Levitt artist residency brings acclaimed jazz performer for week in Sioux Falls

This event listing is sponsored by Levitt at the Falls

Nationally known jazz artist Grace Kelly will spend the week in Sioux Falls bringing music to audiences across the community before taking the Levitt at the Falls stage Friday night.

Kelly, a saxophonist, singer-songwriter and high-energy performer known for blending jazz with rock and electro-pop influences, will be in Sioux Falls from June 8, through June 12, as part of a weeklong artist residency hosted by Levitt at the Falls.

The residency will include community outreach performances, educational opportunities and collaborations with local musicians from the Fellowship Jazz Center Orchestra.

Grace Kelly performs at LifeScape. Photo by Libby Breckon

“This will be the second weeklong residency that the Levitt has hosted with a visiting artist as part of the concert series,” said Rose Ann Hofland, vice president of programming for Levitt at the Falls.

The Levitt team became familiar with Kelly through the Levitt National network and after seeing her perform at a national convening several years ago.

“When we were considering an artist who could work with both local players and bring great education and outreach to our community, her name was at the top of our list,” Hofland said.

The week began Monday with visits to the downtown library for a summer reading program kickoff in the morning and Avera Behavioral Health Hospital in the afternoon, where Kelly performed for patients.

Grace Kelly plays at Siouxland Library. Photo by Jenisha Gerung

On Tuesday, she will offer a pop-up performance for adults at the LifeScape Day Center before performing for youth at the Juvenile Detention Center.

On Wednesday, Kelly will make a special appearance with local musicians at the downtown Good Samaritan Society senior center as part of a Creative Aging Music program.

On Thursday, she will perform alongside musicians from the Fellowship Jazz Center Orchestra at Trio Jazz Club. A limited number of tickets remain for the 9 p.m. show.

The residency concludes Friday with a jazz improvisation workshop for elementary and middle school students participating in the Levitt Jazz Jam Camp. That evening, Kelly will perform at Levitt at the Falls alongside the students and musicians from the Fellowship Jazz Center Orchestra.

The public is encouraged to attend the Friday evening Levitt concert, which also will include an opening performance from the Dalton Peterson Trio and a showcase from the Levitt Jazz Jam Camp.

While many of the residency events are designed for specific audiences who might not otherwise be able to attend a concert at the Levitt lawn, Hofland said the broader goal is to deepen the connection between visiting artists and the community.

“Artist residencies are a wonderful opportunity for artists to get to know the Sioux Falls community on a deeper level and to connect with populations who might not be able to come to the lawn or might not yet be familiar with the Levitt,” she said.

Grace Kelly entertains the crowd at Siouxland Library. Photo by Jenisha Gerung

The collaboration with Fellowship Jazz Center also made Kelly’s visit a strong fit, Hofland said.

“We were excited to collaborate with the Fellowship Jazz Center to partner on performances and education, and Grace’s visit was a perfect fit for this partnership,” she said.

For those unfamiliar with Kelly’s work, Hofland describes her as dynamic.

“While she is celebrated as a jazz saxophone player and singer-songwriter, her music tends to expand beyond the jazz genre and flex it into rock and electro-pop,” she said. “She puts on an amazing show and is a sought-after performer who collaborates with musicians from all different genres and spaces.”

The residency is supported by Levitt National, which is sponsoring Kelly’s concert, and by the city of Sioux Falls through an accessible arts grant supporting the residency and other Levitt In Your Neighborhood outreach programming this season.

The Friday concert is free and open to the public at Levitt at the Falls. More information is available at levittsiouxfalls.org.