Cellist Bjorn Ranheim, who the last time I saw him had shaved his head just before the last Casual Classics concert, sent me a note about the "intense music festival" he's already in the thick of in Boulder, the Colorado Music Festival, aka "Michael Christie's summer band."

So I went to the CMF website to check out what Bjorn was talking about, and found this concert listing for July 15 in downtown Boulder:

DUO VIVANT Performed by Calin Lupanu, Violin; Bjorn Ranheim, Cello

Bartok: Hungarian Folk Melodies for Violin & Cello

Kodaly: Duo for Violin & Cello, op. 7

Handel: Halvorsen-Passacaglia for Violin & Cello

Ravel: Sonata for Violin & Cello

On top of that, Bjorn is playing principal with the CMF Orchestra, so he's practicing. "Intense" is a pretty good word choice.

After the CMF is done Bjorn heads to Idaho for the Sun Valley Summer Symphony--with a number of other SLSO notables.

If you're passing through Boulder and take in the CMF (through July and the first week of August), you may also see SLSO musicians Shannon Farrell Williams, playing principal viola; Jonathan Reycraft, playing principal trombone; and horn players Greg Roosa and Amy Jo Rhine.

Meanwhile, in the Lou, a lot of folks are heading for the new sculpture garden downtown, along with the annual Fair St. Louis fireworks down by the Arch, or hanging out and eagerly awaiting the new Son Volt album.

Whatever you're up to on Independence Day Weekend, have a great, glorious and safe holiday. I'll post again on Monday. There may be some pics from the Adam Crane/Danny Lee New England Summer Tour.