2018 Know the Score Lectures
Know the Score Lectures
Comprehensive in scope, the Know the Score lectures during the Summer Festival are given by highly-regarded lecturers from the Northwest and Festival artists, all representing unique aspects of the classical music world. These lectures are rich in detail, reflecting the social and historical context of the composers and the repertoire of the concerts. The lectures take place at St. Francis Catholic Church, next door to Orcas Center, and each lecture is augmented by a visit to a concert rehearsal. One Know the Score lecture also takes place on Lopez Island each Festival season, at the historic Port Stanley Schoolhouse, on the morning of the Chamber Music on Lopez Concert. Purchase Orcas lecture tickets through the Box Office at Orcas Center, and at various Lopez outlets for the Lopez lecture. A limited number of seats may be sold at the door, depending on available space.
Our 2018 Know the Score Lecturers:
Jonathan Pasternack
Jonathan Pasternack
Know the Score: Music Among Friends
Orcas Island – Friday, August 3, 9:00am – 12:30pm
Lopez Island – Sunday, August 5, 1:00pm – 3:30pm
Jonathan Pasternack conducts orchestras, opera and ballet in the United States and Europe, with such ensembles as the London Symphony Orchestra, Residentie Orkest of The Hague, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, among others. Currently Music Director and Conductor of the Port Angeles Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Pasternack has held appointments with the Oregon Symphony, Bellevue Opera, Icicle Creek Music Center, Ithaca College, Pacific Lutheran University, and the University of Washington School of Music. Born and raised in New York City, Jonathan Pasternack studied violin, cello, trombone, piano, and percussion. He won a trombone scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music at the age of sixteen and later transferred to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to pursue studies in astronomy, philosophy, and political science. Mr. Pasternack made his conducting debut when he was eighteen, while a student at MIT, where he founded and led the MIT Chamber Orchestra for three seasons.
John Largess
John Largess
Know the Score: Channel Crossing
Tuesday, August 7, 9:00am – 12:30pm
Violist John Largess began his studies in Boston at age 12 in the public schools, studying with Michael Zaretsky of the Boston Symphony, and later as a student of Michael Tree at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. In 1995, he graduated from Yale University to join the Colorado String Quartet as interim violist, with whom he toured the United States and Canada, teaching and concertizing. The following year, he was appointed principal violist of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra in South Carolina, a position he held until joining the Miró Quartet in 1997. Also an active speaker and writer about all things chamber?musical, in 2004 Mr. Largess was invited to give a week?long audience lecture series as a part of the Eighth International String Quartet Competition at the Banff Centre for the Arts in Alberta, Canada. He repeated this series in 2007 and again in 2010.With his training in Greek and Latin Literature and his Bachelor’s degree in Archeology from Yale University, as well as studies at the Hebrew University in Israel, Mr. Largess has participated in excavations in Greece, Israel, and Jordan. John Largess serves as Senior Lecturer and Coordinator of String Chamber Music at the University of Texas at Austin Butler School of Music.
Roger Sherman
Roger Sherman
Know the Score: The Brandenburg Concertos
Friday, August 10, 9:00am – 12:30pm
A native of Seattle, Roger Sherman is the Associate Organist Emeritus of St. Mark’s Cathedral and Artistic Director Emeritus of the Orcas Choral Society. For the past 25 years, he has produced and hosted The Organ Loft, a popular weekly radio program about choral and organ music on Classical KING FM. Mr. Sherman is president of the Grammy Award winning Gothic Catalog, which publishes recordings on the Loft, Gothic, Clarion, and ReZound labels. Mr. Sherman holds degrees in music history, computer science, and organ performance from Oberlin College. He has performed as harpsichord soloist with the Milwaukee Chamber Orchestra, the Milwaukee Strings, and the Milwaukee Symphony, and has played organ recitals in such diverse places as Stanford University, Venice, Italy, and Walla Walla, Washington. Mr. Sherman has also had a significant career in technology. He was the first full-time Director of Testing for Microsoft and was on the team that produced the first versions of Microsoft Publisher, Microsoft Money, and Microsoft Works for Windows. He was the Director of Testing when Windows 95 and Office 95 were released and created Microsoft’s first Games products. Roger Sherman is now a full-time resident of Orcas Island.
