SUN CITY- Close your eyes, and imagine yourself in a darkened room surrounded by music lovers just like you. The excited buzz is palpable, but a hush comes over the crowd. Suddenly, your ears are embraced by the fast-paced, energetic tones of expertly strummed guitars. If a night of energy, international music, and caressed ears sounds like something you might enjoy, there is an upcoming event for you.
Judy Handler and Mark Levesque. (Photo provided)
On September 5 at 7 p.m. at Prairie Lodge, prepare to enjoy The World Café with Judy Handler and Mark Levesque: International Music for Guitar and Mandolin. The program will include music from Brazil, Paraguay, Venezuela, Spain, Ireland, Eastern Europe, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Taiwan, and Russia. The husband and wife duo have performed over 1,200 concerts throughout the country.
“I started piano when I was about four. I played piano all the time when I was growing up. When I was around 11, I started playing guitar. From that moment on, I haven’t put it down,” Handler said.
When: Setpember 5 at 7 p.m.
Where: Prairie Lodge
Cost: $10 pre-registration, $15 day of event. General public has additional $5 surcharge
Tickets: 847-515-7650
More information: www.judyandmark.com
Levesque began playing guitar when he was about eleven and is almost completely self taught. He was in rock bands, wrote songs, performed a lot of blues, and some jazz.
Handler’s musical journey had a different path. She studied classical guitar and earned her masters degree in classical guitar from the Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford in Connecticut.
“I played folk guitar when I was younger, and played a lot of international folk dances, so I always liked that kind of music,” she said.
Though the duo’s background could not have been more different, “We just started finding things in common that we liked,” Handler said.
The stark contrast in background, training, and musical styles is something to which audiences have always responded. To truly show an audience how different their backgrounds were, Levesque would play some rock and country music, and then Handler would play classical pieces.
“It’s an interesting way [for us] to show how we are taking all of these different styles and working them together,” Handler said.
Sun City’s own N.3 resident David Germaine was once a student of Handler. Germaine has been playing guitar for about 20 years and has fond memories of his time with Handler.
“Judy is a great gal and is very caring, very patient, and the best thing about it was that she encouraged students to perform at monthly get-togethers where we would perform for each other,” Germaine said.
“Our music is fun and uplifting and joyful. We cover so many different styles and rhythms from so many different countries. We have our own sound … that blends in a lot of different styles of music together. I hope that [the audience walks away with] an uplifted feeling,” Handler said.
