluegrass community (Radio Flyer, The Undergrass Boys) and a huge portfolio of recording projects produced and/or played. Together, their tunes may touch your heart or your dancing feet. Or both.

ilacemears.com
youtube.com/@imears

The Ozark Songbirds is a collective musical experience brought to you by Melissa Rea, Betsey Mae, Melinda Mullins, Jessamyn Orchard, and Kunti Bentley. The group originally came together as the “BadA** BigHearted Women in the Round” for a December 2019 show at Lindberg’s Tavern benefitting the Rebound Foundation. After bonding through rehearsals and that special performance, they desired to go forward with their unique blend and renamed the ensemble “The Ozarks Songbirds.”

This group of five singer-songwriter-instrumentalists bring diverse backgrounds to the table in a collaborative “song circle” format, sharing originals and a few covers. Most songs have contributions from all members either with harmony, instrumentals, or percussion. One excited audience member stated after their second show that this group “is filling a niche that our community didn’t even know it needed, but it does!”

facebook.com/OzarkSongbirds

The Republic Community Band concert is cancelled due to wet conditions. Normally we’d move the concert inside, however this is quite a big band! We are so disappointed, but we’ll get them on the schedule for next year.

The Republic Community Band started in 1982 and was founded for the purpose of community members to continue playing their instruments while not in the performing arts profession. The band is an intergenerational organization of mostly amateur musicians that draws its membership from Republic and other communities in Southwest Missouri. Members range in age from high school students to senior citizens. The band performs around 8 times per year with roughly half of its performances in Republic and the remainder in Springfield and other nearby communities. Its repertoire consists of traditional band music such as marches, medleys taken from Broadway musicals and Hollywood movies, overtures, and other music written specifically for bands.

republicband.org
facebook.com/RepublicCommunityBand

The dynamic MJAW string quartet is excited to perform a variety of pieces including classical, pop, and folk tunes. This newly formed group of teenage boys is eager to make their debut at the Springfield Botanical Gardens. The program was carefully chosen to create a spirited atmosphere of nostalgia, sentiment, and entertainment. Expect the urge to stomp your feet, sing along, and listen intently on the edge of your seat!