Alpin Hong
Wednesday through Friday, April 21 to 23
Anyone that can play Tetris and the piano simultaneously shouldn’t really need more of an introduction. But, turns out there is plenty more to say about pianist Alpin Hong. The Julliard trained musician won first place in the 2001 Concert Artist’s Guild competition and is a skateboarder, snowboarder and martial artist in his free time. His four-day residency at the University of Iowa includes two free performances – one at the Cedar Rapids Piano Lounge Wednesday and another at the UI Hospitals and Clinics Thursday. His time in Iowa culminates with a Friday concert, presented by Hancher Auditorium, and featuring music by J.S. Bach, Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Liszt, Mendelssohn, Brahms and George Gershwin.
Alpin Hong
8 p.m. Wednesday (4/21), Access to the Artists, Cedar Rapids Piano Lounge, 208 Second Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids, Free.
Noon Thursday (4/22), John Colloton Atrium, UI Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Free.
7:30 p.m., Friday (4/23), Opstad Auditorium, Iowa City High School, Iowa City, $14 to $28, (319) 335-1160. www.hancher.uiowa.edu.
The Right Now
Friday, April 17
The time could be right now for The Right Now. Vocalist Stefanie Berecz may only be 23 years old, but she has achieved career peaks that performers twice her age never get to experience, like opening for Mary J. Blige and appearing on MTV’s hit series, “Making The Band.” Berecz’s voice, evoking Alicia Keys and Chaka Khan with a unique melodic sensibility of her own, places her at the forefront of new R&B vocalists alongside Keyshia Cole, John Legend and Corrine Bailey Rae. Joining forces with guitarist Brendan O’Connell to form the nucleus of The Right Now, their sound is both contemporary and classic.
The Right Now
9 p.m. Friday (4/17), with The Diplomats of Solid Sound, Iowa City Yacht Club, 13 S. Linn St., Iowa City, $7, www.iowacityyachtclub.com
Vienna Teng
Saturday, April 18
Vienna Teng’s sophisticated, piano-driven chamber folk has everyone from NPR to David Letterman raving. Critics have announced her as the next Joni Mitchell or Tori Amos. Her Cedar Rapids show comes on the heel of an anticipated spring release, “Inland Empire.” Teng likens the collection on her new CD to a mix tape album with a lot of common themes but each song existing in a different world. Songs range from a gospel-tinged testimonial inspired by her Chinese grandmother to a cautiously hopeful shout-out to new President Obama, recorded in settings as varied as a church and a living room, with instrumentation ranging from foot stomps to vintage keyboards to full string orchestra.
Vienna Teng
8 p.m. Saturday (4/18), CSPS, 1103 Third St SE, Cedar Rapids, $17 – $20, www.legionarts.org
Three Other Things
Blue Island Tribe and 311
8 p.m. Saturday (4/18)
Fieldhouse, University of Iowa, Iowa City, $32, www.ticketmaster.com
Multimedia Mind-Melter 2.0 w/ Hunab, Insectoid and Dead Larry
8p.m. Monday (4/20)
The Industry, 211 Iowa Ave., Iowa City, www.theindustryic.com
Hawkeye Swing Festival
Various times Friday to Sunday (4/17-19)
Iowa Memorial Union, University of Iowa, Iowa City, www.hawkeyeswingfestival.com
