Emerson String Quartet to Open Music Mountain's 87th Season; Lineup Announced!

Concert aficionados from around the country will want to mark their calendars for Music Mountain, America's oldest continuing summer chamber music festival, when it kicks off its record-breaking 87th Anniversary Season beginning Sunday, June 5th!

The summer will feature 15 weekends of incredible music including returning favorite chamber ensembles, first-time guests, the ever-popular Saturday Evening Twilight Series featuring an array of Jazz ensembles and musicians, and the second season of the Master Class Series plus so much more! Concerts are scheduled through September 11.

Newly appointed Musical Director, Jonathan Yates has taken the rich history of Music Mountain and built "upon its great legacy by exploring its roots, including its original dedication to new music, works outside the string quartet repertoire and teaching."

In maintaining that spirit, this season will highlight these new accomplishments:

• The Music Mountain debut of lauded pianist Richard Goode in a solo recital on July 31, in addition to the return of esteemed artists including the Emerson Quartet, Borromeo Quartet, Shanghai Quartet, cellist Colin Carr, and pianists Peter Serkin and Gilbert Kalish.
• Over twenty works that have never been performed at Music Mountain before, including music by Kevin Puts, Lev Zhurbin, Daniel S. Godfrey, and Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire.
• The inauguration of the collaboration with the Catskill Jazz Factory, which will bring many of the youngest and most exciting jazz musicians in the country to Music Mountain.
• The renewed dedication to teaching at Music Mountain, including the second season of the Music Mountain Master Classes, with faculty members Misha Amory, viola; Colin Carr, cello; and Ayano Ninomiya, violin.

The 87th Anniversary Season launches on Sunday, June 5 (3PM) with the Opening Concert & Reception featuring the thrilling Emerson String Quartet performing Haydn: String Quartet in D Minor, Opus 76 # 2; Beethoven: String Quartet in G Major, Opus 18 #2; and Schubert: String Quartet in G Major, Opus 161, D.887. The season continues with eleven acclaimed string quartets playing many notable programs, including Borromeo String Quartet (June 12), Penderecki String Quartet (June 19), Cassatt String Quartet (June 26), Cantata Profana (July 3), Enso String Quartet (July 17), Avalon String Quartet (July 24), Harlem String Quartet (August 7), St. Petersburg String Quartet (August 14 & 21), Arianna String Quartet (August 28), Shanghai String Quartet (September 3 & 4), and Amernet String Quartet (September 11). Twelve renowned guest artists will also play this summer, including Colin Carr, cello; Peter Serkin, piano; Julia Hsu, piano; Daniel Epstein, piano; Soyeon Kate Lee, piano; Richard Goode, piano; Pamela Mia Paul, piano; Francine Kay, piano; Raman Ramakrishnan, cello; Jonathan Yates, piano; Gilbert Kalish, piano; and Alexander Fiterstein, clarinet. (see below for detailed schedule.)

The Saturday Evening Twilight Series is set to begin on Saturday, June 11 (6:30PM) with The Galvanized Jazz Band! The Twilight Series continues with returning favorites and first time guests including The New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players (June 18); New Black Eagle Jazz Band (June 25); Swingtime Big Band (July 2); Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks (July 9); Joanna Wallfisch (July 16); Dan Tepfer (July 23); Will & Peter Anderson (July 30); Chris Washburne & The Syotos Band (August 6); Chris Pattishall Octet (August 13); Michael Berkeley (August 20); Cantata Profana (August 27); and Jive By Five (September 10).

The 87th season will also mark the beginning of two new ticketing options to compliment their established family friendly ticket prices! Concert goers will be able to reserve their favorite seat(s) in advance for a one-time payment of $60 per seat, per season. For information on how to reserve a seat and specific seat availability, call 860-824-7126. Music Mountain also introduces the Music Mountain Gold Pass! Major Gold Pass benefits include: Admission to all concerts; Priority Reserved Seating (subject to availability); Half price for guests to all regularly priced concerts. Cost for Gold Pass Memberships: Individual: $780; Pair: $1,500. For a list of other benefits and more information, call 860-824-7126. All Gold Passes are transferable.

Music Mountain is located in Falls Village, Connecticut 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. Food, locally baked cookies, coffee, and spring water are available for purchase.

