Pop Up Performance Series
Dive into a world of incredible musical talent at the Pop-up Performance Series, a partnership program between Roswell Arts Fund and Friends of Mimosa Hall and Gardens.
On the 3rd Sunday of the month at 3:30 pm, music partner Roswell Music Club unveils a monthly series highlighting classical musical artists, showcasing the timeless beauty of classical compositions
And on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 7:00 pm, music partner Steve’s Live Music will curate a lineup of eclectic, mesmerizing, and innovative artists starting with series of Jazz Around the World.
Join us at the historic Mimosa Hall in Roswell, Georgia, (127 Bulloch Ave) where captivating performances await, promising unforgettable experience for all music enthusiasts.
*** PLEASE NOTE: Beginning in June 2024, the Pop-Up Concert series will move nearby to The Roswell River Landing (245 Azalea Drive, Roswell GA 30075) during some much needed and exciting construction projects at Mimosa Hall.
Thursday, May 9, 2024 at 7:30 pm
Rev Jeff Mosier
Music partner: Steve’s Live Music
Scruggs’-style banjo picker “The Rev” Jeff Mosier, one of the earliest music pioneers who merged bluegrass instruments and traditional tunes with the magnetic energy of rock and roll, founded the jamgrass band Blueground Undergrass (BGUG) in 1998 after years of crafting his banjo skills in various bands, playing everything from bluegrass with his brother Johnny (Good Medicine) to experimental rock (Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit) to jazz-fusion (The Ear Reverents).
“Perhaps no guest artist has had as great an influence on the band’s music as the Rev. Jeff Mosier…” — The Phish Companion
Currently, Mosier can be found performing around the country, occasionally joining projects such as the fully improvisational musical ensemble Everyone Orchestra or stalwart and vivacious The Grass Is Dead band. Mosier’s superb vocal mastery and unique banjo picking combine to deliver a special experience highlighting his original tunes as well as familiar traditional songs in novel arrangements. Whether traveling through acoustic ballads, thought-provoking and humorous banter, or high-energy bluegrass, each performance by Rev Jeff Mosier is a musical journey sending the listener on an enjoyable foot-tapping, mind-bending, and body-grooving jaunt down the road and back home again.
Sunday, May 19, 2024 at 3:30 pm
YOUNG STUDENTS SUNDAY:
SAXOPHONIST BOSS LEE, SOPRANO ELIZA HITCH and BARITONE ROGER WANG
Music partner: Roswell Music Club
Boss Lee, Saxophone
Boss Lee, a talented junior from Chattahoochee High School in Johns Creek, Georgia, is an active member of the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, Pit Orchestra, and marching band as woodwind music captain. He’s the founder of the Chattahoochee Saxophone Quartet, performing for the community and collaborating with schools and universities in the state. Boss also initiated the Chattahoochee Saxophone Ensemble to foster a passion for chamber music with their most recent performance at Atlanta Gladiators’ hockey game.
Beyond school, he’s secured top spots in the Fulton County Honor Band, District 5 Honor Band, and GMEA All State Band as the first chair alto saxophonist. He was selected for Georgia’s Governor’s Honors Program (GHP 60) and was a runner-up in the Atlanta Wind Symphony Concerto Competition. He’s also a member of the Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony, directed by Dr. Scott Stewart. Boss has worked with many conductors including Dr. Steven Davis, Jaclyn Hartenberger, Frank Ticheli, and Dr. David Kehler in addition to Dr. Stewart of AYWS.
Boss’s mentors include Dr. Joe Girard from Columbus State University, Dr. William Chien from Southwestern Adventist University, Matthew Crisman, Nicholas Garofalo, and Erin Keeney.
Eliza Hitch, soprano
Eliza Hitch just completed her third year at the University of Arizona, where she is studying toward her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre with a minor in Business Administration in the W.A. Franke Honors College. Born and raised in Roswell, she is so excited to be home for the summer and back on stage! At UofA, she has appeared in four mainstage shows – most recently appearing in the ensemble and serving as dance captain in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. She is also a College of Fine Arts Ambassador, Medici Scholar, Arizona Distinction Scholar, and has appeared on the Dean’s List with Distinction every semester with a 4.0 GPA.
Outside of the arts, she is a proud member of the Beta Epsilon chapter of Alpha Phi International Fraternity and the Order of Omega Greek Honor Society. After graduation next year, Eliza plans to move to New York City to pursue her dream of being on Broadway!
Roger Wang, Baritone
Roger Wang, 16, is an 11th grade student at Lambert High School in Suwanee, Georgia. Roger has been taking classical vocal training since he was 10 years old. He has won multiple awards in various music competitions, including 1st place and a monetary reward from the 2021 Florida Keys International Music Competition, Judges Distinction Awards and 1st place in the 2020 American Protégé International Vocal Competition, 2nd place winner in 2019 Hal Leonard Vocal Competition. He was selected by Broadway celebrity Corey Cott as one of the grand prize winners in 2020 CYT national Talent Thon competition and earned the opportunity for virtual meet with Director Jon Chu. Roger is the official National Anthem singer for professional sport teams, including the Atlanta Gladiators (Hockey), and the Gwinnett Stripers (Baseball).
