Music Mountain to Welcome Penderecki String Quartet & More, 6/18-19

Music Mountain, America's oldest continuing summer chamber music festival, continues its exceptional 87th Anniversary Season with the remarkable Penderecki String Quartet with guest artist, Maurycy Banasczek, viola on Sunday, June 19th (3PM) performing Haydn, Mendelssohn, and Mozart. Saturday, June 18th (6:30pm) marks the return of The New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players offering their uproarious quintet production of Trial by Jury. The summer will feature 15 weekends of incredible music including returning favorite chamber ensembles and musicians (pianists Peter Serkin and Julia Hsu), first-time guests (pianist Richard Goode), the ever-popular Saturday Evening Twilight Series, featuring an array of Jazz ensembles and musicians, including the incredibly talented artists of the Catskill Jazz Factory, and the second season of the new Music Mountain Master Classes for Young Artists plus so much more! See why the New Yorker called Music Mountain "The Summer Shrine of the String Quartet." Concerts are scheduled through September 11.

The New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players return to Music Mountain on Saturday afternoon presenting Gilbert & Sullivan's uproarious second collaboration, Trial by Jury - an over the top send up of 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 of their afternoon program is devoted to NYGASP's quintet of veteran Gilbert & Sullivan experts and selections from the rest of the G&S canon, including audience requests! Also, offered on Saturday evening (5PM) is a pre-concert dinner at the charming Falls Village Inn. $70 ticket includes dinner & concert. Seating is limited; reservations must be made by June 17.

Sunday afternoon welcomes back the Penderecki String Quartet with guest artist Maurycy Banaszek, viola performing Haydn: String Quartet in D Major, Opus20 #4; Mendelssohn: String Quartet in A Major, Opus13 ("Ist Es Wehr?"); and Mozart: Viola Quintet in C Major, K. 515 - a Music Mountain favorite.

The Penderecki String Quartet, approaching the third decade of an extraordinary career, has become one of the most celebrated chamber ensembles of their generation. Their recent schedule has included concerts in New York (Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall), Amsterdam (Concertgebouw), Los Angeles (REDCAT at Disney Hall), St. Petersburg, Paris, Prague, and Berlin. To this day the Quartet is a devoted champion of the music of our time, having premiered over 100 new works from composers in Canada and abroad.
They enter their 20th year as Quartet-in-Residence at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, where they have built the string program to be one of the top programs in Canada.

Polish born Maurycy Banaszek is an internationally known viola soloist playing in much of Europe and throughout the United States including Carnegie Hall in New York, Wigmore Hall in London, and Gewandhaus in Leipzig, among others. He performs with some of the leading quartets including the legendary Amadeus String Quartet, Miro String Quartet, and Guarneri String Quartet, among others. This is his Music Mountain debut.

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 and brownies, coffee, tea, lemonade, and spring water are available for purchase.

Music Mountain is supported, in part, by the Connecticut Commission On Culture & Tourism.

Chamber music concerts continue with Cassatt String Quartet with Colin Carr, cello, (June 26), Cantata Profana (July 3), Peter Serkin and Julia Hsu (July 10), and Enso String Quartet with Daniel Epstein, piano (July 17).

The Saturday Evening Twilight Series continues with New Black Eagle Jazz Band (June 25); Swingtime Big Band (July 2), Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks (July 9), and Joanna Wallfisch (July 16).

Specially Priced Concerts are as Follows: All tickets to the Peter Serkin/Julia Hsu, Piano 4 Hands Concert on Sunday, July 10 are $60. Tickets for the Mid-Summer Benefit Concert with pianist Richard Goode 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 with the Shanghai String Quartet, and pianists Gilbert Kalish and Jonathan Yates are $75 and include a voucher for any regularly priced 2017 concert.

The 87th season will continue to offer two ticketing options to complement 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, please call 860-824-7126. Music Mountain also continues its popular Gold Pass program. Major Gold Pass benefits include: Admission to all concerts; Priority Reserved Seating (subject to availability); $20 price for one guest per Gold Pass. Cost for Gold Pass Memberships: Individual: $780; Pair: $1,500. For a list of other benefits and more information, please call 860-824-7126. All Gold Passes are transferable.

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 plans 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.

# # #

Music Mountain, 225 Music Mountain Road, Falls Village, CT 06031

Listings Copy:

Music Mountain Welcomes Penderecki String Quartet
with Maurycy Banaszek, Viola
plus The New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players
87th Season Continues June 18 & 19!

(Falls Village, CT) Music Mountain, America's oldest continuing summer chamber music festival, continues its 87th Anniversary Season with the remarkable Penderecki String Quartet with guest artist Maurycy Banaszek, viola on Sunday, June 19th (3PM) performing Haydn: String Quartet in D Major, Opus20 #4; Mendelssohn: String Quartet in A Major, Opus13 ("Ist Es Wehr?"); and Mozart, Viola Quintet in C Major, K., 515. Saturday, June 18th (6:30pm) marks the return of The New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players offering their uproarious quintet production of Trial by Jury. Pre-Concert Dinner at 5PM. Chamber Music Concerts are $35 at the door/$30 in advance. Twilight Series Concerts are $30 at the door/$27 in advance. Pre-Concert Dinner is $70 and includes admission to Saturday evening concert. Children ages 5-18 are admitted FREE for ALL CONCERTS when accompanied by a ticket holder. Visit www.musicmountain.org or call 860-824-7126.

Photo Courtesy of Music Mountain