Newcomers to Whiting's Lakefront Park, Carl Linden and the Chicago String Artists likely will be invited back for future shows.

The seven-piece ensemble -- violins, bass, trumpet, woodwinds, keyboard -- will perform material ranging from Strauss waltzes to Charlie Daniels' "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," a country version of the Faust legend, according to Linden, climaxed by a fiddling contest between the devil and a young man for his soul.

Musical styles encompass light classics, standards, show tunes, movie themes, jazz, swing, country and more. Bass player Bob Hiller, a great mimic of well-known singers, Linden says, supplies vocals. People get up and dance, and strolling violinists separate themselves from the group and serenade spectators.

Part of the program is planned and part unplanned, Linden says.

"We accept all audience requests but only play the ones we know." Having played together for at least 20 years, the musicians have built a considerable repertoire of pieces they can play on the spot.

As examples of numbers frequently requested, Linden mentioned Strauss waltzes, "Edelweiss" (and just about everything from "The Sound of Music"), selections from Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Phantom of the Opera" and the most popular of all -- "Happy Birthday!"

One of the planned items is Linden's new composition, a theme and variations on "Turkey in the Straw."

Among the variations are a Viennese waltz, a Russian melody (a là Tchaikovsky), a "Branded Bird Concerto" (Bach), a French movement (Erik Satie) and a polka titled "Yes, We Have No Pierogis."

Linden earned a master's in music in violin performance from Roosevelt University and performed for 30 years with Franz Benteler and the Royal Strings. For 20 of those years, Linden served as the leader of Benteler's second group set up to meet the demands of multiple bookings.

Today, Linden supplies live musicians for a variety of events throughout the Chicago area. For more information and video/listening samples, go to carllinden.com.

He and his artists have played this summer at Oakbrook Park, Elmhurst College and Crestwood (Aug. 3), which drew an audience of 2,500.

Linden's "Indiana Suite" was premiered this past November by the La Porte County Symphony Orchestra, and a 20th century dance suite is in the works.