Tales, Legends & Legacy
A collage of the artists and stories shaping 2026
Macon Creek
Step into the creative heart of Macon Creek as Beacon Arts Michigan launches its 2026 Summer Concert Series, Tales, Legends & Legacy. Join us for a vibrant collage concert and a celebration of the artists, sounds, and stories shaping the season ahead.
United by a shared mission to expand access to the arts, Beacon Arts Michigan and Macon Creek join forces to present Tales, Legends & Legacy, inviting audiences into a world shaped by stories, those we inherit, those we imagine, and those we create together. Through concerts, masterclasses, workshops, and interdisciplinary collaborations, this series explores how music and art carry our histories, illuminate our present, and spark the narratives that will define our future.
Featured Artists:
Jon Brown, percussion
Alexander Burrow, piano
Amy I-Lin Cheng, piano
Daniel Fecteau, electric violin
Lorrie Gunn, violin
Emily Olson, flute
Join us for this benefit concert and afterglow with the artists!
Macon Creek, 8759 Clinton Macon Rd, Clinton, MI 49236
live@maconcreek.org
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Jonathan Brown is an accomplished percussionist and educator with over two decades of teaching experience and more than 15 years as a professional freelance performer. He maintains a private percussion studio that has supported students of all ages, with an emphasis on technical development, style, and practical musicianship. His pedagogical approach bridges classical percussion with contemporary, popular, and collaborative performance.
In addition to private instruction, Jonathan served as an adjunct professor at Oakland Community College, teaching History of Popular Music. He is an active clinician and has presented percussion masterclasses throughout the United States as well as internationally in Argentina and Colombia, working with students in both academic and community-based settings.
As a performer, Jonathan has built a diverse career across orchestral, chamber, and popular music genres. He toured the United States for six years as the drummer for the Ragbirds and has performed with the Jackson Symphony Orchestra for four seasons, while also serving as a regular substitute with the Toledo Symphony. Some additional performance (as well as recording) credits include Telesonic 9000, TJ Zindle and the Powerlines, Jess Merritt, The Willo Collective, Portland Percussion Group, Men On Horseback, Khemia Ensemble, and more. One of Jonathan’s newer projects is a commission and recording of Alejandro Viñao’s Patterns and Form (2025) with the Portland Percussion Group. A commercial recording of Patterns and Form is scheduled for release in February 2026.
Jonathan holds a Masters in Music and Masters in Chamber Music from the University of Michigan, as well as a Bachelors in Music Education from Central Michigan University.
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Alexander Burrow is an 18-year-old senior of Huron High School in Ann Arbor, MI. He was introduced to music at an early age, joining the Boychoir of Ann Arbor at age 7. Alexander played the violin and clarinet in middle school, and began serious piano studies at the age of 14. Since then, Alexander has received several honors and awards including the first prize of the 2026 Rosalie Edwards Youth Competition in Ann Arbor, MI, first prize of the 2026 Dorothy MacKenzie Price Piano Competition at the University of Toledo, OH, and second prize at the 2026 Sherer Piano Competition at Goshen College, IN. He was awarded 1st place at the Schoolcraft Honors Recital audition in November 2024, as well as 1st place for the 2025 Ravel 150th Festival Piano Competition (pre-collegiate) in Michigan. He was the 3rd prize winner of the 2025 Steinway Jr. Piano Competition, 2nd prize winner for the 2025 Tuesday Musicale of Detroit Student League Competition and a finalist at the Dearborn Symphony Young Artist Competition and Dexter Community Orchestra Youth Artist Competition. Alexander was the winner of the 2025 and 2026 Tuesday Musicale of Detroit Harry and Irene Elkins Helping Hand Fund, an essay scholarship competition for musical studies. Alexander was invited to participate in the 2025 Southeastern Piano Festival Piano Institute and has been accepted by the 2025 Anchorage Chamber Music Intensive. He is also a scholarship recipient for the 2025 BGSU Piano Camp. He was named a Finalist for From the Top’s Learning and Media Lab Fellowship program and invited to be featured on their Daily Joy series. In January of 2026 Alexander was award 2nd prize (senior high school division) for the Los Angeles Youth Philharmonic (LAYP) Piano Concerto Competition. As part of the prize, he received an opportunity to perform at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall and will also be performing with the LAYP in Walt Disney Concert Hall. He will also be giving a solo recital on the Dorothy MacKenzie Price series next season.
Alexander has performed at the National Republic Ballroom in Columbia (SC), Steinway Piano Gallery in Detroit (MI), Cranbrook House and Garden in Bloomfield Hills (MI), Schoolcraft College in Livonia (MI), Kerrytown Concert House in Ann Arbor (MI), Britton Recital Hall at the University of Michigan, and All Seasons Ann Arbor Senior Living Community (MI). He has given solo recitals for the residents at Covenant Living Center in Tulsa (OK). Alexander has studied with Dr. Philip Solomonik and John Solari, in addition to receiving lessons from David Fung, Philip Bush (SEPF), and Jinzhao Xu. He is currently studying with Christopher Harding, professor of piano at the University of Michigan.
