The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
MAKING MUSIC ON THE MOUNTAIN
Summer chamber music festival to open 89th season
FALLS VILLAGE — Music Mountain’s 89th season, dubbed America’s longest running summer chamber music festival, kicks off on June 10 with the complete Beethoven string quartet cycle. The chamber music series will feature Music Mountain premieres and welcome first-time guests and returning favorites. Concerts are scheduled through Sept. 23.
The 89th season launches on June 10 with the opening concert and reception, featuring the outstanding Shanghai String Quartet performing Beethoven Quartet Cycle Program #1: String Quartet in E Flat Major, Op. 127; String Quartet in G Major, Op. 18 #2; and String Quartet in C Major, Op. 59 #3.
The Shanghai Quartet will perform the complete six-concert Beethoven string quartet cycle in five consecutive Sundays from June 10 through July 8, plus a final concert and reception on Sept. 9 to celebrate the completion of the full cycle.
The season continues with nine quartets playing exceptional programs, including Escher String Quartet, Penderecki String Quartet, Harlem String Quartet, Avalon String Quartet, Amernet String Quartet, St. Petersburg Piano Quartet, Cassatt String Quartet, American String Quartet, and Ariel String Quartet.
Fourteen stellar guest artists will perform this summer, including 2017 Van Cliburn Gold Medalist Yekwon Sunwoo, piano; Victoria Schwartzman, piano; Fei-Fei Dong, piano; Soyeon Kate Lee, piano; Cynthia Phelps, viola; Ronald Thomas, cello; Paul Katz, cello; Peter Serkin, piano; Amy Cassiere, oboe; Caitlin Beare, clarinet; Shannon Hagan, horn; Adam Romey, bassoon; Robert McDonald, piano; and Oskar Espina-Ruiz,
clarinet.
“This is a one-of-a-kind season,” said Music Mountain Artistic Director Oskar Espina-Ruiz. “In addition to the Beethoven cycle, it includes the complete set of three brilliant Beethoven piano quartets from 1785; the complete Mozart “Prussian” string quartets, the last string quartets Mozart composed; the great piano quintets by Schumann, Brahms, Dvorak, Dohnanyi and Shostakovich; the Mozart and Beethoven quintets for piano and winds featuring Peter Serkin; Shostakovich string quartet numbers 3, 7 and 8; and beloved master works such as Tchaikovsky’s String Sextet “Souvenir de Florence;” Schubert’s “Death and the Maiden” and “Rosamunde” string quartets, and the Cello Quintet in C Major; as well
as Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet.”
Music Mountain is located in Falls Village on Music Mountain Road, where a short scenic drive will bring you to Gordon Hall atop Music Mountain. Free parking and picnic facilities are available.
Music Mountain is supported, in part, by the Connecticut Commission On Culture & Tourism and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Tickets for the 89th season opening concert and reception featuring Shanghai String Quartet on June 10 at 3 p.m. are $75.
Tickets for the Labor Day benefit concert and reception on Sunday, Sept. 2 at 3 p.m. with Peter Serkin, piano; Amy Cassiere, oboe; Caitlin Beare, clarinet; Shannon Hagan, horn; and Adam Romey, bassoon, are $75. Tickets for the final Beethoven Quartet Cycle and wine reception on Sept. 9 at 3 p.m. are $60.
Specially priced packages: Music Mountain Gold Pass, includes admission to all concerts and receptions with the artists, priority reserved seating and one $20 guest ticket available for any regularly priced concert, for $780 individual and $1,500 pair, transferable; Beethoven Cycle Package, includes admission to all six concerts and two receptions with the artists of the Beethoven Cycle, for $225, individual, transferable; Ted Nash VIP Event Pass for June 16, Music Mountain Jazz Series opening night, including Green Room meet and greet with the artists at 5:30 pm; autographed copy of artist’s latest album CD and vinyl; bottle of wine of artist’s own Two Notes label; and priority seating at the concert, $75, individual, transferable.
Concert and dinner passes are available for all Twilight Series Concerts for $70, including preconcert dinner at 5 p.m. at The
Fall Village Inn, a Litchfield County landmark — classic American comfort fare, seasonal — and 6:30 p.m. Twilight Concert at Music Mountain. Dinner reservations must be made no later than the Friday prior to concert date by calling the Music Mountain box office at 860-824-7126.
Regularly scheduled chamber music concerts are $35. Twilight Series concerts are $30.
Children ages 5-18 are admitted free for all concerts, when accompanied by a ticket holder. Saturday evening Twilight concerts are at 6:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon Chamber Music concerts are at 3 p.m. Four-pack preseason ticket vouchers are available for $100. Discounts apply through participating organizations.
For a complete summer schedule, special ticket prices, and to download a ticket order form visit www.musicmountain.org or call 860-824-7126.