Vivant! (a Kansas City ensemble comprised of UMKC Conservatory Alums) will be featured on the Fremar Foundation for Accordion Arts Concert, “Music & Merlot” on Saturday, June 15th at 7 PM. Two-time United States Champion, Mary Tokarski, of Connecticut will perform as guest artist premiering a new work entitled, “Sapphire” by Karen Fremar. Conservatory alum Karen Fremar will release a new CD of original works.
The concert will be at All Souls Unitarian, Bragg Auditorium, 4501 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO, 64111. The event is free and open to the public. A special collection of various types of accordions will be on display in the lobby, and CDs of guest artists will be available for purchase. Cocktails and appetizers begin at 6:30 p.m. in the lobby. Admission is free. Donations accepted at the door.
Vivant! members include Karen Fremar and Julie Silfverberg, Accordion/Keyboards; Melody Stroth, Piano; Janne Silfverberg, Trombone/Latin Percussion; Dee Sligar, Bass; and Brian Steever, Drums. For this performance, various Vivant! members will team with Conservatory Alums Judy Johnson, Flute; Beth (Baker) McCollum, Cello; Jason Scheufler, Guitar; and Kevin Maret, Vibes/Percussion to perform a variety of music including big band swing, blues, Latin, tango, salsa, and original new works. In honor of Karen Fremar’s new CD release titled “Night at the Pla-Mor,” several tracks on the CD will be performed live at the concert. The event will also focus in part on big band music that was performed at the memorable Kansas City Pla-Mor Ballroom in the 1940s and ‘50s.
Guest artist, Mary Tokarski, is a renowned artist who has concertized worldwide. Tokarski and Fremar (both United States Accordion Champions) will team together with Janne Silfverberg to present the World Premiere of a new work by Fremar for two accordions and hand drums.
Dr. Karen Fremar, Chairman of the Board, President: Dr. Karen Fremar holds the Doctorate Degree in Music Theory from the University of Kansas. She obtained degrees in accordion and composition from the U.M.K.C. Conservatory of Music. Karen performs professionally on accordion and keyboards. She is often asked to serve as adjudicator for music competitions. Karen composes and arranges music for the accordion as well as other instruments, and has given recitals and concerts internationally. Her works are published through Ernest Deffner Publications, Fremar Publications, and eMusicForAccordion.com. She currently serves as the Musical Director for ensemble Vivant! The group has released two albums containing her original works and arrangements, River of Destiny and Whatever You Do.
Karen won the World Championship in Entertainment Accordion in Sweden, and received the Silver Medal in the Coupe Mondiale World Accordion Championships. She won the United States Accordion Championship in Chicago sponsored by the American Accordionists’ Association. Her family operated the Fremar Music Studio in Fort Scott, Kansas for over fifty years. The Fremar Foundation is a non-profit charitable organization that presents outstanding accordion artists from around the world, supports the creation of new works for the accordion, and provides education about the accordion, its music and musicians, and its history. The concert is sponsored in part by Husch Blackwell, LLP and H&R Block Foundation.
For further information: fremarfoundation@gmail.com
