Candlelight Concerts: The Best of Joe Hisaishi in Denver, Colorado

I have gotten wind of this event I think via Instagram aka a Meta sponsored ad (props to Secret Denver for their ad targeting), so I wanted to break down the “who” and “what” about this event because it looks fantastic.

I want to support a local Colorado event because I am currently in Colorado. I am also dying from a lack of legit food, not seeing Asian people, or having the sort of activities I have become accustomed to in Los Angeles or San Francisco for the last 24 years. That is why I am super-happy-fresh-excellent glad for these events, but they are not local performers or a locally-based organization, although I am cool with that.

I am the type of person who has more questions than normal, so I like to share all the details about these events, specifically the Best of Joe Hisaishi that is coming up on February 25th, a Saturday (also in March and June).
Hey, I like to know all the details.

I do not get anything out of this, and I am merely doing it because I was interested in the event, and I also nerd out as to who and where I drop my milk money.

I want to go

So I had to research everything because I was totally clueless as to every little detail which is why I produced this piece, and I hope it can clear up all the questions I had (you may have).

Who is performing and will Joe Hisaishi (the Studio Ghibli composer) be there

Mamoru Fujisawa aka Joe Hisaishi will unfortunately not be there, but he should not be the major draw. The draw are the individuals dedicating themselves and multiple nights to honor his music.

This image is courtesy of Kirk of Highland, and I do not know if it is of Candlelight Experiences (I do know that there are a lot of candles).

What type of venue is the Kirk of Highland

Ok, this is an epic space, but like the Church nightclub, this Richardsonian Romanesque church dates back to the 1890s (I wonder how long till the Denver Buddhist temple turns into an Asian food hall and drinking establishment?).

“The Kirk brags of three potential rental areas: the auditorium showcases the building’s original seating, large stained glass windows and the oldest organ in the Midwest. A 2,800 sq. ft. Flagstone Patio features a cascading fountain and the scenic Denver Skyline. The 4,000 sq. ft. Open gallery space can be used for food, dancing and entertainment with additional stage space and gorgeous lighting.”
– The Kirk

The address: 3011 Vallejo St, Denver, CO 80211, 80211

So who exactly is performing

It is sort of odd at how hard it is to know upfront who is performing, but from my research, these performances are put on by Candle Light Experiences. The organization puts on performances in 100+ cities in front of audiences totaling 3 million attendees.

This is all they say in regards to their talent:

Professional musicians from all over the world will leave you speechless with their skill.

We always choose the ensemble that best suits the program: solo piano, string quartet, brass band, vocals & guitar…
– Candlelight Experience

How many performers?

I do not know, at least 1, I can tell you that.

Here is what they cite seeking people to join their organization:

The philosophy of Candlelight is the democratization of classical music; for this reason, we work with excellent musicians with a variety of qualifications and origins who are not necessarily the most famous or most experienced in the sector.

We are looking for talent able to play the masterpieces of iconic composers such as Vivaldi or Mozart; however, we are also looking for individuals who not only play modern melodies belonging to great composers such as Ludovico, but also understand that classical music can reach every corner, and demonstrate this understanding by performing the best soundtracks, rock songs, pop and more on their violins, pianos, cellos etc.

If you wish to form part of the Candlelight experience and become one of our musicians, fill out the form and we will get in touch with you as soon as possible.
– Candlight Experience

Well, like farmer Hoggett said to Babe the pig, that’ll do, and I am fine with the vagueness of their performers (all the reviews have been overwhelmingly good).

Image courtesy of? if you guessed from the Hip Photo, you are correct. They are local photographers, and you can read all about them on their site fromthehipphoto.com

Who is Secret Denver aka the Secret Media Network

Secret Denver is the localized media website and event promoter where you go to find out what is happening in Denver. They are part of a global network by Secret Media Network owned by Fever.
They are one reason why I know about this event, and you can read about Ignacio Bachiller (CEO) and Francisco Hein (CMO), the cofounders of Fever on Forbes.

Initially I thought this event was by Secret Denver, but after a little digging, I found out that Secret Denver aka Secret Media Network is the group responsible for promoting this event which they have done a stellar job doing. Yea, I know, you may be asking how do I know? Targeting, that’s how, because they were able to identify that I would be interested in this event, and most people who do not have a digital marketing background, yet decide to try and do it on their own can barely target the correct city (I constantly get ads for restaurants located in New York, back in California, or other states).

Website: secretdenver.com
Event info: “Heat Up Your Social Calendar With These 8 Memorable Experiences In Denver”
Instagram: secretdenver_smn

By the way, this event is presented by Fever (feverup.com), and they of course utilize their media network to promote the event.

Here are all the other details that you can also find on the event website

General Info
📍 Venue: Kirk of Highland
📅 Dates and times: various dates available at 6:30 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. (select during purchase)
⏳ Duration: 60 minutes (doors open 45 mins prior to the start time and late entry is not permitted)
👤 Age requirement: 8 years old or older. Anyone under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult
♿ Accessibility: this venue is ADA compliant
❓ View the FAQs for this event here
🪑 Seating is assigned on a first come first served basis in each zone
🎻 Check out all the Candlelight concerts in Denver
🕯️ If you would like to book a private concert (min 40+ people), please click here

Tentative Program