Specially Priced Concerts are as Follows: Tickets for the Season Opening Concert & Reception on Sunday, June 5 (3PM) are $75 and include a voucher for any regularly priced 2016 concert. All tickets to the Sunday, July 10 Piano 4 Hands Concert are $60. Tickets for the Mid-Summer Benefit Concert on Sunday, July 31 (3PM) are $75 and include a voucher for any regularly priced 2016 concert. Tickets for the Labor Day Benefit Concert & Reception are $75 and include a voucher for any regularly priced 2017 concert.

Chamber Music Concerts are $35 at the door/$30 in advance. Twilight Series Concerts are $30 at the door/$27 in advance. Children ages 5-18 are admitted FREE for ALL CONCERTS when accompanied by a ticket holder. Saturday Twilight Concerts are at 6:30pm. Sunday afternoon Chamber Music concerts are at 3pm. Group rates and pre season ticket vouchers are available. 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.

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2016 CHAMBER MUSIC SCHEDULE:
(subject to change)

SUNDAY, JUNE 5, 3 PM
87TH SEASON OPENING CONCERT & RECEPTION
All tickets: $75
Includes a Voucher for any Regularly Priced 2016 Concert
Emerson String Quartet
(Underwritten by an Anonymous Donor)
Haydn: String Quartet in D Minor, Opus 76 # 2 (1796-7) (12)
Beethoven: String Quartet in G Major, Opus 18#2 (1798-1800) (22)
Schubert: String Quartet in G Major, Opus 161, D.887 (1826) (19)

SUNDAY, JUNE 12, 3 PM
Borromeo String Quartet
Bach: Selections from the Well-Tempered Klavier, BWV 846-853 (1722) (2)
Ravel: String Quartet in F (1903) (45)
Beethoven: String Quartet in E Flat Major, Opus 127 (1825) (19)

SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 3 PM
Penderecki String Quartet
Maurycy Banaszek, Viola
Haydn: String Quartet in D Major, Opus20 #4 (1772) (13)
Mendelssohn: String Quartet in A Major, Opus13 ("Ist Es Wehr?) (1827) (11)
Bruckner, Viola Quintet in F Major, WAB 112 (1878-79) (1)

SUNDAY, JUNE 26, 3 PM
Cassatt String Quartet
Colin Carr, Cello
Daniel S. Godfrey: Romanza (1974) (1)
Tchaikovsky: String Quartet in D Major, Opus 11 (1871) (17)
Schubert: Cello Quintet in C Major, D 956, Opus 163 (1828) (26)

SUNDAY, JULY 3, 3PM
Cantata Profana
Beethoven: Septet in E Flat Major, Opus 20 (1800) (4)
Schubert: Octet in F Major, Opus 166, D.803 (1824) (2)

SUNDAY, JULY 10, 3PM
Peter Serkin and Julia Hsu
Piano 4 Hands
All Tickets: $60
Underwritten by an Anonymous Donor
J.S. Bach, Arr.György Kurtag O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig BWV 656 (1739-1742) (1)
Brahms: (Arr. Brahms) Sextet in B Flat Major, Opus 18 (1869) (1)
Mozart: Andante and Variations in G Major, K. 501 (1786) (1)
Bizet: Jeux d'Enfants (complete) (1871) (2)

SUNDAY, JULY 17, 3PM
The Enso String Quartet
Daniel Epstein, Piano
Turina: Serenata, Opus 87 (1935) (1)
Beethoven: Quartet in E Flat Major, Opus 74 "Harp" (1809) (19)
Schumann: Piano Quartet in E Flat Major, Opus 47 (1842) (13)

SUNDAY, JULY 24, 3PM
Avalon String Quartet
Soyeon Kate Lee, Piano
Haydn: String Quartet in G Minor, Opus 20 # 3 (1772) (2)
Janacek: String Quartet # 2: Intimate Letters" (1928) (2)
Faure: Piano Quartet # 2 in G minor, Opus 45 (1885-6) (3)

