Door County Hosts 2013 Midsummer's Music Festival, Now thru 6/17

Located on the shores of Lake Michigan and the Green Bay waters is one of the most beautiful communities in the Midwest - Door County, Wisconsin. The Door Peninsula is a place with picturesque views overlooking the second largest of the Great Lakes. Offering over 300 miles of scenic shoreline, it is a haven for boating, camping, and enjoying the rich tapestry of colorful foliage.

Door County is also home to a thriving arts community and one of the most magnificent music festivals in the Midwest. Each summer a group of world-class musicians from organizations such as the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Pro Arte Quartet, Aspen Music Festival, and artist faculty from major universities join together in this cozy environment to form Wisconsin's premier chamber music ensemble at the Midsummer's Music Festival. The festival offers a series of 30 exquisite classical music concerts in a host of unique venues ranging from a 120-year old lakeside warehouse, to a quaint community church from the 1850s, to the grand hall of a palatial mansion overlooking Green Bay. One event features a dinner cruise through Death's Door Strait aboard the Island Clipper and then a concert on Washington Island at the Historic Island Dairy, now a concert facility, museum, and gallery. Each venue exudes character and offers a distinct musical experience for the listener.

The theme of this year's festival is "Bursting with Passion" and will include works by Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Brahms, and more. Now in its 23rd year, the main concert series featuring the full complement of 16 musicians runs from tonight, June 7 through July 17. There is a short Labor Day series August 28-Sept 1. And Pro Arte Quartet will close out the season on September 17. Most concerts are $25, private residence concerts are $50, dinner concerts are $85, and the historic dinner cruise concert is $95. The grand finale at the Ellison Bay Estate is $150.

"As we became acquainted over the years with our many favorite Door County spots, we thought, what if we could add breathtaking music?" said Jim Berkenstock, co-founder of the festival. "For music-lovers used to larger concert halls, what if they could enjoy that intimate impact that comes from being within reach of the musicians and their rich sonorities? And if we could all linger to chat after the concert at an elegant but informal reception - wouldn't that be an exceptional experience?" he added.

"What I find to be really extraordinary about Midsummer's Music Festival is the level of virtuosity of the performers and the enthusiastic energy they exude," said Jean Berkenstock, co-founder of the festival. "The players are drawn from some of the finest orchestras in the country, and it is truly exciting to bring their talents together to perform in these intimate venues, and see how readily the community has adopted them," she added.

Midsummer's Music Festival presents a rare opportunity to enjoy a varied and colorful series of works for smaller ensembles. From the great masters such as Beethoven and Brahms, to some lesser-known but very accomplished composers, each concert offers an unforgettable musical experience. The musicians of Midsummer's Music deliver outstandingly exuberant performances of some of the finest chamber works ever written. Ensconced in the scenic beauty, history, and exciting activities of the Door Peninsula, audiences never fail to be swept away.

While there are many classical music festivals across the country, Midsummer's Music Festival is unique. All performances take place in fascinating venues that enhance the magic of each Midsummer's Music concert. Ranging from an historic church to a lakeside boat house, to the private home of an area resident, the series gives tourists and residents alike an incredible opportunity to explore many different corners of scenic Door County, Wisconsin, while enjoying outstanding music every step of the way.

The Midsummer's Music Festival kicks off with a Gala Opening Night on June 7, which includes champagne and chocolate, guest speakers, a concert, and post-concert reception. Guests will be whisked away to the musical magic of an English Garden for the opening night premiere, featuring works of Vaughan Williams and Charles Villiers Sanford, where taste buds will be dazzled with chocolate and champagne. Special guests will join in toasting the opening of the Door County arts season. World-class musicians will deliver a delightfully balanced and elegantly executed performance. The evening will end on a relaxed note when patrons can meet the Midsummer's Music Festival musicians and chat with fellow concertgoers at the post premiere party where food and wine abound!

