The Glenwood Springs 2023-24 Concert Season has almost hit its halfway mark, with three family-friendly performances left to wrap up the season. 

The concert season is organized and hosted by the Glenwood Springs Community Concert Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing entertaining and affordable music to the valley. 

The association, referred to by its members as “the valley’s best-kept secret,” is run solely by volunteers and just last year celebrated its 75^th anniversary. 

“Our goal is to reach out to the community with music that they otherwise wouldn’t hear,” Glenwood Springs Community Concert Association President Sue Ludtke said. “Back in 1947, I think we were the only people bringing music to the valley. At this point, there are lots of other music sources available, but we still think we offer a unique, very professional and very affordable concert experience.” 

Ludtke said the association works with a booking agent that offers them between 30-40 professional artists to select from every fall. The board then selects five concerts of different genres and spreads them out from fall to spring. 

“It’s so that people get to hear a lot of different kinds of music, if we can,” Ludtke said. It’s sometimes hard to choose but we try really hard to make it varied and entertaining and worth joining the community concerts.” 

The first half of the 2023-24 concert season saw artists Folk Legacy Trio and pianist Charlie Albright take to the stage in Glenwood Springs, which Ludtke said brought rounds of standing ovations. 

“Everyone was on their feet applauding Charlie Albright,” Ludtke said. “He’s a pianist who is so talented, you just can’t believe it. He also had such a rapport with the audience that he had everybody just really glad they were there.” 

Next month, the concert series will kick off its first performance of 2024 with Divas 3. 

The Divas 3 are three female singers with powerhouse voices dedicated to bringing back hits from the greatest divas in music history. The group has performed music by beloved artists like Aretha Franklin, Carole King, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Cher, Dolly Parton, ABBA and many more. 

Since forming in 2013, the group has performed in art centers across the United States. They will be performing at 7 p.m. Feb. 15 at Mountain View Church. 

Less than a month later, the same church will host a country performance by Camille and Stuie French, the husband and wife vocal and guitarist duo. The two have been touring together for over 20 years and are beloved in the Australian country music scene. 

The duo has earned three Australian Golden Guitar Awards for their singing and playing and were awarded Best Alternative Country Album of the Year in 2013.  

The evening’s performance will include country music featuring songs by Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Glen Campbell, and some of their own award-winning songs. The show will take place at 7 p.m. March 4, at Mountain View Church. 

Finally, the 2023-24 concert season will close out with a return performance by renowned cello and vocal duo Branden and James, with singer Effie Passero of Postmodern Jukebox and American Idol. Their performance will bring to life some of Broadway’s favorites, memorable classics and modern pops through a combination of vocals, piano and cello. 

The final performance will take place at 7 p.m. April 17, at Glenwood Springs High School. 

Each individual concert ticket costs $30. For those interested in attending more than one concert, membership tickets are still available at $60 for adults, $15 for students and $130 for families of two adults and unlimited children under 18. Memberships grant access to all shows within a concert season, meaning members can attend all three of the remaining 2023-24 performances. 

Individual tickets can be purchased at the door. The association accepts cash, checks and credit. To purchase a concert series membership, attendees can sign up at the door or on their website: gsconcertassn.org.

“We’ve already had two really well-attended and well-loved concerts, and we think the next three are going to be equally well loved and worth coming to,” Ludtke said. “The artists perform at their very best when they’re performing to a full house, and we would like to provide them with a full house.”