Alamosa Live Music Association

Take the time to enjoy Christmas with music and help the Adams State College music department raise money for scholarships as the Alamosa Live Music Association assists in presenting a Celtic Christmas Celebration concert with local band Tripping Upstairs, Adams State music faculty and students at 7:30 p.m. On Friday, Dec. 16, in Leon Memorial Hall, on Richardson Ave. near 2^nd St., on the ASC campus in Alamosa, Colo.

Music during the concert will combine the style of a traditional Irish band with the sounds of the season. Tripping Upstairs will be joined by a vocal octet who will add a special touch to the evening.

“We are particularly attracted to the old modal carols, like the Wexford Carol and Masters in this Hall, which work well with this instrumentation,” Tripping Upstairs flutist and ASC music department chair Dr. Tracy Doyle said.

All proceeds from the event will benefit scholarships for Adams State College music students.

“Music scholarships allow the department to support the wonderful students we have here, in addition to attracting new students,” Doyle said.

Join the Adams State Friends of Music at the $100 level, or above, and receive two free tickets to the Celtic Christmas Celebration and an invitation to a private reception.

ALMA is co-sponsoring the Celtic Christmas. Tickets are $10 ALMA, $12 general public, and $15 at the door, and can be purchased at the Adams State Music Department Office or at the Green Spot, 711 State Ave. in Alamosa. For more information, please contact the Music Department at 719-587-7621.

Christmastime in Alamosa

It’s the most wonderful time of year, as the song says, and the Alamosa Live Music Association (ALMA) invites the community to celebrate by joining in or just watching and enjoying as Don Richmond hosts a sing-along featuring traditional carols and other music of the season, Sun., Dec. 18,at 6pm in Milagros Coffeehouse on the corner of State Ave. and Main St. in Alamosa, CO. Songbooks will be provided to facilitate singing!

“As far as I’m concerned, we should all be singing a good bit of the time all the time – it’s good for us and I think it can help keep us sane,” Richmond said. “There is still something real and fine buried underneath all the craziness and hype that take place around the holidays, and this is a great way to celebrate that with our community,” he continued. ALMA and Milagros are providing complimentary cookies and beverages at the sing-along.

Although Richmond is a virtuoso of many instruments, enthusiasm and good cheer are more important than musical ability to join in the fun on this night. A willingness to participate and have a good time is the only admission requirement for the event, but attendees are encouraged to join in the seasonal spirit of giving by donating canned goods or money for the Food Bank Network of the San Luis Valley.

Folks in the San Luis Valley have long taken part in celebrations this time of the year when the nighttime stops getting longer and the days finally once again start to lengthen, as have cultures around the world and through the years. Likewise, local people have traditionally joined together to make music as a community. This event is opportunity for area residents and visitors to joyfully participate in and carry forward winter traditions by joining together in song.

A typical concert for the Project Trio - beatboxing flute not shown.

PROJECT Trio are pushing the boundaries of classical music with a high octane mix of jazz, hip-hop, and rock. The Alamosa Live Music Association and the Adams State College Music Dept. present PROJECT Trio Sat., Dec. 3, 7:30pm at Leon Memorial Hall on Richardson Ave. near 2^nd St. on the Adams State College campus in Alamosa. Tickets are free for Adams State Associated Students and Faculty and Friends of Music, $8 for ALMA members, $10 adults, $5 students and seniors.

Greg Pattillo, flute, Eric Stephenson, cello, and Peter Seymour, bass, perform to enthusiastic audiences of all ages in concert halls, clubs, and classrooms around the world. PROJECT Trio is “packed with musicianship, joy, and surprise,” according to Downbeat magazine, and the New York Times calls beat-boxing flutist Pattillo “the best in the world at what he does.” PROJECT Trio combines the fire and refinement of the finest classical chamber ensembles with the stage presence and energy of rock stars.

The trio is drawing new audiences to classical music and reinvigorating existing fans of chamber music through their innovative performances, recordings, and their YouTube channel, which has over 66 million views and 75,000 subscribers, making PROJECT Trio one of the most watched instrumental ensembles on the Internet. The trio made their Carnegie Hall debut in 2010.

In addition to their extensive performing schedule, the trio is dedicated to arts education, inspiring a whole new generation of concert going music lovers. They will present a free master class at 5:30pm on Dec. 3^rd in Leon Hall.

The trio’s most recent disc, “Project Trio,”is “a glorious celebration of the music of our time,” according to Jazz Review. This disc includes reinterpretations of “Sweet Child O’ Mine,”by Guns N’ Roses and Dave Brubeck’s “Blue Rondo a la Turk.” PROJECT Trio is instantly recognizable to students of all ages as a result of their YouTube following and appearances on popular TV shows on Nickelodeon and MTV.

The group got its first big break in 2006 when Greg Pattillo’s beat box flute video went viral on YouTube, receiving millions of views in its first week. PROJECT Trio has since become one of the world’s most championed and exciting instrumental ensembles.