Saturday’s annual concert at Fremont’s Dogwood Center offers rare opportunity to celebrate artistry of local musicians who build stunning acoustic instruments.
Luthiers and Musicians: Mark Swanson and Jim Spalink are among 10 instrument makers in the spotlight this weekend. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
Musicians in the know have long recognized Grand Rapids guitarist-singer Mark Swanson’s stunning ability as a luthier to handcraft gorgeous guitars and mandolins.
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On the Air: Chatting on Local Spins Live. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
What many don’t know is that Swanson and a host of regional instrument makers also showcase their talents – on stage and in displays of their impressive handicraft – at the annual West Michigan Luthier Concert, with this year’s event being held at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Fremont’s Dogwood Center for Performing Arts.
Swanson calls it West Michigan’s “best-kept secret.”
“This is a unique event and there is no other time when we (luthiers, aka, makers of stringed instruments) get to play for a full house and do it all on instruments that we made for an audience that really pays attention,” says Swanson, a member of the band 13th Hour who’ll perform Saturday as part of a special duet with longtime pal and An Dro multi-instrumentalist Jim Spalink.
“We get to visit each other and see all the new ideas and instruments we built over the year, and the exhibit in the lobby is always fun. The luthiers’ concert is a really special thing.”
THE ‘ULTIMATE COMBINATION OF MUSIC AND VISUAL ARTS’
Organizer Faune Benson-Schuitema calls it “the ultimate combination of music and visual arts,” meshing the artistry of luthiers and other stringed instrument makers with their “extraordinary” musicianship on stage.
Handiwork: A guitar and mandolin built by Mark Swanson. (Photo/Anthony Norkus)
The ninth annual concert – featuring six sets by performers – takes place in the Dogwood Center’s Black Box, a cabaret-style venue, with instruments created by 10 different luthiers on display. An exhibit of photographs of handmade instruments will remain in the Dogwood lobby gallery through March 2.
Concertgoers can meet with luthiers starting at 6:30 p.m., with the concert starting at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $12.50 and available at the Dogwood Center box office; online at dogwoodcenter.com or ncca-artsplace.org. For directions, visit dogwoodcenter.com. About 200 people are expected for the show and only a handful of tickets were left early this week.
In addition to Swanson and Spalink, performers on Saturday will include: Chester Winowiecki and Adrian Schuster, Bud Greenman, Erik White and Tom Sutherland, Donald Benson, Jay Round and Megan Wirts, Fred Convertini and Charlie Johnson, and Keith Caldwell.
A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET AND APPLAUD LUTHIERS
All of them will be playing handcrafted instruments – acoustic guitars, fiddles, ukuleles, cigarbox guitars and mandolins – with a special tribute to luthier and instructor Robert Sayers, who passed away last year and was “the initial inspiration” for the Newaygo County Council for the Arts’ West Michigan Luthier Concert, according to Benson-Schuitema.
Jim Spalink with harp. (Photo/Kristine Carpenter)
“This concert is unique because every luthier lives and works locally (in a four-county area),” says Benson-Schuitema, adding that it’s a hands-on affair for concertgoers who can check out the handmade instruments beforehand. “Patrons can feel and even play the instruments that will be used during the concert and then talk to the luthiers about their process.”
Spalink, who’s built Celtic harps, says the fun comes in “rubbing elbows with other makers” at the annual luthiers’ event.
Swanson, longtime owner of Swanson Stringed Instruments who’ll be performing for the eighth time at the event, says he strives “to bring a different musical presentation” every year in the “singin’ and pickin'” show.
“This is the first year Jim (Spalink) has joined me and I am feeling that it’s a special year,” he offers. “Jim will be joining me in my set playing mandolins and guitars that I built. This also gives Jim a chance to show off one of his other talents: He’ll be playing one of his handmade Irish harps.”
On Wednesday, Swanson and Spalink appeared on Local Spins Live on News Talk 1340 AM (WJRW) to talk about the Luthier Concert and perform a song on the air, playing instruments that Swanson built — an acoustic guitar and a mandolin. Listen to the podcast here, with a video of their performance below, along with a photo gallery by Anthony Norkus.
MARK SWANSON & JIM SPALINK: PHOTO GALLERY BY ANTHONY NORKUS
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