Lisa Bergman
Lisa Bergman
Know the Score: A Windy Day in Paris
Tuesday, August 14, 9:00am – 12:30pm
Lisa is Founder and Artistic Director of the Mostly Nordic Chamber Music Series and Executive Director of NOISE (Northwest Opera in Schools, Etcetera). She is a national Gracie Award-winning radio announcer on Classic KING-FM, appearing daily, streaming worldwide on the internet. Bergman served for seven years as the Executive Director and is the Classical Music Program Advisor of the Icicle Creek Center for the Arts in Leavenworth. Lisa is also a concert pianist specializing in the fields of collaborative piano and chamber music, and is a graduate of the Juilliard School, the State University of New York at Stony Brook and the University of Washington. She served as an Artist in Residence and member of the University of Washington Music Faculty (1989-1999), teaching in the fields of accompanying and opera coaching. As a recording artist her discography includes six chamber music CDs and one solo CD. She made her Carnegie Recital Hall debut in 1983. The Washington State Music Teachers Association cited her for “extraordinary service, outstanding musicianship, dedication and leadership which have significantly contributed to the development and growth of music education in the State of Washington.”
Svend Rønning
Svend Rønning
Know the Score: Dvorák Finale!
Friday, August 17, 9:00am – 12:30pm
Violinist Svend Rønning is Chair of the String Division at Pacific Lutheran University where he is Professor of Music. He is one of the most active performers in the Puget Sound, serving as Concertmaster of the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra as well as performing frequent soloist, recitalist, chamber musician and recording artist. He is also Artistic Director of the Second City Chamber Series, Tacoma’s award winning producer of chamber music concerts and chamber music educational programs. Svend has appeared in venues around the world, including the Aspen, Eastern, Harkness, Jerusalem, Methow, Pacific, Rhode Island, Spoleto and Wintergreen Music Festivals, and has served as Concertmaster of various orchestras including the Charlottesville Symphony, the San Jose Symphony, the Spoleto U.S.A. Chamber Orchestra, and the Tacoma Opera Orchestra.
Coming soon: Music 101
What’s the difference between a concerto and a sonata? How about a Philharmonic, a Symphony, and an Orchestra? Do you know when it’s okay to clap between movements, or what a movement is in the first place? Next month, we’ll have top-notch answers to those questions—and any others you come up with!
Our own personal OICMF professors, Artistic Director Aloysia Friedmann and Artistic Advisor Jon Kimura Parker (Jackie), will be beamed in direct from Professor Parker’s studio at Rice University for OICMF’s Music 101. The two sessions, on Thursday, May 3 and Thursday, May 10, from 7-9pm, will be hosted by our dear friends at Funhouse.
To register for the event, submit questions, or learn more, give us a call at (360) 376-6636 or drop us a line at laura@oicmf.org.
Thanks to a grant from the Gould Family Foundation, these world-class sessions are free!
OICMF Musicians-in-Residence The Westerlies, April 23-27, 2018
Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival is excited to bring the fun and energetic brass quartet The Westerlies to the San Juan Islands in late April to spread the joy of brass music through performances and educational workshops on Orcas, Lopez, and Shaw islands. Formed in 2011, the self-described “accidental brass quartet” takes its name from the prevailing winds that travel from west to east. Childhood friends from Seattle now based in New York, trumpet players Riley Mulherkar and Zubin Hensler and trombonists Andy Clausen and Willem de Koch are “skilled interpreters who are also adept improvisers” (NPR’s Fresh Air). The Westerlies explore jazz, roots, and chamber music influences to create music for audiences of all musical tastes.
The Westerlies are frequently invited to engage in educational and community outreach. They have presented masterclasses at music institutions such as The Juilliard School and Manhattan School of Music, and Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival is pleased that students of all ages in the San Juan Islands will have the opportunity to play and learn with these dynamic and talented musicians. The week-long residency is based on “A Common Language: Development of the American Song,” a lecture/demonstration developed by The Westerlies.
