Park City and Summit County will have a chance to experience the state’s best performing artists this autumn and winter.

The Park City Institute and  Excellence in the Community have announced a new partnership that will bring professional musicians who are based in Utah to the Eccles Center for the Performing Arts, said Dr. Ember Conley, the newly christened executive director of the Park City Institute.

“All the performances will be free, of course, and they are an opportunity to bring in students and adults to really look and hear and see what professional musicians look like in Utah,” she said.

The dates are as follows:

  • Sept. 15
  • Oct: 5
  • Nov. 29
  • Dec. 23

“The December date is the only one that is up in the air right now,” Conley said. “But this is what we are starting with.”

The Park City Institute will provide the technical side of the performances — including venue, lighting and sound — while Jeff Whiteley, Excellence in the Community founder and managing director, will curate the performers. And the names of the artists will be announced in a few weeks.

While Excellence in the Community doesn’t pretend to know all the best Utah musicians, the organization has worked with many since its inception in 2005 at Westminster University, according to Whiteley.

Over the past 19 years, Excellence in the Community has presented concerts by musicians who have performed all over the world, including members of The Great Salt Lake Yacht Club band, who are known for their work with Colin Raye, Joe Bonamassa and Eric Clapton, as well as members of Intermezzo Chamber Music, Alex Marshall, music director of the University of Utah’s Theatre Department, and world-renowned Stradivarius violinist David Park, formerly of the Utah Symphony, he said.

And these musicians are a joy to work with and enjoy performing for audiences throughout the state, Whiteley said.

“A few months ago I got a call from the West Millard Cultural Council in Delta, Utah, who wanted to put together a classical concert,” he said. “So, we went to David Park.”

Park, who has performed at Carnegie Hall and in London and at a private party in France, arrived in Delta this past April with pianist Melissa Garff Ballard and flutist Patty Chou and set up in an 800-seat auditorium, Whiteley said.

“They ushered in 650 elementary and middle school students, and when David played five notes on the violin, it was dead silence — a hushed enchantment that was only broken by thunderous applause,” he said. “Then we brought the high school students in for a master class, and it was such a fabulous experience.”

That evening the musical trio performed a concert for the community.

“A man jumps up and throws his arms around me and says, ‘I can tell you for a fact (that) nothing of this quality has ever come to Delta,’” Whiteley said.

Park shared that enthusiasm on the drive back to his hotel.

“David told me his objective is to share his gifts and accomplishments with as many people as possible — whether it’s at Carnegie Hall or Delta, Utah, where he can do something good,” Whiteley said. “And this is the kind of experience we want to bring to Park City and Summit County.”

Conley heard about Excellence in the Community through her friend Andrew Cohen, who is the nonprofit’s director of development.

“We’ve known each other not only professionally but personally, and we’ve been supportive of each other,” Conley said of Cohen. “He told me that I needed to meet Jeff and see what he’s doing for Utah and the communities.”

Not only did Cohen, a former interim executive director of the Park City Museum, knew Conley loved the performing arts. He also knew she loved working with children from her work as a former Park City School District superintendent.

“Drew told me about what Jeff was doing for children by providing outreach programming, and the moment I met with Jeff, I got really excited,” she said. “Jeff and I have a good language between us. I love his energy, and I love what he’s doing, and I love his passion.”

Whiteley and Conley threw some ideas of what a partnership could look like.

“It seemed like the synergy of the Park City Institute, which will soon be renamed Park City Performing Arts, was there, because we have been planning on expanding our outreach in Summit County,” Conley said. “I think we’ve done a beautiful job with the Park City School District. I think we’ve given many students amazing opportunities, but I think it’s time to spread our wings and get into more of Summit County. And when Jeff started sharing what he’s done and what his vision was, it seemed like the perfect match.”

The meetings were early enough for Whiteley and Conley to propose the partnership in their Summit County Rap Tax and other grant applications.

The grants were awarded a few weeks ago, and the money will be used to present these free concerts, Conley said.

The trick was creating a schedule, so she worked with Bret Hughes, Park City School District’s fine arts coordinator and Eccles Center director.

“I have to tell you Bret is amazing,” Conley said. “He is so easy to work with, and we were able to get some dates.”

Conley is thrilled that the partnership is moving forward, because Excellence in the Community’s commitment to presenting family-friendly programs.

“The Park City Institute is also trying to be more kid friendly, because one of the things we found is our kid-friendly shows are our best-selling shows,” she said. “Our mission is also to provide world-class entertainment to residents and visitors. And Utah has an amazing performing arts culture in Utah.”

Conley was raised loving the performing arts.

“It was a huge part of my life growing up, and it provided a safe space for me,” she said. “So that gets into the mission why this partnership is important for our organization.”

Working with the Park City Institute is a milestone for Excellence in the Community, which has won City Weekly’s Best of Utah, Salt Lake City Chamber’s Downtown Achievement Award and Sandy Chamber’s Best Nonprofit Award.

“The partnership is huge because Park City is a very well-established arts community,” Whiteley said. “It became clear in our meetings that we could help each other. Park City Institute could open a lot of doors for us, and we can provide programming that will complement what they are doing.”

Whiteley has some fond memories of bringing his acoustic ensemble, Lark & Spur, featuring his wife Lori Decker on vocals and mandolin to Park City in the past.

“We used to perform at the Riverhorse (on Main),” he said. “We loved it and it was a lovely place to play, and I’m looking forward to getting back up to the town.”

Whiteley, a lifelong musician, has seen the power of the artform build bridges throughout his career.

“Years ago, I was a tour manager for a band that was performing at Cannes, and the band leader said, ‘I don’t speak your language, and you don’t speak mine, but through music, we are going to share an emotional journey,’” Whiteley said. “He went on to say that ‘Sharing that similar experience will remind us all, in spite of our differences, that we are cut from the same cloth.’ And I believe the more music there is in the world, the more gathering there is. The more harmony there is.”

For information about the Park City Institute, visit parkcityinstitute.org.

For information about Excellence in the Community, visit excellenceconcerts.org.