The best round of applause that professional musicians can receive is to be asked for an encore – not just at the end of the performance but for a repeat engagement. Strings of Silk Music is honored and privileged to receive many, many encore performances! To receive such high praise is never expected; however, it is always greatly appreciated. It can also be noted that repeat performances are based on not just the quality of the performance, but on the professionalism, experience and expertise that professional musicians are known for.
As a result of so many repeat performances, there have been requests from clients (and suggestions from Strings of Silk Music) to customize the very popular “A Day in the Life of a Strolling Violinist”. The musical results include: Jennifer’s Blarney – an audience participation and fun Irish show with a song, a joke and a jig; a music education program from Bach to rock called Rock-n-Bach – a string trio with a symphony of sound! There is the interactive holiday program, “’It’s aWonderful Life’ in the 12 Days of a Strolling Violinist”; “Sings and Strings” – a classical music appreciation program featuring violin and viola with award-winning Metropolitan Opera singer and cellist Wendy Cotton; and when adding pianist and vocalist Bev Tipps, the trio has a “scary ghoul time” as the very popular “Dead Composers Society Orchestra”.
Then this week the creative juices flowed to create a very unique program for a venue where the audience has heard and enjoyed every program that Strings of Silk Music has performed. The lovely Belmont Village of Buffalo Grove has hired Strings of Silk Music for the past ten years and the next performance scheduled will be at the end of May for a “Strings of Silk Summer Serenade” – popular songs of the summer season. The result was a entertaining and eclectic example of the music, venues and audiences of the next three months in “A Day in the Life of a Strolling Violinist”! And now on with the show…
“We’ll Meet Again”
Michigan Shores Country Club
Somewhere My Love Fascination and Edelweiss – first songs played for W. Clement Stone, founder of the club
Cantata Sunday featuring the choir and orchestra at the First Congregational Church of Glen Ellyn
“Spring” from Vivaldi’s, The Four Seasons
Pryme Tymers of Trinity Evangelical Covenant Church and McHenry Villa
Jennifer’s Blarney – When Irish Eyes Are Smiling, Danny Boy and Irish Washerwoman Jig
Clare Oaks Birthday Bash
Because of You
Weddings
Requests of Game of Thrones Theme, Moon River, Hallelujah and Almost Like Being In Love
Holy Week
Featuring the viola on: “Three Days” for Good Friday, Sunrise, Sunset for Passover and “Ode to Joy” aka “Joyful, Joyful” for Easter Sunday as well as for New Philharmonic All Beethoven Piano Concerto Concert
West Dundee VFW Auxiliary Spaghetti Dinner
Tarantellaand O Sole Mio
Memorial Night for the Swedish Community of Sviethod Lodge #2
Santa Lucia and Halsa Dem Darhemma
Schaumburg Township Volunteer Appreciation Dinner
Requests from the audience of performing at this event for over ten years include: Humoresque, Memory and the Orange Blossom Special
Mother’s Day at The Vines of Elgin
M-O-T-H-E-R, Always and Let Me Call You Sweetheart
On Wednesday, February 24, 2016, violinist Jennifer Silk will be joined by colleague cellist Wendy Cotton for this ecumenical meditative prayer service that incorporates song and chant, Scripture readings and silence. The service begins at 6:30 p.m., with welcoming music shortly before it.
All Are Welcomed
This event is being sponsored and hosted by the Clare Oaks Retirement community, in the Sacred Heart Chapel located behind 825 Carillon Drive in Bartlett, Illinois.
As the candles are lit and through singing simple chants, the mind is quieted and the heart is opened. The belief is that healing is a grace that connects us to life in God. Taize services foster reconciliation and peace among all people and this is done by welcoming all faiths so everyone will feel at home.
For more information about Taize service and its history, please click here.
Over the years, I have had many people inquire what it is that I do for a living. When I answer that I am a full-time professional musician, the next question is, “but do you have a ‘real’ job?” and the simple answer is YES!
