Coming off a highly successful Silver Anniversary in 2010, Chesapeake Chamber Music announces its 26th annual Festival, to be held June 5 through June 19, 2011. The organization continues to expand in 2011 by offering three new performance venues – St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Easton, the Easton Studio and School, and the newly renovated St. Michaels High School Auditorium. In all, during its two-week period, the 2011 Festival will include 13 events, including six concerts, five artist recitals (up from three in 2010) and two rehearsals open to the public at no charge in locations across the Mid Shore.
This year’s 17 artists will include faces familiar to long-time Festival-goers, along with several newcomers to the Eastern Shore Festival scene. J. Lawrie Bloom, Principal Clarinet of the Chicago Sym phony Orchestra, and Marcy Rosen, a founding member of the world-re nowned Mendelssohn String Quartet, are the Festival’s artistic co-directors.
The season opens with a new experience in a new venue on Sunday, June 5 at 5:30 p.m. – a shared recital presentation at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church with William Neil, organist from New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC, who will utilize both the church’s organ and piano when performing with David Bilger, principal trumpet of the Philadelphia Orchestra.
The Festival visits another new venue on Thursday, June 16 with a unique recital, hosted by gallery owner and artist Nancy Tankersley, combining chamber music by violinist Daniel Phillips and visual art at another new venue, the Easton Studio and School. Tankersley is the artist whose painting of Black Walnut Point is the 2011 Festival Image. On Saturday afternoon, June 18, a concert featuring Mozart, Torke and Mendelssohn will be held in the St. Michaels High School Auditorium in the heart of historic St. Michaels. This new venue, which features superb acoustics, will attract boater and vacationers alike. Students will be admitted free to this concert.
Additional concerts include a piano and voice recital at The Inn at 202 Dover in Easton on June 7; a viola and piano recital at the Academy Art Museum in Easton on June 9; an “Inspirational Schumann” concert at the Avalon Theatre in Easton on June 10; a “French Masters” concert at Aspen Institute, Wye Woods, in Queenstown on June 11; a clarinet, strings and voice concert on June 12 at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Chestertown; and an oboe and piano recital on June 14 at Christ Church in Easton, featuring the classic Steinway grand piano donated last year by the family of Mrs. Margaret Nuttle.
The Angels Concert will conclude the Festival at “Elizabeth Point” in Oxford with striking views across the Tred Avon River. Chesapeake Chamber Music is a non-profit organization which sponsors the annual Chesapeake Chamber Music Festival, the biennial Chesapeake Chamber Music Competition, (March 2012), and the annual Jazz on the Chesapeake Festival over Labor Day weekend.
Ticket prices for the 2011 Festival are affordable, and the open rehearsals will remain free to the general public. For additional information, visit www.ChesapeakeChamberMusic.org or call 410 819-0380.
In photo: Pictured is David Bilger, principal trumpet of the Philadelphia Orchestra, who will perform with William Neil, organist from New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington,DC, to kick-off the 26th annual Chesapeake Chamber Music Festival. The recital will be held at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Easton on Sunday, June 5 at 5:30 p.m. The Festival runs through June 19, 2011.
Schedule:
Sunday, June 5, 5:30 pm
Chesapeake Chamber Music Festival with St. Mark’s UMC
Jointly Presented Organ & Trumpet Recital with William Neil & David Bilger
St. Mark’s UMC, Easton
Tuesday, June 7, 5:30 pm
Chesapeake Chamber Music Festival
Recital with Kendra Colton (Soprano) and Ieva Jokubaviciute (Piano)
Inn at 202 Dover, Easton
Wednesday, June 8, 10:00 am
Free Open Rehearsal
Academy Art Museum, Easton
Thursday, June 9, 12 noon
Recital with Kim Kashkashian (Viola) and Robert McDonald (Piano)
Academy Art Museum, Easton
Friday, June 10, 8:00 pm
“Inspirational Schumann” Concert
Avalon Theatre, Easton
Saturday, June 11, 4:00 pm
“French Masters” Concert and French Country Picnic
Works by Ravel, Bacri, and Fauré
Aspen Institute, Wye Woods, Queenstown
Sunday, June 12, 3:00 pm
Concert
Works by Hummel, Golijov, and Dvořák
Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Chestertown
Tuesday, June 14, 5:30 pm
Recital with Peggy Pearson (Oboe) and Ieva Jokubaviciute (Piano)
Christ Church, Easton
Wednesday, June 15, 10:00 am
Free Open Rehearsal
Academy Art Museum, Easton
Thursday, June 16, 5:30 pm
Recital with Daniel Phillips (Violiin) and Tara Helen O’Connor (Flute)
Easton Studio and School, Easton
Friday, June 17, 8:00 pm
“Evening in Vienna” Concert
Works by Mozart, Strauss, and Schubert
Avalon Theatre, Easton
Saturday, June 18, 3:00 pm
Concert
Works by Mozart, Torke, and Mendelssohn
St. Michaels High School, St. Michaels
Sunday, June 19, 4:00 pm
Angels Concert (“Point Elizabeth,” Oxford)
Works by Mozart, Gabrielli, Widor, Jolivet and Dohnányi
For further information or to purchase tickets, call 410 819-0380 or visit www.chesapeakechambermusic.org.