C2C offering virtual concert series via St. Louis nonprofit

The Joplin Globe, Mo.
·2 min read

Mar. 16—Joplin's Connect2Culture will partner with The Sheldon Concert Hall in St. Louis to offer a virtual concert series, "Live From The Sheldon."

The free monthly series, running through the end of May, is available entirely online and will spotlight artists from across the country. Each performance is produced by HEC Media, recorded live at The Sheldon in St. Louis and made available to view for one week.

"When The Sheldon reached out, we jumped at the opportunity to provide these free virtual performances for our patrons," said Emily Frankoski, director of Connect2Culture, in a statement. "We can't wait to bring live entertainment back to Joplin, and plans to do so are already in motion. We'll be making that announcement very soon. Until then, let's enjoy these exceptionally talented artists virtually."

All performances will be available to watch on C2C's YouTube channel, as well as on the social media pages of The Sheldon and HEC Media.

The lineup of performances for "Live From The Sheldon" includes:

—Sarah Jarosz from Saturday to March 27. Jarosz is a Grammy-winning country, folk, pop, indie artist who performs solo and with fellow singer-songwriters Sara Watkins and Aoife O'Donovan as part of the Grammy-winning folk trio I'm With Her.

—Zakir Hussain from April 24 to May 1. Widely considered the father of the contemporary world music movement and a classical tabla virtuoso, Hussain is a percussionist and co-founder of the legendary fusion band Shakti.

—Kurt Elling from May 15 to May 22. Elling is a jazz vocalist who performs daring takes on timeless standards and emotionally resonant originals.

C2C in previous years has hosted its annual "Curtains Up" series, which brought a variety of performances and artists to Joplin before it was halted by the pandemic. The organization is currently building the Harry M. Cornell Arts & Entertainment Complex on the parking lot of Memorial Hall.

The Sheldon is a St. Louis-based music and visual arts nonprofit. The Sheldon Arts Foundation formed in 1988 and offered 15 concerts in its first official season in 1994.