Gather your family and friends, pack your lawn chairs and picnic baskets, and find your perfect spot in the Wilson Center's beautiful Gerlach/Haack Outdoor Theater! One of the most popular Wilson Center summertime traditions, Starry Nights outdoor concerts are great Friday night fun for audiences of all ages.
Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra’s (MYSO's) jazz faculty performs as Bronzeville Jazz, named in honor of the musical legacy of the historic Bronzeville neighborhood in which MYSO's home is located. Bronzeville was once a thriving African-American neighborhood in the early 1900s with a vibrant jazz and blues entertainment district, primarily on Walnut St. Bronzeville Jazz has been a part of MYSO’s lexicon since the founding of the Jazz Studies Program in 2004. The group showcases music from the birth of jazz to the contemporary jazz music of today.
MYSO jazz faculty members are professional musicians and educators who perform regularly throughout the Midwest. Members have studied or shared the stage with artists such as Ernie Watts, Dan Nimmer, Carl Allen, Brad Leahi, Dave Pietro, Papo Rivera, Ed Shaughnessy, Anthony Cruz, Eddie Santiago, Lonnie Smith, and many more. Faculty members have played international venues such as the Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux, Switzerland, as well as the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Netherlands, along with performing in London, Paris, Germany, Puerto Rico, and many cities throughout the United States.
“Everyone here (at MYSO) that I've ever talked to is really good at what they do. They’ve all mentored me. I think it’s a natural inclination of someone who’s serious about music to want to give back to those following in their footsteps.” (Lyle Rivera, 2018 MYSO Jazz Studies graduate, currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Studies at New York University)
Starry Nights concerts are free and open to the public. Please consider making a donation of $10/person when you arrive to help support this wonderful Friday night summer music tradition!
A limited number of picnic tables are available to rent at each performance; click here to learn more and reserve your picnic table in advance!
The Gerlach/Haack Outdoor Theater offers lawn seating only. Guests who would like chairs may bring their own, and we ask all guests to be mindful of physical distancing for the comfort of fellow concertgoers. To ensure good sightlines for all audience members, pop-up tents are not allowed. Audiences are welcome to pack their picnic baskets. Food and beverage vendors will also be available onsite, and this summer, we are excited to have Wahlburgers with us for all six Starry Nights concerts! Concerts take place rain or shine; in the event of extreme weather, concerts may move indoors to The Harris Theater. Please call our Box Office at 262-781-9520 with any questions.