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Giving & Alumni
College of Music
Giving & Alumni
College of Music

Music and the Garden: Wild at Heart Celebration

Background image: Jazz group performing under canopy in foreground gathered in garden setting watching concert in the distance with other attendees. Inset type: Music and the Garden in script font and logo Beal Botanical Garden with decorative leaves in the letter 'B'
Sunday, August 10, 2025
Other
1:00 pm

Location
Beal Botanical Garden
West Circle Drive, MSU Campus

1:00 PM Activities
2:00 PM Concert

Drop in for hands-on family activities beginning at 1 PM, then settle in for a 2 PM concert by an MSU College of Music student ensemble—all set in the lush surroundings of Beal Botanical Garden. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy a unique afternoon where music and the natural world meet.

Performances take place in the Beal Botanical Garden, with a move indoors across the street to Murray Hall of the Music Building only if necessary due to weather. The Music and the Garden series is presented by Beal Botanical Garden in collaboration with the MSU College of Music, with activities coordinated by the garden’s education team.

Celebrating 10 Years of Beautiful Sights and Sounds

The MSU College of Music and Beal Botanical Garden invite you to this year’s Music and the Garden series with a celebration of nature, music, and imagination. This family-friendly event explores the theme “Wild at Heart”—an invitation to see plant collections in new ways and learn how MSU’s gardens are being reimagined for the future.

The program features the Mia Chinni Trio performing an upbeat mix of Latin and bossa nova jazz, echoing the vibrant spirit of nature.

Group images of three musicians: Jazz guitarist, jazz drummer and vocalist, and jazz bassist.

The Mia Chinni Trio brings a vibrant blend of jazz, Brazilian, and Latin music to the stage, led by guitarist Mia Chinni. Originally from Washington, D.C., Chinni is currently based in Michigan, where she studies with renowned guitarist Randy Napoleon at Michigan State University. Her fingerstyle technique and broad musical influences shape a sound that is both expressive and engaging. She has performed in a range of settings—from intimate cafés to large concert venues—and has collaborated with artists such as Dan Wilson and Rick Roe. In 2024, she arranged and recorded For Astrud and toured with the MSU Jazz Nonet. Joining her are bassist Emma Wilburn and drummer Sarah Whitaker, completing a trio that brings rhythmic nuance and melodic depth to their performances.