In addition to classical music, Alexander enjoys music production and has released several original pop instrumental soundtracks. He is also passionate about Taekwondo, earning his second degree black belt recently. Alexander enjoys studying Chemistry and Mandarin at school, and spending time with friends. He is a member of the National Honor Society at Huron High School and the Tuesday Musicale of Detroit Student League. He is also the founder and creator of “pianoworlddaily,” an online media platform aiming to spread the joy of piano music to listeners.
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Born in Taiwan, pianist Amy I‑Lin Cheng is widely recognized not only for her expressive artistry but also for her deep commitment to teaching the next generation of musicians. A dedicated educator, she has built a distinguished career working with pianists and chamber musicians across the United States and abroad. Amy has given masterclasses throughout the U.S., Brazil, Taiwan, and Germany, guiding both college and pre‑college students with the same warmth, rigor, and musical insight that define her own performances. Her university students have earned top prizes in MTNA chamber competitions, solo and concerto competitions, and have gone on to graduate programs, summer festivals, and faculty positions in the U.S. and internationally.
Amy’s passion for nurturing young musicians extends beyond the university setting. She has taught at summer festivals, worked with youth chamber ensembles, and served on the faculties of the Franklin School for the Performing Arts in Massachusetts and the Community Music School of Ann Arbor. She currently maintains a small but devoted private studio in Ann Arbor, where she is known for her thoughtful mentorship and individualized approach.
A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, Yale School of Music, and the New England Conservatory, Amy has held teaching positions at Oklahoma State University and Oklahoma City University. After joining the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre & Dance in 2012, she now serves as Assistant Professor of Music – Piano and Piano Chamber Music Coordinator, where she teaches studio piano, coaches chamber music, and continues to shape the artistic lives of young musicians with generosity, clarity, and imagination.
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Daniel James Fecteau is a violinist, music educator, composer, and live looping specialist from Connecticut. He graduated from the Hartt School of Music in 2016 with a bachelor’s in music education and violin performance. Daniel taught orchestra in Fairfield Public Schools, well-known for its nationally recognized music program, from 2016-2023. In 2023, Daniel is pursuing a Master’s in Music Education at the University of Michigan on a full scholarship. As part of his pursuit for personal and professional growth, Daniel first started composing in 2020. He has an extensive collection of over 50 arrangements and original music for violin and loop station and he can be found performing his music in schools, concert halls, and conventions across Connecticut. Most recently, Daniel won the Gottlieb Variations Award for Outstanding performance in the University’s Collage 2024.
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Donna Lorraine Gunn (Lorrie), recipient of the John A. Plumer Memorial Scholarship Award and finalist in the Robert Mondavi Violin Competition, has appeared as soloist with the University of Maine, Arcady, Houlton, and Rochester Symphony Orchestras. She studied violin at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, on a full-tuition scholarship with Grammy-winning soloist Erick Friedman, and has also worked with renowned violinists Samuel Applebaum and Anshel Brusilow. Lorrie continued her musical studies at the University of Maine in Orono, where she served as a teaching assistant in Music Theory. Her career has taken her to Spain, Italy, Austria, China, and even Disney World, performing as an orchestral musician. She also treasures memories of performing in the high school orchestra at the Tanglewood Music Festival.
Lorrie is a member of the American Federation of Musicians, the Flint Federation of Musicians, Mu Phi Epsilon, and Phi Kappa Lambda. She currently serves as Concertmaster of the Rochester Symphony Orchestra, performs with the Flint Symphony, and is a substitute violinist for the Michigan Opera Theater. Her past performances include work with Ann Arbor’s Wild Swan Theater, as well as teaching appointments with Oakland University’s Community Music Program and the Oakland Homeschool Music Institute. On stage, she performs with The Troubadours, an educational outreach program of the Flint Institute of Music, and entertains audiences at the Michigan Renaissance Festival. Recently, she has been spreading musical fun and cheer as half of the duo Fiddle and Strum (find them on Facebook at fiddleandstrum) and shares humorous and educational videos on her YouTube channel, FrogOnButter.
When not making music, Lorrie enjoys skiing, hiking, and boating, and spends her summers relaxing in Michigan’s beautiful Keweenaw Peninsula.
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Flutist Emily Olson brings over 25 years of experience in classical performance, nonprofit leadership, and community engagement to her role as Artistic Director for Beacon Arts Michigan. A versatile flutist, Emily has performed with the Ann Arbor, Flint, and Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestras, Michigan Sinfonietta, Ann Arbor Civic Theatre, and the Encore Musical Theatre Company. Her summer performances have taken her to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where she’s appeared with the Pine Mountain Music Festival, Manistique Community Chamber Concert Series, and Strings on the Bay.
Originally from Ohio, Emily holds degrees in performance and music education from The Ohio State University and a master’s in flute performance from the University of Michigan. Her academic training laid the foundation for a career that bridges artistic excellence with community-centered leadership. Emily has held key roles in arts and healthcare organizations, including Director of Philanthropy for Arbor Hospice and Development Manager for Kerrytown Concert House. As a Certified Music Practitioner, she has provided therapeutic music at Michigan Medicine and Beaumont Health, underscoring her commitment to the healing power of the arts.
With strong ties to both Southeast Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, Emily leads Beacon Arts Michigan with a vision rooted in accessibility, collaboration, and celebration of Michigan’s diverse musical heritage. She is passionate about creating meaningful artistic experiences for all and believes in the power of music to build bridges, educate, and inspire.