(Photo submitted) The Maia Quartet has performed in concert halls throughout the United States and abroad, including the Kennedy Center and Beijing's Forbidden City Concert Hall. They will perform in Spencer during the 2008-09 concert season.

The 2008--09 Spencer Area Concert Association season will be the biggest ever, with eight concerts scheduled. The season brochure is being mailed out, and will also be available at several locations around town, including Arts on Grand.

The season will open on Sept. 20, when Todd Green performs music from around the world on nearly 40 musical instruments. Using modern digital sampling technology, he is the modern equivalent of a one-man band. The Crosswinds Trio, an unusual combination of trumpet, horn, and piano, will perform in October. Their "Winds Across Time" program will include works ranging from the baroque, classical, and romantic eras to the jazz sounds of Gershwin and Brubeck.

Last fall, Acoustic Eidolon blew their audience away at a Spencer house concert. They will return in late November to perform their unique blend of music that borrows from Celtic, contemporary, bluegrass, and Latin influences. In December, vocalist Connie Evingson will close the first half of the season with a variety of jazz standards, as well as arrangements and some not-so-familiar numbers. Both the November and December concerts will include a selection of Christmas music to help get concert-goers into the holiday spirit.

The second half of the season will open in February with a performance of Gioachino Rossini's most popular opera, The Barber of Seville. It will be staged by Opera Iowa, a troupe of young musicians from Indianola's Simpson College, who will sing in English. Toronto-based Beyond the Pale is one of the most exciting ensembles in the Canadian folk, roots, and world music scene. They will bring us their explosive acoustic blend of music inspired by Eastern European folk, Klezmer, bluegrass, jazz, and other styles in March.

Acclaimed pianist Joel Fan's first solo CD, World Keys, debuted at the number 3 spot on the Billboard chart. In April, he will perform classical and contemporary music from that CD as well as from his latest release, which features works by composers of the Americas. The season will close in mid-May with the Maia Quartet, the string quartet in residence at the University of Iowa. Praised for its "sparkling musical intelligence," the Maia Quartet has performed throughout the United States and abroad.

In addition to its eight regular concerts, the Concert Association will host the world-famous Vienna Boys Choir for a very special Valentine's Day concert. While this concert is not included in the cost of the regular concert series, season ticket holders will get a discount and be given priority in ordering tickets.

Season tickets are priced at $40 for adults, $16 for students, or $90 for families. In addition to the eight concerts in Spencer, season ticket holders may attend concerts in Algona, Sheldon, and Windom at no extra charge -- a total of 20 concerts in all!

* For more information about Spencer Area Concert Association membership or to request a brochure, phone 262-4500 or 262-5879. Additional information, including a downloadable brochure and schedules for the Algona, Sheldon, and Windom concert series, is available at www.SpencerConcerts.com.