By Jasmine wigginsThe Summer NorthwesternVisitors to Norris East Lawn on Tuesday were greeted with a pleasant surprise.Musician Chris Cauley strummed a guitar and crooned bluesy notes to a crowd lunching at around noon. People gathered around the purple Northwestern picnic tables that dotted the green expanse as it opened up to the blue waters of Lake Michigan, and the scent of grilled hamburgers wafted out on a cool breeze to tempt passers-by. Though this idyllic picture of a lazy college afternoon is expected – and often taken for granted – during the school year, not everyone anticipates the thriving campus during the summer months. Throughout the summer, NU plays host to a series of special events unique to the season. Programs range from free outdoor concerts by Lake Michigan, to free outdoor movies on the Norris lawn, to performances at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Cauley’s performance marked the first of 10 lunchtime concerts scheduled for Lunch on the Lake, one of the Norris summer programs. Every Tuesday and Thursday from noon to 1 p.m., there will be free concerts on the Norris East Lawn overlooking the lake, which attendees can enjoy with a barbeque lunch sold by nuCuisine. The event, sponsored by the Center for Student Involvement in conjunction with Summer Session, is meant to get students outside and enjoying the weather, said Jude Cooper, assistant director for CSI. “I hope more students take advantage of this relaxing time,” Cooper said. “You don’t see this on a lot of college campuses, especially since we have such a pretty lake out here.”Each concert averages between 80 and 175 attendees, depending on the performer, said nuCuisine’s Kevin Gilligan. He said he expected musician Jackson Rohm to draw the biggest crowds.”Chris (Cauley) said he was really glad to be at NU performing and that the space was so great,” said Andrea Hart, a Medill junior and former PLAY staff member who also helped with artist relations. “After talking with Jude (Cooper) about last year’s events, that seems to be the mentality of the musicians.” Jessica Vaughan just happened to stumble upon the concert and said she enjoyed it as she ate her lunch.”It’s nice for the university to have live music,” said Vaughan, a graduate student in the School of Music.The live music and movies are also a good entertainment option for students on a budget, Hart said.”I think that it makes taking summer classes more enjoyable and provides affordable fun for broke college students,” she said.For those interested in a little high-brow culture, more formal concerts can be found at Pick-Staiger. Some highlights include the Summer Jazz Ensemble on July 19, which will feature the music of Count Basie and Thad Jones. On July 24, the Summer Orchestra will perform Weber’s “Euryanthe” Overture and the Summer Chorus will perform American choral music.Northwestern’s National High School Music Institute also hosts a series of free concerts by talented high school musicians from all over the nation. The concerts take place throughout the summer, ending with a free NHSMI Finale Gala on July 27. For a full concert line-up, visit the Pick-Staiger Web site at www.pickstaiger.com.Not interested in music? Norris has other programming, too, like the Summer Cinema series. Every Wednesday after sunset, there is a free outdoor movie on the Norris East Lawn. The movies, which are projected onto the side of the building, are sponsored by CSI in conjunction with Block Cinema and Summer Session. Moviegoers should bring chairs, blankets and snacks for the show. Movies vary, but some of the screenings include indie darling “The Namesake” and the animated hit “Cars.”For more information on Norris summer events, go to www.norris.northwestern.edu.
Reach Jasmine Wiggins at [email protected]
Free movies coming up at Norris East Lawn: June 27: The Queen July 11: Happy Feet July 18: The Namesake July 25: Rear Window August 1: Cars
