After a very busy summer, I am working on getting a few big projects rolling this fall.  I can’t wait to announce them.  Big news coming soon! I’m busy now working on arrangments and lining up musicians for an exciting upcoming project.  I will also be getting audio for this website from some of my past projects!  You’ll be able to sample many differnt sound of my past for free, right here on my media page! In the meantime, keep checking back here for updates.  My Schedule page will be updates very soon for fall! — mike

Summer (and the summer performance season!) is here! 2014 has been a very busy year so far!  I’ve spent time in the recording studio and on stage with The Ethan Bell Band, given a solo recital at NIU, played in several NIU ensembles, performed concerts on steelpan with 2 different orchestras, given steelpan history lectures, played gigs ranging from Bluegrass to Salsa, AND performed at NIU’s Commencement Ceremonies with the NIU Steelband.  … and I’m sure I’m leaving stuff out.  It’s been a great year so far, I’m hoping to keep it rolling! WEBSITE NEWS:  I added a handful of[…]

Thanks for checking in!  The spring recital prep is going well, I’m looking forward to giving my final recital at NIU on April 17th at 6:30 CST.  There will be a live webcast on NIU’s site.  Please come listen or support by watching online. I spent some time last week in the studio with Ethan Bell and the Ethan Bell Band.  The single we recorded will be ready for your enjoyment soon!  We have been working on some original music that we are playing at all live shows. Events are being added all the time.  To see the most up-to-date[…]

Last week I gave my Chamber Music Recital at NIU after a weekend of NIU Steelband and Afro-Cuban Folkloric Ensemble concerts. The concert with the Afro-Cuban Folkloric (run by Mike Mixtacki) was a great success!  It was a one-hour non-stop tour of Afro-Cuban Song and Drum.  The NIU Steelband did a show that was very different from some of its past concerts.  We played a Chris Tanner original with a horn section, added a rockin’ guitar solo to Tracy Thornton’s “In the Groove of Things,” and culminated in a Jit Samaroo original and the pop tune “Get Lucky.”  BOTH concerts[…]

Thanks for checking in on my site!  This fall culminates many of big projects from the past year.  I will be giving a New Music recital on November 26 at 8:00pm in NIU’s Recital Hall.  The concert will be webcast live for my friends outside of Illinois.  It will feature 3 pieces written for me: 2 by Kyle Krause and 1 by Todd Jelinek.  It will also feature some adaptations and other new pieces for solo steelpan and steelpan ensemble. Other events to be looking forward to are NIU’s first Afro-Cuban Folkloric Ensemble concert and the NIU Steelband concerts in[…]

Thanks for checking in on my website! I have many updates coming soon. My summer has been filled with many events and I have not been able to keep my “Schedule” page up to date.  You can always find news on my upcoming major events on facebook or righ there on my Blog.  Next month I will be updating my schedule through January 1, 2014.  AND I will be adding some audio and video from past events and maybe even album recordings to the media page. Keep checking in for updates to my schedule and media material!  Thanks! — mike

Just as I buttoned up my most recent restoration project, I got a call to a pretty cool little event on a very historic instrument! I was invited to play and speak at this Sunday’s Aurora Historical Society Open House at the historic Tanner House in Aurora, Illinois!  The reason the AHS needed a marimba player is bacuase of the discovery of a Deagan King George Marimba in the West Aurora High School instrument collection.  This istrument was played in the 1933 World’s Fair in Chicago as a part of the “Century of Progress Marimba Symphony Orchestra” that had 100[…]

There are 2 Steelpan recitals at NIU this week.  Saturday, April 27 at 11:00 am is Scott McConnel’s Graduate Steelpan Recital.  It will feature works by Andy Narell, Andy Akiho and J.S. Bach. TONIGHT at 6:30 is Liam Teague’s Faculty Steelpan Recital.   This will feature all new music for the steelpan commissioned by (or for) Prof. Teague.  The oldest work on the recital is a chamber work for steelpan and string quartet by Deborah Teason.  Three pieces of great variety by marimba virtuoso and composer Kevin Bobo will be performed.  One is a multi-movement unaccompanied steelpan work, and two[…]

Here comes a couple of very busy weeks!  Here is my performance schedule from now until mid April: Friday, March 29 at 6:30pm: Jonny Gifford’s Marimba Recital Monday, April 1 at 4:30pm: NIU Musician’s Showcase Wednesday, April 3 at 8pm: Composer’s Concert (NIU) Thursday, April 4 at 8pm: Mike Schwebke’s Senior Steelpan Recital (NIU) Sunday, April 7 at 3pm: NIU Steelband with Robert Greenidge Monday, April 8 at 8pm: NIU Latin Jazz Ensemble Dance Party (Concert Hall) Other notable events in the area included MANY percussion and steelpan recitals at NIU and the Great Lakes Steelpan Fest (April 13).  Hopefully[…]

I determined that Facebook would make an easy to see and maintain page for all of my restoration information and photos of restoration/repair projects.  Click the link below to see photos and read info on these projects. Schwebke Instrument Restoration & Repair – inquire to Mike@SchwebkeMusic.com — mike