In its first five years, KPAC has a rich history of celebrating the female greats of music through the talents of local female greats like Beth Bombara, Anita Jackson, and more, as well as the music of icons like Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Ella Fitzgerald, Karen Carpenter, and Patsy Cline.
One artist who returns to the Strauss stage several times a year by popular demand is trumpeter, vocalist, and composer Dawn Weber. She performs a variety of styles, from Latin-flamenco music with Gipsy Social in the spring (an annual sellout) to collaborating with the Genesis Jazz Project to creating her own style by combining what everyone loves about blues, swing, and funk into SWUNK.
But being a woman in jazz is no easy feat.
Dawn recognizes Susan Slaughter (principal trumpet player of the St. Louis Symphony – the first woman to hold this position in a major American orchestra) as a woman in jazz who inspired her most. In a time when the trumpet was commonly considered “a man’s instrument,” and women weren’t considered to be able to play brass instruments, Dawn says that Susan “won a spot and had to fight a lot of prejudices against women being trumpet players.”
Dawn has experienced her share of difficulty being taken seriously, both as a trumpet player and as a band leader, partly because an older generation is always ready to point out that there aren't many female brass players. Other challenges were as trivial as being told time and time again, including at her Juilliard audition, that she didn’t “look like a trumpet player,” a barrier that turned out to be a catalyst for finally deciding to do whatever she wanted.
Cue the bright colored hair and eyebrow piercing.
She credits having a thick skin as the most important part of finding success as a woman in the music industry, whether it's how you respond to others' egos or the ability to speak up for your hard-earned respect and what you believe in.
So… what can you expect when you buy a ticket to one of Dawn Weber’s shows?
Turns out no two shows are alike, as Dawn says her performances are always “different than the last thing you saw me do…” whether that be due to varying themes, styles, or stories. What you can expect every time is great music, great set lists, great energy with other musicians onstage, and, of course, she says, you will always see smiles.
Join us May 20th at 7pm, as Dawn takes the KPAC stage again, this time to ring in the new installation of artwork in the KPAC Galleries, curated by the Kirkwood Arts Commission for the summer season. She’s continuing a series in partnership with the Performing Arts Center and the Arts Commission to bring people and various art forms together in one space.
The Kirkwood Arts Commission invites you to the Summer Gallery Opening Concert at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center. The Summer Gallery Exhibition will be held in KPAC’s lobby during a free public reception from 4:00–7:00 PM.
At 7:00 PM, the celebration continues in the Strauss Studio Theatre with Dawn Weber on stage. Experience an inspiring evening of community, creativity, and connection—where art meets music each season. All ticket proceeds benefit the Kirkwood Arts Commission, a Commission of the City of Kirkwood dedicated to promoting and sponsoring the arts—and encouraging participation in the arts—for the enrichment of the entire Kirkwood community.
For more information, visit www.thekpac.org
Dawn performs a variety of styles, from Latin-flamenco music to collaborating with the Genesis Jazz Project to creating her own style by combining what everyone loves about blues, swing, and funk into SWUNK.