Gesher Music Festival Returns For 8th Season

Now in its 8th season, the Gesher Music Festival returns for two weeks in August, bringing chamber music with a multi-cultural twist to their performances. The Festival runs from August 9 - 19 with three formal concerts as well as several more informal opportunities to hear some of the music and meet the musicians.

This year's theme is "Voices Rising." Three distinct concerts reflect different aspects of this theme, each in a different venue. The formal concerts are:

The Legacy of Tin Pan Alley will be performed on Thursday, August 16th at the Missouri History Museum. . In partnership with the Missouri History Museum and part of the MUNY Memories Exhibit.

Rise Up: Sounds of Protest will be performed at the 560 Music Center Saturday, August 18th.

Giving Voice will be performed at the Gesher Festival's home at the JCC's Wool Studio Theatre.

Again this year, Gesher partners with the Missouri History Museum to present the first of the formal concerts, The Legacy of Tin Pan Alley as part of the Museum's "Muny Memories" exhibit. The concert is an evening of chamber music that will take listeners on a musical journey from Tin Pan Alley to Broadway. Along with performances by the Gesher artists, Artistic Director Sara Sitzer will tell the stories behind the music for this period. As in past years, Festival musicians will be part of a Shabbat service at Central Reform Congregation Friday, August 10.

There will also be two Family concerts. The 2PM August 11 concert at the Ferguson Public Library is free. On Sunday, August 12 at 2PM there will be a Family Concert at Temple Israel, 1 Rabbi Alvan D Rubin Dr, St. Louis, MO 63141. Tickets are $8/adult and $5/child. Children under 3 are free.

The St. Louis Art Museum's will host a free docent let tour of the Museum's collection of works on this year's theme of "Voices Rising." Sign up online at geshermusicfestival.org or call 314-442-3283.

The JCC's Gesher Music Festival presented by the Silk Foundation and the Maurice Amado Foundation, brings the intimate form of chamber music to the community in a week-long program featuring professional musicians from throughout the country as well as local musicians. This year's musicians are Christina Buciu, Lucy Dhegrae, J Freivogel, Dana Hotle, Dominic Johnson and Sara Sitzer.

GESHER MUSIC FESTIVAL 2018 SCHEDULE

Friday, August 10, 7:30 PM: Shabbat service at Central Reform Congregation, 5020 Waterman. Musicians will be part of the service

Saturday, August 11, 2:00 PM: FAMILY CONCERT, Ferguson Public Library, 35 N Florissant Rd, Ferguson, MO 63135: FREE

Sunday, August 12, 2:00 PM: FAMILY CONCERT, JCC Wool Studio Theatre, 2 Millstone Campus Dr ($8/adults, $5/child)

Thursday, August 16, 7:30 PM: THE LEGACY OF TIN PAN ALLEY - the impact of Tin Pan Alley on the trajectory of both popular and classical music in the 20th century with the music of Gershwin, Berlin, Joplin, Copland, Ravel, Milhaud and more (free)

Saturday, August 18, 7:30 PM: RISE UP: SOUNDS OF PROTEST - featuring the work of composers who express the struggles of their times through music, from the heartbreaking melodies that arose under Hitler's reign to Shostakovich's searing musical voice under Stalin's brutal regime: Music of Frederic Rzewski, Shawn Jaeger, Ilse Weber - WU Music Center, 560 Trinity ($20)

Sunday August 219, 3:00 PM: GIVING VOICE - Shattering tradition in a traditional art form, these composers represent the underrepresented: Music of Gidon Klein, Matthew Schickele, Florence Price, LJ White, Betty Olivero - JCC, 2 Millstone Campus Drive ($20)

Sunday, August 12, 11:00 AM: Bonus event: free docent-led tour of art relating to theme of the Festival from the collection of the St. Louis Art Museum. Registration required 314-442-3283

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