And here’s why…
A music education graduate of Western Michigan University and Arizona State University, Jennifer Silk has been delighting audiences as a full-time professional freelance musician for over 25 years. Members of her audience have included Hollywood celebrities, political dignitaries and even the Chicago Cubs season opener! When the opportunity to move to Arlington Heights came up twenty years ago, she teamed with her mentor and strolling violinist, Franz Benteler. “Wherever I play,” says Silk, “people always tell me of how much it meant to them to hear Franz play ‘Edelweiss’ or ‘Fascination’. My wish is to follow in his footsteps and continue to provide people enjoyable memories of being serenaded.” When Mr. Benteler passed away in March 2010, Silk was given the great honor of conducting his 20- piece Royal Strings orchestra at his funeral mass.
Fifteen years ago, when the Women’s Clubs of Illinois and Northern Indiana were auditioning for entertainment acts, Silk was asked to provide music during their luncheon. When the day was over, the telephone began ringing off the hook for her to provide a “program” for upcoming club meetings. “Well, I usually stroll during lunch and take requests,” said Silk, “and I do a musical serenade called Violin-A-Gram for birthdays and anniversaries, but I’ll see what I can come up with.”
What Silk came up with was a musical potpourri of her most popular requests and true stories about her career, performing for famous people, places, and events. To top it off, she portrays different musical styles with an assortment of quick change outfits, inspires everyone with an introduction to the viola and tells jokes that would have made former Waukegan resident Jack Benny proud!
The success of the show has many variations on a theme: In addition to her one woman show, she created a music education program from Bach to rock called Rock-n-Bach – a string trio with a symphony of sound! There is also her interactive holiday program, “’It’s a Wonderful Life’ in the 12 Days of a Strolling Violinist”; “Sings and Strings” – a classical music appreciation program featuring Silk on violin and viola with award winning opera singer and cellist Wendy Cotton; and when adding pianist and vocalist Bev Tipps, the trio has a “scary ghoul time” as the very popular “Dead Composers Society Orchestra”.
Besides performing Violin-A-Grams for special occasions and entertaining for different service clubs, Silk has performed over 5,000 weddings and events, recorded numerous TV and radio commercials, teaches privately, and is a violist in the professional orchestra, the New Philharmonic.
♫For more information, contact Jennifer Silk @ 224.856.1144♫
The Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Far West chapter celebrates its 50th anniversary with a performance by the multi-instrumental duo “Sings and Strings” Sunday, November 10th, 1:00 p.m., in the Joseph McGill Room of Cantigny Park, 1S151 Winfield Road in Wheaton, Illinois. For more information contact, Ida Lee at FarWestChapter@lyricopera.org.
“Sings and Strings” features Jennifer Silk, Chicago’s “favorite strolling violinist” and violist, with cellist and opera singer Wendy Cotton. A music education graduate of Western Michigan University and Arizona State University, Silk has entertained audiences at over 5,000 events as a full-time professional freelance musician. She has recorded numerous TV and radio commercials and teaches privately. Along with her one woman show “A Day in the Life of a Strolling Violinist” – a program inspired by her mentor and colleague well-known society violinist Franz Benteler – she is the lead violinist at the Lyric’s Opera Ball with the Stu Hirsh Orchestra. In addition to the violin, Silk also performs regularly in the viola section of the west suburban New Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by music director Kirk Muspratt.
Cellist and opera singer Cotton is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee with a degree in cello performance. Tying in with the Lyric’s upcoming production of “The Sound of Music, she will sing “Edelweiss” while playing her cello in a duet with Silk. Cotton began her singing career with dance bands but it wasn’t until she was in college that she was encouraged “to try” opera. The result was being awarded the honor of “Most Promising Young Artist” by the Metropolitan Opera of New York. Cotton has soloed extensively throughout the Midwest, teaches privately as well as being a prolific freelance cellist.
In a Lyric Opera Chapter, opera lovers of all ages get together to enjoy lectures, musical performances, special events, volunteer opportunities, and each other’s company. Each Chapter is chartered with the dual purpose of raising money to enhance educational and community-engagement programs and generating support for Lyric Opera of Chicago. Chapter members enjoy certain exclusive benefits, including an invitation to the all-Chapter Annual Luncheon Meeting featuring Ryan Opera Center ensemble members, the opportunity to be an OPERATHON volunteer, a discount at OperaShop for sales volunteers and the Chapter member price for all Community Chapter programs.
