March 28, 2024

Pianist brings his Mainstreet Souvenirs show to Newton

In search of the American Heartland … Scott Kirby presents a multi-media stage performance which features live piano music, a spoken narrative and a video presentation.

Kirby will present his Mainstreet Souvenirs program at 7 p.m. Oct. 9 at the Newton Senior High School Center for Performance. This performance by Kirby is another of the Jasper County Concert Association programs which brings interesting and enjoyable performances to Newton every year.

The music in the first half of the program will span about 150 years of American pop, jazz and folk music, including tunes by Scott Joplin, Stephen Foster, John Philip Sousa and many others continuing up to the present time.

The second half of the program will feature Kirby’s original compositions for piano, his original paintings, old photos from long ago all joined together as he plays the piano and talks about the history of the American Great Plains and prairies. The visual “projected” dimension of the program accompanies both the narrative and the music throughout the second half. Kirby talks about small town American life and times and his comments will bring back wonderful memories to the members of the audience.

Kirby was first a musician and fine pianist, but his artistic passion grew to include visual art, and he has completed 75 paintings and 28 piano compositions. He now lives in Boulder, Colo. and divides his time between composing, painting, performing and teaching.

For more information, contact Nina Robson at 641-792-3401