SUNDAY JULY 31, 3PM
MID SUMMER BENEFIT
All Tickets; $75
Includes a Voucher for any Regularly Priced 2016 Concert
(Underwritten by an Anonymous Donor)
Richard Goode, Piano
Haydn: Sonata in C Major, Hob. XVI: 50 (1794) (1)
Janacek: In the Mist (1912) (1)
Schumann: Humoreske, op. 20 (1839) (1)
Debussy: Preludes, Book 2 (1909-10) (1)

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 3PM
Harlem String Quartet
Pamela Mia Paul, Piano
Grieg: String Quartet in G Minor, Opus 27 (1877) (7)
Antonio Carlos Jobim: The Girl from Ipanema (1964) (1)
Dizzy Gillespie: A Night in Tunisia (1941-2) (1)
Dvorak: Piano Quartet in E Flat Major, Opus 87 (1889) (5)

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 3PM
The St. Petersburg Piano Quartet
ALL MOZART PROGRAM
Violin Sonata in E Minor, K. 304 (1776) (1)
Piano Quartet in E Flat Major, K.493 (1786) (11)
Piano Quartet in G Minor, K. 478 (1785) (24)

SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 3 PM
St Petersburg String Quartet
Melvin Chen, Piano
Poulenc: Valse-improvisation sur le nom de BACH, FP 62 (1932) (1)
Ravel: Menuet sur le nom de Haydn (1909) (1)
Debussy: Hommage à Haydn (1909) (1)
Castelnuevo-Tedesco: Tango on the Name of André Previn, Op. 170 #1 (1972) (1)
Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 8 in C Minor, Op 110 (1960) (8)
Brahms: Piano Quartet in G Minor, Op. 25 (1861) (28)

SUNDAY, AUGUST 28, 3PM
Arianna String Quartet
Francine Kay, Piano
Raman Ramakrishnan, Cello
Kevin Puts: Credo (2007) (1)
Beethoven: Piano Quartet in E Flat Major, Opus 16 (1797) (9)
Beethoven: Cello Quintet in A Major, Opus 47 "Kreutzer"
(Transcribed from the Violin/Piano Sonata, Opus 47: Beethoven?) (1802-4) (2)

SATURDAY, SEPT. 3, 3PM
Shanghai String Quartet
Jonathan Yates, Piano
Mendelssohn: String Quartet in F Minor, Opus 80 (1847) (6)
Zhou Long: Song of the Ch'in (1982) (4)
Brahms: Piano Quartet in C Minor, Opus 60 (1875) (18)

SUNDAY, SEPT 4, 3PM
LABOR DAY BENEFIT CONCERT & RECEPTION
ALL TICKETS: $75
Includes a Voucher for any Regularly Priced 2017 Concert
The Shanghai String Quartet
Gilbert Kalish, Piano
Jonathan Yates, Piano
Schubert: Lebenssttürme in A Minor for Piano 4 Hands, D.947 (1828) (2)
Beethoven: String Quartet in C Minor, Opus 18 # 4 (1798-1800) (5)
Brahms: Piano Quartet in A Major, Opus 26 (1861) (12)

SEPTEMBER 11, 3PM
In Memoriam
Amernet String Quartet
Alexander Fiterstein, Clarinet
Brahms: Hungarian Dances arranged for String Quartet, WoO 1 (1858-68; 1880) (1)
Lev Zhurbin: Klezmer Works for Clarinet Quintet (2013) (1)
Beethoven: String Quartet in F Minor, Opus 95 "Serioso" (1810) (34)
Brahms: Clarinet Quintet in B Minor, Opus 115 (1891) (15)
Barber: Adagio from the String Quartet, Opus 11 (1936) (9)

2016 TWILIGHT SERIES SCHEDULE
(subject to change)

SATURDAY, JUNE 11, 6:30 PM
THE GALVANIZED JAZZ BAND
A dynamic group of Connecticut musicians devoted to the energetic performance of hot Dixieland, New Orleans jazz, blues, rags, stomps, struts, spirituals, swing, and classic popular songs from the past century. Founded 1971.

SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 6:30PM
THE NEW YORK GILBERT & SULLIVAN PLAYERS (NYGASP)
Underwritten by an anonymous donor
Gilbert & Sullivan's uproarious second collaboration, Trial by Jury, sends up the potential for self-centered corruption in the legal system. In NYGASP's quintet version the melodramatic role of defense counsel is given to a woman, bringing this timeless satire up to date, with the audience serving as the silent jury (no deliberation or verdict required other than laughter and applause).

