With a grassy knoll underfoot, students and faculty alike can experience the enchanting sounds of local musicians while they take part in the University Museum exposition Music In the Garden.

Wednesdays between noon and 1 p.m., area musicians such as Carter and Connelley, the Brownbaggers, and Stephani Fein perform their musical talents surrounded by metallic sculptures and blooming trees. The concerts are an outdoor event, unless rain fall occurs, then the event is moved indoors to the Museum’s lobby.

Music In the Garden is a melodic bonanza designed to incorporate student and faculty relations while promoting the exhibitions inside the Museum’s domain.

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Program Director Tracy Jakobsen said the Museum has achieved an abundant amount of success from Music In the Garden because it gains the attention of students and faculty that furthers their overall interest in the Museum.

The program is to promote good relations on campus and to do marketing for the Museum, Jakobsen said. It has been successful. People seem to say to themselves Hey we’re listening to the music and we’re here so why not go inside and see what they have on exhibit.’

The program is in its second year and Jakobsen said the daytime shows will continue in the future. She anticipates a growth in the performers involved with the program as well as increasing attendance.

We began this in fall of ’96. And the concerts continue all through the summer for summer school and we are coming back with this in the fall, she said. It has been expanding, musicians like it because they get exposure and lately people have contacted me and said they wanted to play in the Music In the Garden.’

Jakobsen said about 50 people attended Wednesday’s performance of Brian Boyd and the diversity of the audience was overwhelming.

Because the concerts are during the lunch hour, people come and go as they choose, but there was a good turn out, she said. The audience is changeable by week. All age groups attend. Carbondale High School students, the parents of faculty, adults who even bring their children to the shows.

It’s just a real good mix of people, with quite a variety of roles.

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The concert site was determined for the beauty and elegance of the landscaping and surrounding art works that embrace the area.

To keep the program running, there has to be enough people to set up and tear down the equipment and seats. Jakobsen said preserving the site after an event can be challenging, but a full staff is always eager to assist her.

We all work together on this project, graduate assistants, student employees and faculty, she said. We have to haul all the chairs and sound equipment around and that can be difficult, but there are always helping hands.

Fatoid:Music in the Garden performances begin at noon each Wednesday.