On June 14 at the Hardy Gallery, at the end of Anderson's Dock surrounded by water, there will be a special Midsummer's Music concert on the eve of the Scandinavian Fyr Bal Festival in Ephraim. Ephraim explodes with summer excitement as Fyr Bal (pronounced "fear ball") re-creates traditions of the early Norwegians celebrating Midsummer's Eve (the longest day of the year). Artists, food, musical entertainment and family activities along the picturesque shoreline of Eagle Harbor welcome the arrival of summer. Hop on the trolley or stroll through the village and visit the many historic landmarks, shops, galleries and restaurants for which Ephraim is well-known. A signature Fyr Bal event, evening bonfires, represent the burning of the 'Winter Witch' and usher in the long days of summer. Fireworks complete a perfect day. Classical music lovers will want to listen to a beautiful concert (don't miss the glorious sunset shining through the islands at intermission), and then explore some of the other Scandinavian traditions while in the area.

Another highlight of the festival will be the Midsummer's Music sunset dinner cruise and concert on July 11. Guests will set sail at 4 p.m.on the Island Clipper for an extended cruise through Death's Door Strait while enjoying a fabulous dinner prepared by Alexander's of Door County. Then they will board the Viking Train for a spirited trip to the Historic Island Dairy on Washington Island. There they will take in breathtaking music in a program entitled "Adventurous Currents." Finally guests will bask in a sunset return cruise to the mainland as they enjoy champagne and dessert. Tickets are $95 and include boat ride, train ride, dinner, and concert.

And for the Midsummer's Music Grand Finale on July 17, the festival will host an elegant evening at The Ellison Bay Estate. The 2300 square foot living room of this lavish home will serve as a magnificent setting for an enchanting classical music encounter. This two-story Grand Parlor is adorned with extensive stone terraces with carved balustrades, a fireplace with a hand-carved mantle, and romantic balconies that overlook the parlor. The home is reported to be the largest single family home in the state of Wisconsin. This special evening will include a gourmet dinner catered by Alexander's of Door County that includes a personalized menu with an exclusive wine selection. Tickets are $150 per person. Attire is dressy Door County Casual.

For more information, visit www.midsummersmusic.com or call 920-854-7088.

The Midsummer's Music Festival's 2013 Concert Schedule:

Midsummer's Music Festival - June 7 - July 17

"In an English Country Garden" - Program A

Friday, June 7, 7:30pm

Birch Creek Music Performance Center, Egg Harbor Gala Opening Night with reception, $35

Saturday, June 8, 7:30pm

Saint Luke's Episcopal Church, Sister Bay, $25

Wednesday, June 12, 7:30pm

Bjorklunden, Lawrence University, Baileys Harbor, $25

Interlude in A Minor, Gerald Finzi

Quintet in D Major, Ralph Vaughan Williams

Quartet in F Major, Opus 15, Charles Villiers Stanford

Gala Opening Night with champagne and chocolate, guest speakers, a concert, and post-concert reception: Let us whisk you away to the magic of an English Garden for our opening night premiere, where you taste buds will be stimulated with chocolate and champagne. Special guests will join in as you toast the opening of the Door County arts season. Our world-class musicians promise to deliver a delightfully balanced and elegantly executed evening. End the event on a relaxed note by meeting our musicians at the post-premiere party where food and wine abound!

"Blessed Spirits" - Program B

Friday, June 14, 7:30pm

Hardy Gallery, Ephraim, $25 (takes place during Fyr Bal Festival)

