Todd Marcus Quintet and St. Petersburg Piano Quartet to Play Music Mountain This August

Music Mountain, America's Longest Running Chamber Music Festival, continues its 88th season with an encore performance by the St. Petersburg Piano Quartet on Sunday, August 20 (3pm) featuring Brahms, Shostakovich, and Schumann.

Jazz ensemble Todd Marcus Quintet makes its Music Mountain debut Saturday, August 19 (6:30pm).

Concerts are scheduled thru September 17.

The weekend begins with Todd Marcus Quintet, making its Music Mountain debut!

Todd Marcus Quintet is a traditional quintet ensemble with piano, bass, and drums and features a second front line instrument of clarinet, guitar, or vibraphone. The ensemble features Todd Marcus's rare use of bass clarinet as a lead horn in straight-ahead jazz; this unique feature demonstrates Marcus' rich harmonic approach and ability to present the bass clarinet as a hard blowing jazz horn equal to saxophone and trumpet as a front line solo instrument. The Todd Marcus Quintet will present Marcus's original compositions and arrangements of jazz standards.

Keeping with long-standing tradition, the Saturday Twilight Series features pre-concert dinners at the quaint Falls Village Inn. Experience a piece of history in this 175-year-old Inn and stay for the Todd Marcus Quintet!

The St. Petersburg Piano Quartet returns to Gordon Hall for a second weekend to present another remarkable program: Brahms: Viola Sonata in E Flat Major, Opus 120 #2; Shostakovich: Piano Trio #2 in E Minor, Opus 67; and Schumann: Piano Quartet in E Flat Major, Opus 47.

Founding first violinist Alla Aranovskaya and violist Boris Vayner of the world-renowned, Grammy-nominated St. Petersburg String Quartet, have joined forces with award-winning cellist Claudio Jaffe and pianist Tao Lin to form the St. Petersburg Piano Quartet. Always in high demand, the ensemble regularly plays to sold-out audiences across the US.

An accomplished violinist, Alla Aranovskaya performed extensively throughout Russia before taking off on her professional journey with the St. Petersburg String Quartet. Violist of the St. Petersburg String Quartet, Boris Vayner has spent the last several years intensively touring throughout North America, South America, Europe and Asia. Born in São Paulo, Brazil, cellist Claudio Jaffe has been hailed by The New York Times as "an elegant and accomplished artist" of "taste, technique, musicianship, and a contagious youthful enthusiasm." Described by critics as possessing "keen musical intelligence and excellent facility," pianist Tao Lin has performed in Asia, North America, and Europe. A versatile musician, he is equally at home as soloist, recitalist and chamber musician.

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.

Music Mountain is supported, in part, by the Connecticut Commission On Culture & Tourism and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Chamber music concerts continue with Daedalus String Quartet with Tanya Bannister, Piano (August 27); Shanghai String Quartet (September 2 & September 3); and Amernet String Quartet with Vivek Kamath, Viola (September 10).

The Saturday Evening Twilight Series continues with Michael Berkeley (August 26); The Galvanized Jazz Band (September 9); and Jive By Five (September 16).

Saturday evening pre-concert dinner at the intimate Falls Village Inn (5pm) is $70. Ticket includes dinner & concert. Seating is limited; reservations must be made 24 hours prior to concert date.

Specially Priced Concerts are as follows: Tickets for the Labor Day Benefit Concert & Reception on Sunday, September 3 (3PM) with The Shanghai String Quartet, guest artist Qing Jiang, piano, are $75. Tickets for the closing concert on Sunday, September 17 (3PM) with The Juilliard String Quartet are $60.

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 Twilight Concerts are at 6:30pm. Sunday afternoon Chamber Music concerts are at 3pm. Group rates 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.

Photo Credit: Gray Young