Stellar upcoming Miami-Dade events showcase music, art and gardens

Miami has long been called “The Magic City,” and more than ever it hosts transporting events of music performances and festivals, small art gallery exhibitions and gorgeous neighborhood garden tours. Here are just a few coming up to consider.

WORLD-RENOWNED MUSICIAN AT GUSMAN

Frank Ticheli, one of the most influential composers of symphonic band music, will conduct three of his own works — the energetic “Over The Moon,” the uplifting “Lux Perpetua,” and the joyous celebration of life “To Lafayette” — during the Greater Miami Symphonic Band concert at 6 p.m., March 16, at Gusman Hall on the University of Miami Coral Gables campus.

Ticheli’s music has been described as “optimistic and thoughtful” (Los Angeles Times), “lean and muscular” (New York Times), “brilliantly effective” (Miami Herald), and “powerful, deeply felt crafted with impressive flair and an ear for striking instrumental colors” (South Florida Sun-Sentinel).

His awards are too numerous to list. GMSB is proud to welcome Ticheli, and this is a concert not to be missed.

The first half of the program will be led by GMSB Music Director Robert Longfield. Pieces include Alfred Reed’s “Sixth Suite for Band” and “Irish Tune from County Derry” by Percy Grainger.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $5 for students and may be purchased online at www.gmsb.org or at the door, if still available.

GARDEN TOUR IS MARCH 8

The Villagers invite you to experience “Spring Blooms” at home gardens in the Ponce/Davis and South Gables neighborhoods from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., March 8. Each property offers garden lovers a glimpse into the homeowner’s personal tropical paradise.

Villagers and garden experts will be on hand to explain the special features and plant varieties at each location. A boutique at Christ the King Church in Pinecrest will feature artisans, vintage jewelry, hand-crafted items, baked goods, garden-related gift items and plants. There will be a Rita Tennyson pop-up café on site with food for purchase.

Tickets are $50 and may be purchased from Villagers members or through Eventbrite thevillagersinc.org/gardentour/. The day of the tour, tickets are $55 at the check-in site at 11295 SW 57th Ave. Proceeds support historic preservation projects and university scholarships to advance historic preservation.

JAZZ FEST IN COCONUT GROVE

If you love jazz you won’t want to miss this experience. The second annual Montreux Jazz Festival Miami is set for Feb. 28 through March 2 at The Hangar, 3385 Pan American Dr.

The legendary Swiss festival will bring its signature style and feel to the tropics with an elevated lineup of musicians including a mix of legendary and emerging artists across diverse genres. Jon Batiste and Grammy-nominated Cuban musician Cimafunk will host a one-night-only “descarga” Afro-Cuban Jam March 2 to close the events.

And in an exciting development, the festival announced a groundbreaking partnership with music industry legend Emilio Estefan, who has joined as an investor and co-owner. The collaboration will enhance the festival’s impact and outreach and connect it more deeply with Miami’s vibrant music scene.

Single-day ticket prices for Montreux Jazz Festival Miami begin at $129. Tickets are selling fast at /www.mjfmiami.com

NEW EXHIBITS AT LOCUST PROJECTS

Guests celebrated two new exhibits — “Fragile Terrain” by Korean artist Jaye Rhee and “Open Water” by local artist Wendy Wischer — at a Locust Projects’ opening night reception Feb. 13.

Rhee’s mesmerizing paper cube seascape and Wischer’s immersive multimedia installation explore how technology shapes our interaction with nature.

Inspired by how her young niece and nephew experienced the world through screens during the pandemic, Rhee created “Fragile Terrain” as a meditation on digital perception and the fragility of nature.

Wischer’s installation reflects on the ocean, “both as a vast planetary body and as a metaphor for the ocean that exists within us.” Both exhibitions run through April 5 at Locust Projects, 297 NE 67th St. Admission is free.

CREATE FOR A CAUSE

Imagine having your art on a 36-foot moving billboard that travels across South Florida. Now, elementary, middle and high school students in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe counties are invited to showcase their creativity for a chance to have their artwork featured on one of Feeding South Florida’s semi-trailer truck wraps.

The leading hunger-relief organization is hosting its sixth annual “Feed Your Creativity” Art Competition through April 30 with judging from May 4 through May 9. Winners will be announced at a Gallery Night at Feeding South Florida’s Pembroke Park from 6 to 8 p.m. May 15.

The truck reveal celebration will be held at the school of the first-place winner. And all students’ artwork will be displayed at Feeding South Florida Pembroke Park and Boynton Beach warehouses.

The competition is part of Feeding South Florida’s “Summer Hunger Ends Here” initiative to raise awareness and funds necessary to address summer hunger for kids.

Information, including the competition toolkit, key dates and how to submit final artwork online, is at www.feedingsouthflorida.org/fyc25.

Write to ChristinaMMayo@gmail.com with news for this column.

This story was originally published February 20, 2025 at 10:57 AM.