Saturday, June 15, 7:30pm

Sister Bay Moravian Church, Sister Bay, $25

Sunday, June 16, 4pm

East Institute for Fine Arts Benefit, Archeytype Inc, Green Bay, $50

Tuesday, June 18, 7:30pm

Woodwalk Gallery, Egg Harbor, $25

Thursday, June 20, 5:30pm

Whistling Swan Restaurant & Fish Creek Town Hall, $85, concert only, $25

Dance of the Blessed Spirits, Christoph Willibald Gluck

Octet in B-flat Major, Opus 62, Thieriot

Septet in E-flat Major, Opus 20, Ludwig van Beethoven

Fyr Bal Festival in Ephraim

Ephraim explodes with summer excitement as Fyr Bal Festival (pronounced "fear ball") re-creates traditions of early Norwegians celebrating Midsummer's Eve. Artists, food, musical entertainment and family activities along the picturesque shoreline of Eagle Harbor, welcome the arrival of summer. Hop on the trolley or stroll through the village and visit the many historic landmarks, shops, galleries and restaurants for which Ephraim is well-known. A signature Fyr Bal event, evening bonfires, represent the burning of the 'Winter Witch' and usher in the long days of summer. Fireworks complete a perfect day. Stay and enjoy the hospitality of our many lodging accommodations. A warm Scandinavian welcome awaits you in Ephraim any time of the year, but especially so during Fyr Bal Festival, June 15-17. Surrounded by water, the Hardy Gallery on Anderson dock offers an extraordinarily beautiful evening of music, art, and sunset. http://www.ephraim-doorcounty.com/events/fyrbal.htm

"International Colors" - Program C

Friday, June 21, 7:30pm

Birch Creek Music Performance Center, Egg Harbor, $25

Saturday, June 22, 7:30pm

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Ephraim, $25

Tuesday, June 25, 7:30pm

Hellmich Residence, $50

Thursday, June 27, 5:30pm

Mission Grille & St Luke's Episcopal Church, Sister Bay, $85, concert only, $25

Theme and Variations, Pietro Bottesini

Sextet in C Major, Opus 37, Ernst von Dohnanyi

Quintet No. 2 in C Minor, Opus 115, Gabriel Fauré

"Color and Character" - Program D

Friday, June 28, 2013, 7:30pm

Hardy Gallery, Ephraim, $25

Saturday, June 29, 7:30pm

Sister Bay Moravian, Sister Bay, $25

Sunday, June 30, 7:30pm

Woodwalk Gallery, Egg Harbor, $25

Tuesday, July 2, 7:30pm

Golobic Residence, Sister Bay, $50

Quintet in B Minor, Opus 115, Brahms

Quintet No. 2 in E-flat, Franz Vincent Krommer

Sextet in E-Flat Major, Opus 81, Ludwig van Beethoven

Adventurous Currents - Program E

Sunday, July 7, 3pm

The Clearing, Ellison Bay, $25

Tuesday, July 9, 7:30pm

Redfield Residence, Ellison Bay, $50

Wednesday, July 10, 7:30pm

Door Community Auditorium Stage, Fish Creek, $25

Thursday, July 11, 4:00pm

Dinner Cruise, Concert Historic Dairy, Washington Island, $95

Octet, Opus 3, Mily Balakirev

Septet in A Major, Opus 132, Frédéric Kalkbrenner

Andante from Petite Symphonie, Charles Gounod

Sextet in D Major, Opus 110, Felix Mendelssohn

About the Dinner Cruise

Where: Dinner Cruise and concert, Gills Rock to Washington Island's Historic Island Dairy www.historicislanddairy.com - Set sail on the Island Clipper www.islandclipper.com for an extended cruise through Death's Door Strait, enjoy a fabulous dinner by Alexander's of Door County www.alexandersofdoorcounty.com, then board the Viking Train for a spirited trip to the Historic Dairy Farm on Washington Island, to take in "Adventurous Currents." Finally, bask in a sunset return cruise to the mainland that will feature champagne and dessert - a fitting end to an event that will be the highlight of the season.

Elegance, Élan, and Energy - Program F

Friday, July 12, 7:30pm

Dude Residence, Baileys Harbor, $50

Saturday, July 13, 7:30pm

Bjorklunden Main Hall, Baileys Harbor, $25

Sunday, July 14, 7:30pm

Woodwalk Gallery, Egg Harbor, $25

Divertimento in C Major, "Birthday", Franz Joseph Haydn

Serenade in D Major, Opus 65, Heinrich Hofmann

Quintet in A Major, Opus 18, Felix Mendelssohn

Music for a Grand Parlor - Midsummer's Music Festival Finale

Wednesday, July 17, 2013, 4:00pm

The Ellison Bay Estate, $150

Quartet in D Major, K285, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Septet in D Minor, Opus 74, Johann Nepomuk Hummel

Sextet in Bb Minor, Opus 63, Sergei Liapunov

The Ellison Bay Estate

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to enjoy superb chamber music in one of the most elegant homes in the Midwest. This concert takes place at the palatial mansion an opulent French-inspired estate in Ellison Bay. The 35,000-square-foot, 43-room mansion is said to be the largest single-family home in the state. This concert pairs exquisite music with luxurious surroundings and a superb post-concert buffet.