Roger is a major member in Lambert High School Chamber Chorus – he is proud to be a participant in the Georgia All-State Chorus for 3 straight years, earning perfect scores for two years. Last year, he also auditioned for the Georgia All-State Reading Chorus and got selected; he is the first and only student from his high school who has ever passed the all-state reading chorus audition.
Sunday, June 16, 2024 at 3:30 pm
SIMONE VIGILANTE, SOPRANO
Music partner: Roswell Music Club
Simone Vigilante is lauded as a “beautiful dramatic soprano capable of some awesome fireworks” (Asheville Citizen-Times). She has appeared in recitals and competitions, with opera companies and orchestras, throughout the United States, France, Spain, Austria and Italy.
Recent highlights include a lecture-recital at the NC Museum of Art where Classical Voice of North Carolina noted “Vigilante provided the pizazz” and her solo CD release, Love, Look Away. This recording showcases her diverse talents in singing various genres including opera, classical, musical theater, gospel, and folk song through a dynamic collaboration with pianist David Troy Francis.
Ms. Vigilante has lived in the Asheville area since 2001 and is a founding member of Opera Creations. She has sung numerous leading roles with Asheville Lyric Opera, from Mozart to Strauss to Menotti, as well as musical theater such as Bloody Mary (South Pacific) and Mother Abbess (The Sound of Music). Additional roles include Sister Rose (Dead Man Walking) for The Modern American Music Project and Katisha (The Mikado), Miss Silverpeal (Mozart’s Impresario), and Ruth (Pirates of Penzance) for Opera Creations.
Sunday, July 21, 2024 at 3:30 pm
CAMERON KAPSAR-KING, TENOR
Music partner: Roswell Music Club
Cameron King, tenor, recently graduated with his Master of Music in Voice Performance at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music under the tutelage of Grammy award winning mezzo Michelle DeYoung. Originally from Central Florida, Cameron graduated with his Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from Florida State University as a student of renowned tenor Jeffrey Springer.
While studying at FSU, Cameron appeared in operatic classics such as Puccini’s La Boheme, Marschner’s Der Vampyr, Gluck’s Orphée et Eurydice, Berlioz’s Béatrice et Bénédict, and Gilbert and Sullivan’s Patience, as well as newer works such as Carlisle Floyd’s Of Mice and Men. Cameron also performed with Teatro Lirico D’Europa in a travelling performance of Puccini’s Tosca. During the 2021 season, Cameron was the first-place winner of the Charleston International Music Competition, first-place winner of the Southeastern NATS Student Auditions, third-place winner of the NATS National Student Auditions, and finished the 2021 season portraying Fenton in Indiana University’s production of Verdi’s Falstaff. During the 2022 season, Cameron portrayed the roles of Alfred and Dr. Blind in Strauss’ Die Fledermaus with Lyric Opera Studio Weimar. During the 2023 season, Cameron performed the title role in Bernstein’s Candide with the Jacob’s School of Music, as well as performed excerpts from Carmen and La Bohème in the Jacobs scenes program. Cameron finished 2023 as a resident artist at the Castleton Festival in addition to performing with the Atlanta Opera, singing in the chorus of Verdi’s Rigoletto as well as portraying the Prune Man in their 2024 production of La Bohème. Most recently, Cameron revisited the role of Candide with the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet.
Sunday, August 18, 2024 at 3:30 pm
MIKYUNG SUNG, DOUBLE BASSIST
Music partner: Roswell Music Club
Mikyung Sung is one of the most beloved double bass soloists of today, inspiring to student bassists and audiences alike for her naturally expressive interpretations, bel canto phrasing, colorful range of timbres, luminous, yearning tone quality, and fearless virtuosity.
Since arriving in the US this summer, Mikyung has performed with the Emory Chamber Music Society, gave a guest duet appearance with Nina DeCesare at UNCSA’s Double Bass Day, and appeared as soloist with the Atlanta Festival Youth Orchestra, as well as giving masterclasses at UNCSA and Kennesaw State University. She is currently in Korea for a month, where she is giving a recital as well as two performances with her double bass quartet, the Emeth Ensemble.
In the past Mikyung has performed as soloist with the Staatsorchester Rheinische Philharmonie, Philharmonie Baden-Baden, Seongnam Philharmonic, Colburn Orchestra (conducted by both Ludovic Morlot and Yehuda Gilad), Caesura Youth Orchestra (Los Angeles), Erato Ensemble (Korea), Philharmonia Corea, KNUA Orchestra, and Guri Philharmonic.
