If you've noticed people walking around humming to themselves with contented smiles, they may have been attending the three-week Colorado College Summer Music Festival, which concludes today.

Summer Arts Festival manager Karin Henriksen calls the festival the community's "hidden treasure."

"I don't think newcomers realize the incredibly high quality of the performances and the unusual selection of pieces," she said.

The performers include student musicians and guest artists/faculty from around the world. The festival sells out many performances.

Now in its 24th year, this year's festival has benefited from the addition of the Edith Kinney Gaylord Cornerstone Arts Center, with its 450 seats, about 150 more than CC's Packard Hall, where most concerts in previous years were held.

The first festival concert in the Cornerstone Arts Center featured a stunning performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and Samuel Barber's "Knoxville: Summer of 1915" to a sold-out audience.

"It was a magical evening, to see the building come alive and be used in such a wonderful way," Henriksen said.

CC professor Phil Kannan and his wife, Kay, have been attending the festival for 10 years, and Phil said it's "definitely getting better, although it's always been good."

He thinks the festival's best asset is its variety. Each year, the festival faculty performs an entire program of contemporary composers, a favorite among many concertgoers. This year's program on Wednesday included a breathtaking performance of Jacob Druckman's "Valentine" by bassist Susan Cahill.

The nearly sold-out final concert of this year's festival takes place in the Cornerstone Arts Center today.

DETAILS
Final CC Summer Music Festival Orchestra Concert

When: 7:30 p.m. today
Where: CC's Cornerstone Arts Center, 825 N. Cascade Ave.
Tickets: $20 general admission, $5 students, $15 with a CC ID. Tickets at Worner Campus Center Information Desk, 902 N. Cascade Ave., or at www.ticketswest.com or 520-SHOW (7469).