Featuring chamber music’s most celebrated performing artists in 12 concerts throughout Cape Cod
McGRATHPR.com –
Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival (CCCMF)’s 40th anniversary season kicks off next week as Cape Cod’s premiere presenter of summer chamber music. Twelve compelling concerts are slated for venues across the Cape from August 1 through 23. The Festival’s 40th season is a whirlwind month of stellar performing artists, diverse repertoire, intimate venues, and unique pairings of instruments. The season is organized by Artistic Directors Jon Nakamatsu and Jon Manasse, and Executive Director Elaine Lipton, now all in their 13th year with the Festival.
A diverse, exceptional range of music’s virtuosos – performing artists, ensembles and repertoire – mark the Festival’s four-decade celebration. Amongst top highlights, a highly anticipated concert program celebrating the 100th birthday of Composer/Conductor Leonard Bernstein, with special guest appearance by his daughter Jamie Bernstein. Musical works by Bernstein and Aaron Copland are featured in the performance, including the epic work “Appalachian Spring” in its original scoring for 13 instruments. Jamie, having recently published her book title Famous Father Girl, a memoir of being raised as a Bernstein, kicks off the birthday commemoration with an author talk at Eastham Public Library on Thursday, August 16 at 7 pm. Four exceptional musicians from New York’s radiant Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra based in Lincoln Center perform with legendary pianists and artistic directors past and present – Brian Zeger, at the Orleans concert, and Jon Nakamatsu at its Cotuit performance. World renowned ensemble Emerson String Quartet returnsto performed Barber’s enigmatic “Adagio”. The appearance by prominent and beloved Borromeo String Quartet performs theNorth American premiere of “Icarus” for string quartet and clarinet by Wellfleet composer and MIT composition professor Elena Ruehr. The season culminates in a breathtaking three concert residency showcasing the extraordinary talents of Grammy® Award-winning Miró Quartet, celebrating its own 25th anniversary, performing concerts in Cotuit, Dennis and Wellfleet. The season finale Riches to Rags features works by the great Russian composers, Prokofiev and Shostakovich as well as four distinctly American rags composed especially for Manasse and Nakamatsu by John Novacek. The concert includes the thrilling Carrot Revolution by young composer Gabriella Smith whose works are internationally performed and applauded.
Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival was founded in 1979 by the late Samuel Sanders, a gifted pianist and accompanist to Itzhak Perlman for thirty years. Sanders’ goal was to establish a continuous presence of first-rate chamber music concerts on Cape Cod. As the Festival celebrates four decades, it excels under the leadership of its Artistic Directors, the team of Jon Manasse (clarinetist) and Jon Nakamatsu (pianist), both acclaimed musicians who represent the top ranks of American chamber music, as a duo and as individual artists. “The Jons”, as they are known, work closely with Executive Director Elaine Lipton, along with the help of an active Board and more than 60 local volunteers, to bring a stellar mosaic of talent to the Cape. In addition to its annual summer season of 12 concerts, community and school outreach programs and an annual benefit in New York, it partners with local cultural organizations for educational programs and fundraising.
The Festival continues Sam Sanders’ tradition of showcasing emerging talent by presenting accomplished musicians early in their careers. Over the years this has included such famed musicians as Yo-Yo Ma, Joshua Bell, the Parker Quartet and Jupiter Quartet, among others. Programming spans the 17th to 21st centuries, with periodic commissions from such composers as John Corigliano, William Bolcom and Osvaldo Golijov. The Festival owns several quality grand pianos housed at its Cotuit, Chatham and Wellfleet venues, utilized year-round by community members and other arts organizations.
CCCMF presents the finest classical and contemporary music by both world-class ensembles and exceptional young, emerging artists to Cape Cod audiences, developing new and younger audiences for chamber music. It commissions new chamber works whenever possible; and provides educational activities and programs that encourage, broaden and deepen the appreciation of the chamber music art form. The Festival has become synonymous with great chamber music at the height of tourist season on the Cape. Outreach programs have served students in the Barnstable, Chatham and Nauset school districts, and at the May Center in Chatham, as well as the residents of Thirwood Place in Yarmouth and the Riverview School in Sandwich.
Ticket orders received on or after July 1: $40 general admission; $15 for college students (with ID); FREE for attendees 18 and under. General admission to three or more concerts: $38 per ticket. Emerson String Quartet concert: $57 ($55 when purchased as part of the three-concert package).