Sunday, September 22, 2024 at 3:30 pm
MK PENLEY
Music partner: Roswell Music Club
MK Penley’s favorite roles include Helen in Fun Home, Carole in Shadows and Light, Diana in Next to Normal, and Cheryl in the Atlanta premiere of Evil Dead The Musical at Out Of Box Theatre. MK has constructed a highly regarded creative home in the Atlanta theatre community for the past every years with her smashing vocals, actor chops and intense work ethic. She was a lead singer on Regent Seven Seas Cruise Ships and has been seen on various professional and community stage in her native western North Carolina mountains. MK received critical and audience acclaim for her portrayal of Boo in the North Carolina premiere production of BARK! THE MUSICAL at the Asheville Community Theatre.
When she’s not performing or working her full-time job as an estimator and project manager for a local concrete technology company, she joyfully plays her favorite role of ‘Boy Mom’ to Barrett, 7, and Thatcher, 3, along with her adoring husband.
Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 3:30 pm
KENNY BANKS, PIANIST
Music partner: Roswell Music Club
…composer, arranger and performer who slips effortlessly among musical styles while retaining his own distinct sound. This Columbus Ohio native has been studying and playing since the age of seven. He first developed his gift through the church, which led him to study music at Central State University. Following graduation, Kenny taught vocal music in the Columbus Public Schools before pursuing his dreams by touring as a clinician, keyboardist, musical director and producer across the United States and other parts of the world. Kenny has appeared on BET and the Image Awards. He has performed at the inauguration and the United Nations Ceremony for President Barack Obama and appeared in such notable places as Carnegie Hall in New York City and the Philharmonie in Berlin. Kenny has also appeared in movie scenes from Tyler Perry’s “The Family That Preys”and has a composition entitled “Hello Love” on the GMC movie “Raising Izzie”. Among his many high profile performing credits are appearances with Earl Klugh, Kenny Garrett, Wess Anderson, Russell Gunn, Lizz Wright, Rene Marie, Kevin Mahogany, Kurt Whalum, Albertina Walker, Dorothy Norwood, Jennifer Holiday, Aretha Franklin and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Kenny received his Master’s degree in Jazz Studies at Georgia State University. He currently resides in Atlanta with his wife (Angelia) and three children (Kenny Jr., Sydney and Sasha). Kenny serves as accompanist, music director and chorale director for Cascade United Methodist Church. He occasionally makes appearances at well known local jazz venues with Atlanta’s well known recording artist (trumpet) Joe Gransden. Kenny continues to record and travel abroad performing with International recording artist Lizz Wright. As well as being on many recordings he has released several of his own entitled “Hymns of Comfort” and “Truly Free.”
“Music is designed to heal, for it will soothe the body, relax the mind and inspire the heart while uplifting the spirit.”
Sunday, November 17, 2024 at 3:30 pm
ASHLEY CURLING, SOPRANO
Music partner: Roswell Music Club
A native of Roswell, Georgia Miss Curling was most recently seen as a semi-finalist in the Shreveport Opera Singer of the Year competition, and in Loft Opera’s Macbeth where she performed the role of Dama di Lady. Opera Today claims she “fills out a small role with committed performance and gorgeously blossoming high notes”. Last Fall she received her second award from the Wagner Society of New York, winning awards from the esteemed society in both 2015 and 2016.
In 2015, she made her concert debut with the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra as the soprano soloist in Mozart’s Coronation Mass. This season she also sang the role of the Marschallin in Strauss’s der Rosenkavalier with Harrower Opera, the title role in Puccini’s Suor Angelica with the Trentino Music Festival, covered the role of Donna Anna in Mozart’s Don Giovanni with Venture Opera, and appeared in concert as Desdemona in Verdi’s Otello with Martha Cardona Theatre.
She has appeared in productions with Atlanta Opera, New York Lyric Opera, Aspen Opera Theatre, and IVAI. In addition to her grants from the Wagner Society of New York, Ashley has received awards from the Metropolitan Opera National Council, the Violetta Dupont Competition, New York Lyric Opera Competition, and Metropolitan International Vocal Competition.
Highlights from Past Performances
- In October 2021, we welcomed Jake Xerxes Fussell and band to our first concert under the stars at the Chattahoochee Nature Center. This Pop Up also marked our first performance that was funded in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.
- The inaugural season of the RAF Pop Up Performance Series began with a standing room-only concert at the intimate Roswell Historic Cottage.
- Due to COVID-19, our plans changed but the show must go on and we quickly reimagined our events and transformed parking lots into safe, physically distant yet social spaces for artists and audiences.
- 1400 concert-goers joined us for in-person concerts coming from Roswell, Johns Creek, Alpharetta, Marietta, Smyrna, Decatur, and Atlanta.
- Another 2100 households tuned in for our first-ever live stream concert early in 2020.
- Headliners in 2020 included: Ed Roland (of Collective Soul), John Driskell Hopkins (of Zac Brown), Randall Bramblett Band, Acoustic Syndicate, Ruby Velle and Enrique Che (of Making Movies)
