MENOMINEE, MICH. – The River Cities Concert Association proudly presents the first concert of the 2026 - 2027 season.
You Raise Me Up will grace the stage on Monday, Sept. 21, at Blesch Auditorium — a barrier-free venue — at the Menominee Elementary School in Menominee, Mich., at 7 p.m. This concert is sponsored by the Edward Jones offices of Ian Wetzel and Ethan Linstad.
With over 3,500 combined performances to their credit, performers Erin Shields and David Shenton have been delighting audiences for years with their passionate and virtuosic musicality — and the obvious chemistry that exists between them. The husband and wife musical duo curated their program Songs of Love, Hope & Inspiration, a sophisticated show featuring highly original interpretations of songs everyone knows and loves.
Music has been an integral component of both artists’ lives.
Shields embarked on her professional career as a singer at age 17 when she sang the National Anthem for the Chicago Bulls. A graduate of the Indiana University School of Music, Shields also studied in Vienna, Austria. Since then, her vocal versatility has allowed her to showcase her skills singing across genres throughout the United States. Shields has performed leading roles for many reputable music festivals, opera companies and orchestras, including such notable roles as Eliza in “My Fair Lady,” Baker’s Wife in “Into the Woods” and Chava in “Fiddler on the Roof.”
Shields placed as one of the top five grand finalists in the American Traditions Competition in Savannah, Ga. She has also performed for many charitable organizations, including the Global AIDS Alliance at Joe’s Pub in New York City, N.Y., along with the Brick Church School’s African Dream Academy benefit.
She has sung numerous times with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, including performances of Beethoven’s “Ninth Symphony,” Verdi’s “Requiem” and Mendelssohn’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
Her husband, Shenton, has also built his life around music. Born in Rotherham, England, Shenton was drawn to the beauty of musical scores, which he preferred to read over books with words.
Soon after he started playing the violin at the age of seven, he wrote his first pieces of music at age nine, including a symphony, two piano concertos, two violin concertos and two string quartets, all composed before the age of 11. When he was 12 years old, Shenton began playing the piano and then began entering competitions at the age of 15, winning many awards.
In 1993, Shenton garnered a place to study at the Royal College of Music in London, England. Since moving to New York City, N.Y., in 2002, Shenton has played at many top jazz clubs and venues, including the Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Birdland, the Iridium, the Cutting Room and the Rainbow Room.
Shenton continues to be in high demand as a jazz pianist, classical pianist, accompanist and teacher of students of all ages. He has composed hundreds of works from small piano pieces to full-length operas. Recent works include a double jazz violin concerto, several songs and five musicals, all of which have premiered in New York.
At their performance in Menominee on Sept. 21, concertgoers are sure to be drawn in by this couple’s love for music and for each other. The show — which features Shields as vocalist and pianist and Shenton on piano, violin and vocals — has something for everyone.
The program will feature such wide-ranging and beloved songs as “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen, “I’m a Believer” by the Monkees, “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” from the Sound of Music, “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon & Garfunkel, “Heroic Polonaise in A-flat” by Chopin and many more.
RCCA memberships are for all five concerts and include the following options: Adult membership — $60; Student membership (through college) — $20; Family membership (two adults and all children through high school) — $140; Grandparent membership (two adults and grandchildren through high school) — $140.
Memberships can be purchased online at www.rcconcerts.com and at the following businesses:
Informational brochures are available at local libraries and all ticket outlets.
Single tickets will also be available for each concert and can be purchased at the door, priced at adults for $30 and students for $8. Tickets will be cash or check only.
All concerts are held at Blesch Auditorium at the Menominee Elementary School in Menominee, Mich., at 7 p.m.
For more information, visit www.rcconcerts.com to review RCCA’s upcoming concert schedule, purchase a membership, watch videos and learn more about the organization. More information can also be found by contacting Barb Akins at (906) 863-7387; writing to the RCCA at PO Box 191, Menominee, Mich., 49858; or emailing rcconcerts@gmail.com.
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