Who says there's no culture in the Heartland?

Lots of Mahler and more!

A smattering of the many events happening in the world around me:

TODAY:

The Quad City Symphony presents Gustav Mahler's monumental Third Symphony at 2:00 at Augustana College's Centennial Hall.  Affiliated artists include Quad City Choral Arts, Adriana Zabala, mezzo­‐soprano, and a host of hundreds.

In conjunction with Ballet Quad Cities, Orchestra Iowa presents Copland's Appalachian Spring and Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring.  Both ballets feature new choreography specifically designed for these productions.  2:30 p.m., Paramount Theater.

The Heartland Ballet presents Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, this weekend and next, at Dubuque's Grand Opera House.  Saturday performances are at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m.

Next week the Dubuque Symphony features an all-Russian program with Shostakovich's Festive Overture (a band piece if there ever was one), the demanding third piano concerto of Rachmaninoff (with John Nakamatsu--former Cliburn gold medal-winner) and Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition.  Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. in the University of Dubuque's Heritage Center.

While the wcfsymphony just offered its performance of Mahler's First, they will present "An Imaginary Symphony" on April 26 at the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center on the UNI campus.  Check this one out!

Of course, one shouldn't miss the Bettendorf Park Band's spring concert TODAY at 3:00 p.m. at the Bettendorf Community Center.  With works by Alfred Reed, Johann Strauss, Gustav Holst and others, I hear they have an exciting new conductor!  Check them out on Facebook.

He's conducting another band?

This just scratches the surface of artistic offerings in my own little corner of the blogosphere.  Too much to do!