Park City and Summit County have the opportunity to experience the state’s best artists this fall and winter.

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

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

The dates are as follows:

• 15 September
• Oct: 5
• 29 November
• 23 December

“The December date is the only one that is currently up in the air,” Conley said. “But we’re starting with that.”

The Park City Institute will handle the technical side of the performances – including venue, lighting and sound – while Jeff Whiteley, founder and executive director of Excellence in the Community, will curate the artists. Artist names will be announced in a few weeks.

While Excellence in the Community doesn’t claim to know all of Utah’s best musicians, the organization has worked with many of them since its founding at Westminster University in 2005, Whiteley said.

Over the past 19 years, Excellence in the Community has presented concerts by musicians who have performed around the world, including members of The Great Salt Lake Yacht Club band, 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 theater department, and world-renowned Stradivarius violinist David Park, formerly of the Utah Symphony Orchestra, he said.

And it’s a joy to work with these musicians and perform for audiences across the state, Whiteley said.

“A few months ago I got a call from the West Millard Cultural Council in Delta, Utah, who wanted to organize 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, came to Delta last April with pianist Melissa Garff Ballard and flutist Patty Chou and set up an 800-seat auditorium, Whiteley said.

“They brought in 650 elementary and middle school students, and when David played five notes on the violin, there was dead silence – a silent magic broken only by thunderous applause,” he said. “Then we brought in the high school students for a master class, and it was such a great experience.”

That evening the music trio gave a concert for the community.

“A man jumps up, throws his arms around me and says, ‘I can tell you with certainty that nothing of this quality has ever happened at Delta,'” Whiteley said.

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

“David told me his goal was to share his gifts and accomplishments with as many people as possible – whether it was at Carnegie Hall or in Delta, Utah, where he could do some good,” Whiteley said. “And that’s the kind of experience we want to bring to Park City and Summit County.”

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

“We know each other not only professionally but personally and support each other,” Conley said of Cohen. “He told me I needed to get to know Jeff and see what he was doing for Utah and the communities.”

Cohen, a former interim director of the Park City Museum, not only knew that Conley loved the performing arts, he also knew that she loved working with children, as she previously served as superintendent of the Park City School District.

“Drew told me what Jeff was doing with his programs for helping children, and when I met Jeff, I was immediately hooked,” she said. “Jeff and I get along well. I love his energy, I love what he does, and I love his passion.”

Whiteley and Conley put forward some ideas about what a partnership might look like.

“It seemed like the synergy of the Park City Institute, soon to be renamed Park City Performing Arts, was there because we had plans to expand our reach into Summit County,” Conley said. “I think we’ve done a great job with the Park City School District. I think we’ve given a lot of students great opportunities, but I think it’s time to spread our wings and reach more of Summit County. And when Jeff started sharing with us what he’s done and what his vision was, it seemed like the perfect fit.”

The meetings took place 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 host these free concerts, Conley said.

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

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

Conley is excited to see the partnership move forward as Excellence in the Community is committed to showcasing family-friendly programs.

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

Conley grew up with a love for the performing arts.

“It was a big part of my life growing up and it provided me with a safe place,” she said. “That leads us to the mission of why this partnership is important to our organization.”

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

“The partnership is hugely important because Park City is a very established arts community,” said Whiteley. “As we met, it became clear that we could help each other. The Park City Institute could open a lot of doors for us and we can offer programs that complement what they do.”

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

“We always performed at the Riverhorse (on Main),” he said. “We loved it and it was a great place to play. I’m looking forward to coming back to town.”

Whiteley is a lifelong musician and has seen the power of this art form to build bridges throughout his career.

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

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

For more information about Excellence in the Community, visit exzellenzconcerts.org.