"Three's Company" - Program G

Wednesday, August 28, 7:30pm

Bjorklunden Campus, Baileys Harbor, $25

Thursday, August 29, 7:30pm

Birch Creek Music Performance Center, Egg Harbor, $25

Friday, August 30, 7:30pm

Saint Luke's Episcopal Church, Sister Bay, $25

Sunday, September 1, 3:00pm

The Clearing School, Ellison Bay, $25

Grand Sonata in F Major, Opus 65, Jan Ladislav Dussek

Trio in D Major, Opus 70, No. 1, "The Ghost", Ludwig van Beethoven

Trio in D Minor, Opus 49, Felix Mendelssohn

"Grand Eloquence" - Program H

Saturday, August 31, 7:30pm

Ephraim Moravian Church, Ephraim, $25

Monday, September 2, 3:00pm

The Ellison Bay Estate, Benefit with United Way of Door County, $150

Quartet Movement in A Minor, 1876, Gustav Mahler

Café Music (1986), Paul Shoenfield

Quintet in F Minor, 1879, César Franck

About the Venues:

Birch Creek Music Performance Center - Birch Creek Music Performance Center is a summer music school (academy) in Door County, Wisconsin, for advanced young musicians. The largest venue in the series, the Birch Creek Music Performance Center provides an acoustically sound environment that is ideal for classical chamber concerts. 3821 County E, Egg Harbor, WI, 54209, 920.868.3763 www.birchcreek.org

Björklunden - Björklunden Vid Sjön, a 425-acre estate on Lake Michigan in Door County, Wisconsin, serves as Lawrence University's northern campus. The concerts take place in beautiful Vail Hall, opened in 2007. 7603 Chapel Lane, Baileys Harbor, WI, 54202, 920.839.2216 www.lawrence.edu/dept/bjork/

The Clearing - Located near the tip of Wisconsin's Door Peninsula, The Clearing is situated on the Niagara Escarpment, a limestone cliff that rises out of Lake Michigan's Green Bay and defines the western edge of Door County. The Clearing's physical assets -- beautiful views of the water and the setting sun, historic stone and log buildings and hiking trails that wind through the property's 130 acres of forest and meadow - combine to create one of Door County's great cultural and natural treasures. Enjoy "Adventurous Currents" in "The Schoolhouse", built by Clearing founder Jens Jensen high atop the bluff overlooking the waters of Green Bay. 12171 Garrett Bay Road, Ellison Bay, WI, 54210, 877.854.3225 www.theclearing.org

Door Community Auditorium - Door Community Auditorium is Door County's year-round center for performing arts, entertainment and education. The auditorium and adjoining Link Gallery are brimming with exhibits, concerts, movies, lectures and diverse performances presented by a mix of professional, amateur and student artists. 3926 State Hwy 42, Fish Creek, WI 54212, Website: www.dcauditorium.org, 920.868.2728.

Dude Residence - An inviting residence overlooking the waters of Baileys Harbor.

East Institute for the Fine Arts/Arketype Inc. - A benefit for Green Bay East High School's Institute for the Fine Arts launched in 2011. Fine Arts Institute students study under master teachers and artists, receive private instruction, develop an artistic portfolio, and earn academic credit for their private and independent study in the arts. This beautiful concert takes place at Arketype Inc, a refurbished historic church in downtown Green Bay. Arketype Inc., 612 Stuart Street, Green Bay 54301 website. East Institute for the Fine Arts, www.gbaps.org, 920.448.2090.

