Itasca Symphony: Sam Miltich with the Itasca Orchestra

Grand Rapids’ own Sam Miltich joined the Hot Club of San Francisco as a teenager and has since toured internationally and played Lincoln Center. This February he brings his band home to share the Reif stage with the Itasca Symphony Orchestra: Sam on guitar, his father Matthew Miltich on bass, plus other instruments.

The music travels. Choro (SHOH-roo) is the quick, bright instrumental music of Rio de Janeiro. The Nuevo Tango from Argentina. Čoček (CHO-chek) is the Romani dance music of the Balkans. And Sam got his start in the swinging guitar jazz Django Reinhardt made famous in 1930s Paris.

For the finale, young string players from IOSP’s programs in Grand Rapids, Bigfork, and Remer join the band and the orchestra for one big celebration of music. It’s a February night out of the cold, with musicians of every age on one stage.