NEWS RELEASE
DATE: Jan. 20, 2010
CONTACT: Kassie Hilgert, 610-332-1348 or khilgert@fest.org
MUSIKFEST ANNOUNCES 2010 THEME AND POSTER
BETHLEHEM, PA—The transformative impact of music will be the focus of Musikfest 2010, the 10-day music and arts festival that will take place in downtown Bethlehem, Pa. Aug. 6-15.
Musikfest 2010’s theme, “Transformation,” is designed to highlight how music and musicians can impact individuals, audiences, communities and the world. As part of its theme, Musikfest 2010 will feature performers and events that showcase the various ways music transforms people, as well as how certain musical genres have been transformed over time. One of the highlights of the festival will be the Transformation Series, which will take place at Moravian College’s Peter Hall, off Main and Church streets, Aug. 7-8 and 13-15 at 4 p.m. Performers for the series and the rest of Musikfest 2010 will be announced in the coming months; however, the first major concert announcement will take place Friday, Jan. 22.
“The Transformation Series will feature performers who showcase the transformative nature of music. Some will look at the changes within a specific genre, while others will cover the transformations between genres,” said ArtsQuest Director of Performing Arts Patrick Brogan. “These will be interactive performances that will engage audiences.”
Jeff Parks, president of ArtsQuest, said, “This year’s Transformation theme is symbolic in many ways. Not only is it a nod to the transformative effects that music has on all of us, but it also reflects the transformations that Musikfest has undergone over the years. What started as a smaller community event in 1984 has grown into a major celebration that attracts more than one million people to downtown Bethlehem each August. The growth of the festival is a powerful statement that speaks to the enduring effects of music across generations, but it’s also a testament to the tremendous support the event has enjoyed from our patrons, volunteers, partners, the city and, indeed, the entire community.”
“Musikfest will undergo further transformation next year as the Sands RiverPlace main stage moves to its new home across from the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks, slated to open in May 2011,” Parks added. “We’re excited about the positive impact that the move will have on the festival, the neighborhood and the city, as it brings thousands of people to an area that will be teeming with arts, culture and new kinds of transformation.”
As part of the 2010 theme, ArtsQuest has also released its official 2010 Transformation poster, now on sale at www.musikfest.org and the Gallery Shoppe at the Banana Factory, 25 W. Third St., Bethlehem. The digital painting, created by ArtsQuest eMarketing Manager Jon Lunger, features three musicians – a saxophonist, trumpet player and guitarist – standing in front of a brightly-colored wall of speakers.
“Music has a transcendental impact on everyone, from the artists who write the lyrics and create the music, to the audiences that enjoy the performances,” Lunger said. “The colors and the textures are really an interpretation of the transformative effect a person has when creating and enjoying art, whether it be visual or performing.”
Musikfest 2010, which is presented by ArtsQuest, will take place 5-11 p.m. Aug. 6 and noon-11 p.m. Aug. 7-15. The festival will include some 500 musical performances on 14 indoor and outdoor stages throughout Bethlehem’s historic, 18th-century downtown. In addition, the event will showcase delicious food and desserts by more than 60 vendors, a variety of children’s activities, visual arts and crafts and a closing-night fireworks display.
For more information on Musikfest, visit www.musikfest.org or call 610-332-1300.