Festival seating is limited to venue capacity, advance purchase is recommended. Tickets purchased online can be printed at home or picked up at will call at the performances. Tickets may also be purchased by calling or visiting the box office at 508-247-9400 or at 3 Main Street, Unit 6, North Eastham. Box office hours are 10 am to 3 pm, Monday through Friday. Phone orders are available until 12 noon on the day of each concert.
For more information about Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival’s 2019 season, performers, mission and venues, visit capecodchambermusic.org, or follow Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival on Facebook and Twitter.
2019 Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival Schedule:
Purely Romantic
Thursday, August 1, 7:30 pm, Falmouth Academy’s Simon Center for the Arts, 7 Highfield Drive, Falmouth
Hermitage Piano Trio
Program: Alyabyev: One Movement Trio in E-flat Major for Piano, Violin and Cello
Rachmaninoff: Trio “elagiaques” No. 1 in G Minor for Piano, Violin and Cello
Parker: Suite in A Major for Piano, Violin and Cello, Opus 35
Dvorak: Trio No. 3 in F Minor for Piano, Violin and Cello, Opus 65
Purely Romantic
Friday, August 2, 7:30 pm, First Congregational Church, 200 Main Street, Wellfleet
Hermitage Piano Trio
Program: Alyabyev: One Movement Trio in E-flat Major for Piano, Violin and Cello
Rachmaninoff: Trio “elagiaques” No. 1 in G Minor for Piano, Violin and Cello
Parker: Suite in A Major for Piano, Violin and Cello, Opus 35
Dvorak: Trio No. 3 in F Minor for Piano, Violin and Cello, Opus 65
Jupiter and One Jon
Monday, August 5, 7:30 pm, First Congregational Church: 650 Main Street, Chatham
Jupiter String Quartet, Jon Nakamatsu, piano
Program: Mendelssohn: String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor, Opus 13
Shostakovitch: String Quartet No. 11 in F Minor, Opus 122
Schumann: Quintet in E-flat Major for Piano, and Strings, Opus 44
Jupiter and One Jon
Tuesday, August 6, 7:30 pm, Cotuit Center for the Arts: 4404 Falmouth Road (Route 28), Cotuit
Jupiter String Quartet, Jon Nakamatsu, piano
Program: Mendelssohn: String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor, Opus 13
Shostakovitch: String Quartet No. 11 in F Minor, Opus 122
Schumann: Quintet in E-flat Major for Piano, and Strings, Opus 44
The Emerson and Barber’s Adagio
Wednesday, August 7, 7:30 pm, First Congregational Church, 200 Main Street, Wellfleet
Emerson String Quartet
Program: Haydn: String Quartet in D Major, Opus 71 No. 2; Hob. III: 70
Barber: String Quartet in B Minor, Opus 11
Dvorak: String Quartet No. 10 in E-flat Major, Opus 51(B. 92)
Mostly Mostly Mozart … and Brahms
Monday, August 12, 7:30 pm, Church of the Holy Spirit, 204 Monument Road, Orleans
Laura Frautschi, violin; Krystof Witek, violin; Danielle Farina, viola; Ilya Finkelshteyn, cello; Tanya Dusevic Witek, flute; Brian Zeger, piano
Program: Mozart: Prelude and Fugue No. 2 in G Minor for Violin, Viola, and Cello K. 404a
Mozart: Trio in E Major for Piano, Violin, and Cello. K.542
Mozart: Quartet in D Major for Flute, Violin, Viola and Cello, K 285
Brahms: Trio in C Major for Violin, Cello, and Piano, Opus 87
Mostly Mostly Mozart…and Schubert
Tuesday, August 13, Cotuit Center for the Arts: 4404 Falmouth Road (Route 28), Cotuit
Laura Frautschi, violin; Danielle Farina, viola; Ilya Finkelshteyn, cello; Andrew Trombley, bass; Jon Manasse, clarinet; Jon Nakamatsu, piano
Program: Mozart: Quartet in E-flat Major for Piano, Violin, Viola and Cello K. 493
Mozart: Trio in E-flat Major for Piano, Clarinet and Viola, K. 498 (Kegelsttatt)
Schubert: Quintet in A Major, Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass and Piano, D667 (Trout)
Borromeo, Manasse and Icarus
Wednesday, August 14, 7:30 pm, Dennis Union Church: 713 Main Street (Route 6A), Dennis
Borromeo String Quartet, Jon Manasse, clarinet
