Front Row Center

Did you enjoy the Cantores de Cienfuegos Cuban choir at Missoula's 2016 International Choral Festival this summer? Want to hear more from them? Yvonne Gritzner helped bring the choir to Montana, and she has the details on a "Cuban Encore" benefit to help fund the travel costs for bringing this extraordinary group to Montana.

While John Adams' digital sound may seem an odd fit with Mendelssohn's romantic style, the Missoula Symphony finds connections in the contrast. The opening concert of the symphony's 62nd season, entited, "Fast Machine," juxtaposes "machine, motion and rhythm" with "fluidity and majesty," and features guest violinist Jennifer Frautschi peforming Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No.1.

Stand-up comedian Gallagher has smashed about 20,000 watermelons during his career, and he's not likely to stop anytime soon. Gallagher is coming to the West with BIRTHDAY BASH! Gallagher The Joke's On You Comedy Tour With Special Guest Artie Fletcher.

The Montana Book Festival celebrates storytelling under the big sky with over 100 events and 200 authors. Executive director Rachel Mindell says it's difficult to choose what she is looking forward to the most. From the Literary Death Match with four authors and three celebrity judges to a Pop-up Book workshop, there's something for everyone. The festival runs from September 20 - 25 in Missoula.

The 62nd season of the Helena Symphony begins with music from Korngold and Rachmaninoff, two composers whose music "drip[s] with silver and chocolate sauce." "A Symphony Spooktacular" sets a haunting backdrop to the season while "¡Flamenco!" brings some Spanish culture to Montana. Allan R. Scott , music director and conductor for the Helena Symphony, shares upcoming highlights.

Laurie Ruffner, the new executive director of the Bitterroot Performing Arts Council , shares some highlights from The Hamilton Performing Arts Center's upcoming season, including performances by Reduced Shakespeare and acclaimed singer/songwriter Darrell Scott.

Fern Glass Boyd, artistic director of the String Orchestra of the Rockies talks about the group's upcoming concert at St. Timothy's Summer Music Festival, and the four concerts of the ensemble's 32 season, starting in September.

The Ninth Annual Festival Amadeus , presented by the Glacier Symphony and Chorale, runs from August 8 - 14, 2016 at venues in Whitefish and Bigfork. The festival features chamber and orchestra concerts with guest soloists and the Festival Amadeus orchestra. (See the full Festival Amadeus schedule below.)

Michael Marsolek talks with cellist Amit Peled , who performs a benefit recital with pianist Christopher Hahn for the Glacier Symphony and Chorale on Thursday, June 30, 7:30 p.m. at the O’Shaughnessy Center in Whitefish. Peled pays tribute to Pablo Casals ("the grandfather of all cellists," Peled calls him), performing on the 1733 Goffriller cello owned and played by Casals himself for 60 years.

Connie Fitzpatrick from the St. Timothy's Summer Music Festival talks with MTPR's Michael Marsolek about the festival's upcoming season. Each year the festival features a variety of classical, jazz, vocal, and instrumental performers, in a breathtaking setting.