Sam Markus and Jen Thorington of Idyllwild rang in the New Year with sights and sound reminiscent of Great Britain’s music scene nearly 40 years ago — and with a coveted prize from the California Film Awards 2017 competition. The directing duo, known by last names only, raked in the Gold award for their music…

Construction of the William M. Lowman Concert Hall on the Idyllwild Arts Academy and Summer Programs campus will occur in the next year or two. The Idyllwild Arts Foundation successfully completed a $6.3-million campaign to fund the project by its Dec. 31 deadline. A 298-seat, acoustically brilliant facility, the concert hall will become the centerpiece…