The second half is devoted to NYGASP's quintet of veteran G&S experts and selections from the rest of the G&S canon, including audience requests.

SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 6:30PM
NEW BLACK EAGLE JAZZ BAND
Together since 1971.
Playing the best in New Orleans style Jazz, Gospel and Blues.

SATURDAY, JULY 2, 6:3OPM
SWINGTIME BIG BAND,
BY GEORGE! - BIG BAND GERSHWIN
For their ninth annual visit to Music Mountain, Swingtime celebrates the music of George Gershwin on the 100th anniversary of his first song being published, plus special centennial birthday tributes to bandleaders Harry James and Billy May.

SATURDAY, JULY 9, 6:30PM
VINCE GIORDANO
& THE NIGHTHAWKS
(Underwritten by Norman Fields)
Music Mountain welcomes again that "great vintage Jazz band" winner of multiple Grammy Awards and stars of TV, Movies, Radio & live performance. "An erupting wellspring of euphoria: that would describe the vintage swing emanating from Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks...".. NY Times

SATURDAY, JULY 16, 6:30PM
23ARTS INITIATIVE PRESENTS
JOANNA WALLFISCH, BEYOND JONI MITCHEL
Joanna Wallfisch's debut retrospective of 1960's songstresses will bridge the sounds and stories of folk and jazz improvisations, calling on Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Judee Sills and beyond. Critics call Wallfisch "mesmerizing" (Jazzwise) with "crystalline delivery"(Downbeat).

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 6:30PM
THE CATSKILL JAZZ FACTORY PRESENTS
DAN TEPFER GOLDBERG VARIATIONS / VARIATIONS
In what the Wall Street Journal calls a "bridge across centuries and genres", acclaimed jazz pianist and APA Cole Porter Fellow Dan Tepfer will perform each of Bach's original Goldberg Variations followed with an improvised variation of his own. . "This is no stunt, but a fresh musical exploration, a riveting and inspired, brilliant performance. I bet Bach would recognize a kindred spirit in Mr. Tepfer." Anthony Tomassini, NY Times

SATURDAY JULY 30, 6:30PM
THE CATSKILL JAZZ FACTORY PRESENTS
WILL AND PETER ANDERSON QUINTET
Sax Squared
"Virtuosos on saxophone" (New York Times) Peter and Will Anderson present SAX SQUARED, celebrating the 175th anniversary of the saxophone with repertoire and stylings of sax legends including Charlie Parker, Stan Getz, Dexter Gordon, and Coleman Hawkins. "These "Dudes are the Future. You made my soul smile." Quincy Jones

SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 6:30PM
THE CATSKILL JAZZ FACTORY PRESENTS
CHRIS WASHBURNE & THE SYOTOS BAND FEATURING ANDRÉ MEHMARI RAGTIME & THE BLUES
"One of the best trombonists in New York" (New York Times) Chris Washburne joins forces with "one of Brazil's best kept secrets" (EJazz News) pianist André Mehmari in a night of bi-hemispheric ragtime revival, calling on the sounds of Ernest Hogan, Scott Joplin and more.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 6:30PM
THE CATSKILL JAZZ FACTORY PRESENTS
CHRIS PATTISHALL OCTET MUSICAL FICTIONS: BORGES IN TANGO
Named by Wynton Marsalis as one of the top five jazz musicians under 30 to watch, pianist Chris Pattishall will debut a night of jazz in dedication to the writings of Argentinian author Jorge Luis Borges and the rich history of tango.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 6:30PM
MICHAEL BERKELEY: NO TUNE LIKE A SHOW TUNE
Michael Berkeley & Friends dazzle with Broadway's best!

SATURDAY, AUGUST 27, 6:30PM
CANTATA PROFANA
Jonathan Yates, Piano
Schubert: Shepherd on the Rock, D. 965 (1828) (2)
Ravel: Chansons madécasses (1925-6) (1)
Schoenberg: Pierrot Lunaire, Opus 21 (1912) (1)

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 6:30PM
JIVE BY FIVE.
One of Connecticut's favorites for the sizzling Dance Music of the Jazz Age from the Charleston to the Two-Step and the Fox Trot

Photo Credit: Joan Walden