Searson Kicks Off Cornell’s Free Summer Series

The high energy Celtic/roots band Searson returns to Ithaca on Tuesday, June 24, to open Cornell’s free summer events series at 7:30 p.m. at the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts. This band delivered a powerhouse performance two summers ago on Cornell’s Arts Quad, and they’ve been very busy since touring the U.S., Europe, and Canada.Hailing from the Ottawa Valley in Ontario, Canada, Searson features sisters Erin on lead vocals, piano, and mandolin, Heather on bass, and Colleen on fiddle, vocals, and mandolin. All three are virtuoso step dancers, too. Performing with the sisters are Andrew Krause on acoustic and electric guitars and Mike McNeil on drums. Tickets (free) are required for all summer events at the Schwartz Center and are available (four per person) starting at 6:30 p.m. on the day of the performance in the theater lobby.On Friday, June 27, the Ageless Jazz Band will perform for the first outdoor concert of the summer at 7:30 on the Arts Quad with a full complement of saxophones, trumpets, trombones, a swinging rhythm section, and sizzling vocals. When your dancing shoes wear out, relax with a free cone or cup of custom-made “Summer Surprise” ice cream from the Cornell Dairy Bar! If it rains, the concert will be moved to Uris Hall auditorium.The events series, which includes concerts, lectures, and dance, runs from June 24 to August 1 and is sponsored by Cornell University’s School of Continuing Education and Summer Sessions. For more information, visit www.summer.cornell.edu/events, e-mail cusce@cornell.edu, or call 607.255.4987.