Note: This website is only getting occasional updates. For more timely information please see the main information outlet by visiting the Facebook Page for the Magna Arts Council or the Magna Town’s website.
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For “curent events” information about arts in Magna, please visit these sites:
Arts Council of Magna’s Facebook page, with a calendar section, photos of past events, and a timeline full of news and notes on current & past local arts events. Sponsors of the Magna town Orchestra and Magna Community Choir who perform in May and December.
Magna Main Street Arts Festival The biggest single arts event in town, annually on a Saturday in late August. Art shows, live music, vendor booths, food, kid’s activities, etc.
Magna Times local newspaper has online and print editions with previews and coverage of local events and issues.
Magna’s Town Council website includes a wide range of information on local services and some events.
Empress Theater is a classic old-style movie house now renovated for live theater throughout the year.
Magna’s Chamber of Commerce promotes local business and some public events, such as Magna History Day.
Halloween in Summer Festival sponsored by local artists.
… and consider the events by local schools, museum, authors, independent artists and churches…
Here are a few more links and mentions of local interest. (This part of the sire is something of a “catch-all” section, currently used as a place to “park” misc. ideas and new info until it gets sorted to a better page or category.)
Festivals:
The largest single arts event in Magna is the Magna Main Street Arts Festival , usually in late August. This is a full-featured festival which includes live music on multiple stages, an art show and contest, food and craft vendor booths, kid’s activities, etc. Volunteers and department co-ordinators are always needed.
Magna History Day started in 2014 and is expected to be an annual event. Includes both historic presentations and arts and entertainment in a combination of festival and seminar.
Halloween in Summer festival is organized by the local “Art On You” studio. Music, street vendors, and many more activites extending Halloween-type activities into a street festival setting.
Tree Lighting Festival & “Shop Small” day is the last of the annual festivals, held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Combines a kickoff event for the winter holiday season with a day encouraging support of local merchants.
Visual Arts
Art in Public buildings: Several interesting art pieces depicting local scenes are on permanent display in the Magna Kennecott Senior Center during their normal operating hours.
Author/historian Robert Goble helped preserve a set of pop-art images of local interest lost when a local restaurant was torn down. See more at Rob’s blog.
Music
Magna Town Orchestra Active from2008 to around 2017, the community orchestra made big music for such a small town. Unfortunately, logistical issues with rehearsal space led to activities shutting down pending a revival. When active, membership was about 45 to 60 players. The all-volunteer group had concerts in May and December.
Magna Community Choir: Similar to the Orchestra, currently not active. All volunteer ensemble, performed a few times a year. Usually shares a few concerts per year with the Magna Town Orchestra.
Local Bands in pop/rock/country music, etc. Performers with roots in Magna include contemporary country artists SheDaisy and Kemari Rawlings. (please suggest links to add)
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Local composers:
James Prigmore has had a long and varied career in music, including composing original music for orchestras, dance companies and soundtracks, but may be best known locally for his work as music director for the Pioneer Theater Company at the University of Utah. James lives in Magna.
David Earl Holt grew up in Magna where he had his own jazz/pop orchestra, then travelled extensively with various “big bands.” He later composed both classical and jazz music, and was deeply invlolved in those music scenes in Texas where he spent his last decades.
A.W. “Mickey” Hart was a popular composer and performer in the Salt Lake area, with many recordings and printings of sheet music of local and regional interest. He even wrote a few full-length musicals. But he also taught music at Magna’s Cyprus High in the 1950s (?)
Doug Wood has a few music samples online at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7ch0rNCo0e3BPfXnnqmRug
Local musical instrument makers:
Adrian Oliphant, maker of violins and other string instruments, available through his company “Oliphant Fiddles and Bows”.
George Hill makes violas and other string instruments.