Dave Calkins, Tim Ostdiek and Jenny Balagna to perform Nov. 11 at Firehouse Art Center in Longmont
For decades, musician, filmmaker and teacher Dave Calkins has featured and performed his music in venues from national public radio and TV to Carnegie Hall. On Nov. 11, he will bring a concert of his “Stories Behind the Songs” to Longmont. Also performing will be well-known Longmont musicians Tim Ostdiek and Jenny Balagna. The concert will begin at 7 p.m. in Firehouse Art Center, 667 Fourth Avenue in downtown Longmont. Ostdiek and Balagna will perform first, followed by Calkins’ stories and songs. Tickets are available at the door for $15 or in advance for $10 on the World Wide Web at https:// timostdiek.com/firehouse. For four decades, Calkins, based in Scottsbluff, Neb., has established a career that spans composing and conducting music; creating films; photography and visual arts; and publishing. Calkins says the concept “Stories Behind the Songs” was born of his performing style: “I have always enjoyed telling stories when I perform and am looking forward to providing insights into the songs I choose to cover as well as my original pieces,” he said. Calkins’creative career has comprised a diverse mixture of art forms, including music, film, photography, visual arts, and publishing. He is active as a virtuoso guitarist, singer, conductor, and composer. He is owner and CEO of the production and distribution company Ancova International and is publisher/editor of the online publication Pousto Media, which covers the arts, culture, health, and the environment. His website is https:// www.ancovainternational.com/.
As a singer, he has performed on National Public Television, National Public Radio, on more than two dozen recordings, and has performed on stages nationally. As a conductor, he has performed at the National Conductors Conference and was featured on National Public Radio with the Scottsbluff Chamber Ensemble. He conducted an album of opera arias that was featured by the Yamaha corporation and is currently conductor of the Ancova International Orchestra, which records film soundtracks using acoustic and electronic instruments. As a composer/arranger/performer, he has produced songs, film scores, operas, stage shows, and arrangements. He has released more than two dozen recordings as a solo artist, collaborator, and producer. His music has been featured on National Public Radio, National Public television, dozens of recordings, and in concerts. He has performed three times at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. As a filmmaker/photographer/visual artist, he has directed, produced, written and composed music for more than two dozen films. Tim Ostdiek is a playful, uplifting, and engaging singer, songwriter and performer who writes feel-good, big-hearted folk with a drop of something funky. His songwriting has garnered accolades such as finalist in the 2019 Telluride Troubadour and finalist in the 2019 and 2022 Folks Fest Songwriter Showcase. His song “Goodbye” was featured in the PBS show Roadtrip Nation. Ostdiek has opened for some of the nation's best singer/songwriters, such as Sarah Jarosz and Steve Forbert, and played prominent Colorado venues such as Swallow Hill. Ostdiek’s website is at https://timostdiek.com/home. Originally from Nebraska, and now a long-time Colorado resident, he has become a staple in Longmont and along the Front Range, usually performing in tandem with Balagna, for his musicianship, lyricism, and professionalism. His latest album, “The Lost Days”, is a contemplative concept album that takes listeners on a journey of his younger self into his 30s and highlights a mix of introspection and vulnerability. His previous albums are “Temporary Home” and “Roots Below.” Balagna is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who performs around Longmont both solo and with Ostdiek. On Facebook, she can be found at “Jenny Balagna Music.”