Program: Bach: Four Preludes and Fugues from the Well-tempered Clavier, Book II
Ruehr; Icarus for string quartet and clarinet (North American Premiere)
Mendelssohn: String Quartet in D Major, Opus 44 No. 1
Leonard Bernstein at 100
Friday, August 16, 7:30 PM, First Congregational Church, 200 Main Street, Wellfleet
Borromeo String Quartet, Jon Nakamatsu, piano, Jon Manasse, clarinet, Brian Zeger, piano, Jamie Bernstein, Festival Artists
Program: Bernstein: Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano
Bernstein: Two pieces from Sabras
Copland: Movement for String Quartet
Bernstein: Sonata for Clarinet and Piano
Copland: Appalachian Spring
Miró Residency: The Miró Quartet
Tuesday, August 20, Cotuit Center for the Arts: 4404 Falmouth Road (Route 28), Cotuit
Miró Quartet
Program: Mozart: Quartet in B-flat Major for Strings, K. 458
Puts: Credo for String Quartet
Schumann: Quartet in A Minor for Strings, Opus 41 No. 1
Miró Residency: Romantic Strings
Wednesday, August 21, 7:30 pm, Dennis Union Church: 713 Main Street (Route 6A), Dennis
Miró Quartet, Jon Manasse, clarinet, Jon Nakamatsu, piano
Program: Wolf: Seranade in G Major for String Quartet
Glière: Quartet in A Major for Strings, Opus 2
Franck: Quartet in D Major for Strings, FWV 9
Bruch: Eight Pieces for Clarinet, Viola and Piano, opus 83
Brahms: Quartet in C Minor for Piano, Violin, Viola and Cello, opus 60
Miró Residency: Riches to Rags
Friday, August 23, 7:30 pm, First Congregational Church, 200 Main Street, Wellfleet
Miró Quartet, Jon Manasse, clarinet, Jon Nakamatsu, piano
Program: Prokofiev: Overture on Hebrew Themes for Clarinet, String Quartet and Piano, Opus 34
Shostakovich: Quintet in G Major for Piano and Strings, Opus 57
Smith: Carrot Revolution for String Quartet
Novacek: Four Rags for Two Jons
About the Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival
Hailed by The New York Times as “A Triumph of Quality,” the Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival (CCCMF) has been a year-round presenter of chamber music and a major contributor to the cultural life of Cape Cod since its inception in 1979. Founded as the Cape & Islands Chamber Music Festival by the late collaborative pianist Samuel Sanders, the Festival continues his legacy. Now entering its 40th season, CCCMF presents four weeks of intensive chamber music programming in a variety of Cape locations in August. Throughout the rest of the year, CCCMF presents autumn and spring concerts, a community outreach program, and benefit concerts in New York and on Cape Cod. Hoping to ignite the interest of a younger audience, CCCMF welcomes all youth up to age 18 to attend any regular concert free of charge. The Festival is also host to a Composer-in-Residence program, and features composers with Cape Cod connections. CCCMF is a private, non-profit organization supported by a volunteer Board of Directors with financial support from individuals, corporations, and foundations both local and nationwide. For more information about CCCMF’s programs, schedule or tickets, visit capecodchambermusic.org, call 508-247-9400 or follow Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival on Facebook and Twitter.
Photos: Courtesy, Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival
Top Center: Compilation image:
Top: Author Jamie Bernstein, daughter of Leonard Bernstein; The Miró Quartet by Naoya Ikegami
Bottom: Jupiter String Quartet, image courtesy of the ensemble; CCCMF Artistic Directors and performing artists Jon Manasse (back) and Jon Nakamatsu (front), courtesy of Artist Management Group
Middle Left: Jon Manasse and Jon Nakamatsu, courtesy of Artist Management Group
Right (top to bottom): Hermitage Piano Trio, image courtesy of the ensemble
The Emerson String Quartet, image by Lisa Mazzucco
Borromeo String Quartet, image courtesy of the ensemble
Miró Quartet (L to R) Daniel Ching, William Fedkenheuer, Joshua Gindele, John Largess, Image by Naoya Ikegami