Ephraim Moravian Church - The oldest church on the Door County peninsula. The building was completed in 1859 by a group of Norwegian settlers. This historic structure provides an inspiring setting for a classical music concert. 9970 Moravia St, Ephraim, WI 54211, 920.854.2804, www.ephraimmoravian.org

Fish Creek Old Town Hall - Another vintage and historic structure from the village's earliest days situated right at harbor's edge. 4176 Maple St., Fish Creek, WI, 54212, www.visitfishcreek.com, 920.868.2316

Golobic Residence - An entrancing residence in Sister Bay overlooking the waters of Green Bay.

The Frances Hardy Center for the Arts - This venerable Ephraim landmark was built in the 1880s by Adolph Anderson during the era when ships from the Goodrich Line made this a port of call in the summertime. The Dock and Warehouse hold a lot of meaning for Ephraim residents and visitors alike, not to mention the decades of boaters who painted their respective vessel's name on the Warehouse's clapboard siding. The gallery is home to some of the most creative and popular gallery exhibitions in Door County. Surrounded by water and exquisite art, the vibrant musical colors of this concert reflect those on the gallery walls. Anderson Dock, PO Box 394, Ephraim, WI, 54211, 920.854.2210, www.thehardy.org

Hellmich Residence - An enticing residence deep in enchanting woods near Carlsville.

Historic Island Dairy - Built in 1916, the Historic Island Dairy was the heart of the Island's dairy industry for over 50 years. The entry lobby features a history exhibit, a timeline of key events in the Island's past and a 45-minute narrated video of historic Island photographs. The first floor contains an art gallery featuring Island artists. The Dairy is surrounded by fields planted with 5,000 lavender plants, transforming it into one of the largest lavender farms in Wisconsin. 1309 Rangeline Road, Washington Island, WI, 920.737.1531, www.historicislanddairy.com.

Redfield Residence - A convivial and spacious residence overlooking the waters of Lake Michigan between Bailys Harbor and Jacksonport.

St. Luke's Episcopal Church - A quaint English -style Tudor chapel, which is home to a fine Steinway grand of historical interest. 2336 Canterbury Lane, Sister Bay, WI 54234, 920.854.9600, www.stlukes-sisterbay.org

Sister Bay Moravian Church - One of several historical Door County churches reflecting the widespread and early influence of the Moravian faith in the area. The Moravians are known for their long-standing commitment to music, and this cozy countryside sanctuary features excellent acoustics. 10924 Old Stage Rd Sister Bay, WI, 54234, 920.854.4080, www.sisterbaymoravianchurch.org.

The Ellison Bay Estate, is an opulent French-inspired palatial mansion in Ellison Bay overlooking the waters of Green Bay. The 35,000-square-foot, 43-room estate is said to be the largest single-family home in the state of Wisconsin. The Grand Hall is an elegant space adorned with extensive stone terraces with carved balustrades, a fireplace with a hand-carved mantle, three upstairs galleries, each with a romantic balcony overlooking the main hall, and crowned with a classic Trumeau ceiling. It is the perfect setting for an elegant concert filled with passion and romance. 2177 Porcupine Bay Road in Ellison Bay, WI http://www.sothebysrealty.com/eng/sales/detail/180-l-1253-4387650/2177-porcupine-bay-road-ellison-bay-wi-54210

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Door County - The concerts take place in the former art gallery which is housed at the Fellowship, 10341 Hwy. 42, north Ephraim, located next to the Green Gables Shops. A regional artist is featured each month in the Gathering Room. Displays include all types of artwork. The Fellowship is home to one of the finest pianos in Door County, which will figure prominently in this evening's concert. www.uufdc.org

Woodwalk Gallery - Contemporary art in an historic barn setting featuring 47 regional artists and large-scale, ethereal landscapes by artist/owner Margaret Lockwood with studio on site. Featured artist events, theater happenings, receptions - Door County, Wisconsin at its best. The 1890s barn and straw-bale construction studio are worth the ¾ mile drive off the main peninsula Hwy 42 north of Sturgeon Bay. 6746 County Road F, Fish Creek, WI 54212, 920.868.2912 www.woodwalkgallery.com

Picture © Midsummer's Music Festival, Photo by Bill Jacobs.