WORLD CLASS MUSIC,

Small Town Feel

HEARING WORLD-CLASS MUSICIANS MAY CREATE VISIONS OF TRAVELING TO A LARGE CITY WITH HEFTY TICKET PRICES. OR IT MAY BE SOMETHING YOU’VE ONLY SEEN ON TV. SCOTT LYKINS, FOUNDER OF LAKES AREA MUSIC FESTIVAL (LAMF) AND BRAINERD NATIVE, IS HELPING TO CHANGE THIS BY BRINGING WORLD RENOWNED MUSICIANS TO THE BRAINERD LAKES AREA.

FOUNDER OF LAKES AREA MUSIC FESTIVAL

How does the Brainerd Lakes Area compare to other classical musical destinations?

Fans of classical music travel the nation to attend summer music festivals in popular tourist destinations—places like the Santa Fe Opera, Aspen Music Festival, and the Grand Tetons Festival. The Lakes Area Music Festival, or “LAMF”, similarly offers high-quality cultural opportunities in one of the most popular summertime destinations in the Midwest: the Brainerd Lakes Area.

Just a couple hours north of the Twin Cities, this festival draws over 200 of the nation’s best classical musicians each year. From the San Francisco Symphony to the New York Philharmonic and Metropolitan Opera, from the Minnesota Orchestra to the Dallas Symphony, as well as Europe and Asia, these musicians flock to central Minnesota because of the excellent quality of performance, and for the same reason everyone else goes to Brainerd– to spend time on the lakes, out in nature, and in the sun.

LAMF celebrates its 15th annual season this summer presenting over 50 concerts of chamber music, symphony orchestra, and opera, as well as education and outreach activities for audiences of all ages.

Downtown Brainerd Block Party

You’re a graduate of Brainerd High School. How did BHS foster your love of music and the arts? What made you decide to start LAMF and bring it to the Brainerd Lakes?

The organization was created and continues to be led by Brainerd-native Scott Lykins. A professional cellist, he got his start by joining the orchestra in the Brainerd public school system. “At that time Brainerd had one of the strongest string programs, and I was fortunate to discover my love for classical music at an early age.” His high school years included weekly trips with his dad to the Twin Cities to participate in Minnesota Youth Symphonies and for private instruction at Orchestra Hall.

In 2009, Lykins completed his undergraduate studies at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. As in past summers he planned to return to the Lakes Area, but this time inviting some friends and colleagues from music school to join him. These five student musicians waited tables and enjoyed the Northwoods; but they also organized six concerts around the Lakes Area to stay in shape before returning to school in the fall. Enlisting a few members of the Minnesota and St. Paul Chamber Orchestras, these concerts comprised the first annual season of LAMF. Due to the overwhelming enthusiasm from the audience, the organizers decided to continue the festival and expand it every year since.

What kind of planning and organizing does it take to coordinate LAMF?

The organization, with a budget nearing $1 million, has a small staff considering its extensive year-round programming. Over the past 14 years a community of stakeholders— community members and musicians alike—has been built around the organization, with deep commitments to its success. Every year 200 artists and thousands of audience members come to Brainerd and are met by the hospitality of a team of 300 volunteers. For the weeks of the festival, these artists engage with the local community staying in host homes, eating at local restaurants, and performing in the concert hall, libraries, breweries, shelters, jails, and more.

Tell us about the new Gichi-Ziibi performing arts facility. Is this the venue for all concerts?

In 2021 construction of the Gichi-ziibi Center for the Arts was completed in downtown Brainerd. This 1,200-seat, state of the art facility is named with the Ojibwa word meaning “Big River”, referring to the Mississippi River that flows nearby. This facility has become home to the core performances of LAMF and other community organizations, while LAMF’s “Casual Classics” programs include outdoor concerts around the areas, yoga events with live music, children’s activities, and an annual downtown Brainerd block party.

What’s in store for 2023 season? How can people in the Brainerd Lakes attend a concert?

The 2023 Festival will run July 28 through August 20 with daily activities for visitors to check out. Donizetti’s opera Don Pasquale will be staged alongside symphonies by Brahms, Prokofiev, Mozart, and Shostakovich, and other vibrant works by composers living and writing music today. Each weekend in July will feature additional concerts and activities through central Minnesota building up to the season. View the full schedule and begin planning your trip to LAMF today by visiting www.lakesareamusic.org.

The majority of LAMF activities are offered with free or name-yourprice ticketing options to ensure access for a diverse audience. Tickets are available online or by calling 218-831-0765.