The quartet begins their action-packed OICMF residency on Monday, April 23rd, in an early morning session with Orcas High School students. The Westerlies continue their day with an afternoon masterclass for Orcas Island brass players and in the evening The Westerlies work and play with Orcas Island Community Band.
On Tuesday, April 24th, The Westerlies board a morning ferry bound for Lopez Island, where they will share their energetic music with the students of Lopez schools at an afternoon assembly. Lopez Islanders are invited that evening to Lopez Center for a free Community Concert at 6:30pm.
The Westerlies are back on Orcas Wednesday morning, and might just be seen strolling the streets of Eastsound with their instruments before they play for an Orcas Christian School assembly in the afternoon.
Thursday, April 26th, will find The Westerlies back in the Orcas School Band Room to continue working with high school and middle school band students before performing at Orcas Center for the Orcas Island Elementary students in the afternoon.
Mark your calendars for 7:00pm on Thursday, April 26th, and come to the Orcas Island Grange for a Community Concert with The Westerlies! Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students 18 and younger, and are available at Darvill’s Bookstore.
The Westerlies complete their musical tour of the San Juan Islands on Friday, April 27th, with a stop on Shaw Island to work with students at the Shaw School in the afternoon, and at 6:00 the Shaw Island community is invited to hear The Westerlies at a Community Concert at the Shaw Community Center. Admission to the Shaw concert is by donation.
This week-long series of Musicians-in-Residence events is supported in part by a grant from the Washington State Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts and generous underwriting from Mimi and Slim Sommerville, Carolyn Haugen, The Shaw School Foundation, the Driftwood Fund, and kind patrons like you.
Our 21st Season, August 2018
Click here to purchase tickets!
Franz Schubert, Fantasie in F minor for piano four-hands
Scott Cuellar, Jon Kimura Parker
Joaquín Turina, Piano Quartet in A minor
Benjamin Beilman, Aloysia Friedmann, Barry Gold, Scott Cuellar
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Duo for violin and viola in G Major, KV 423
Carmit Zori, Toby Hoffman
Johannes Brahms, Viola Quintet in G Major, Op. 111
Carmit Zori, Benjamin Beilman, Toby Hoffman, Aloysia Friedmann, Desmond Hoebig
Franz Joseph Haydn, Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 71, No. 3
Miró Quartet
Antonín Dvorák, String Sextet in A Major
Daniel Ching, William Fedkenheuer, John Largess, Toby Hoffman, Joshua Gindele, Barry Gold
Johann David Heinichen, Trio Sonata for oboe, violin, and continuo in C minor
Nathan Hughes, Margaret Batjer, Sæunn Thorsteinsdóttir, Jon Kimura Parker
Edward Elgar, Piano Quintet in A minor
Scott St. John, Carmit Zori, Aloysia Friedmann, Desmond Hoebig, Scott Cuellar
Johann Sebastian Bach Six Brandenburg Concertos
No. 1 in F Major, No. 3 in G Major, No. 5 in D Major
No. 6 in B-flat Major, No. 4 in G Major, No. 2 in F Major
Jeffrey Kahane, Director and Harpsichord; Violins: Margaret Batjer, Scott St. John, Carmit Zori, Daniel Ching, William Fedkenheuer; Violas: Aloysia Friedmann, Toby Hoffman, John Largess; cellos: Desmond Hoebig, Sæunn Thorsteinsdóttir, Barry Gold, Joshua Gindele; Double Bass: David Grossman; Oboe: Nathan Hughes, Emily Tsai, Tad Margelli; flutes: Joachim Becerra Thomsen, Garrett Hudson, Bassoon: Kara LaMoure; horns: Danielle Kuhlmann, Anni Hochhalter; trumpet: David Washburn
Jacques Offenbach (arr. WindSync), Overture to A Trip to the Moon
WindSync
Lili Boulanger, Deux Morceaux for violin and piano
Robyn Bollinger, Jon Kimura Parker
A multimedia presentation of sounds and images sent to space 40 years ago, portraying the diversity of life and culture on Earth.
Sergei Prokofiev (arr. Trevor Cramer), Peter and the Wolf
WindSync
Camille Saint-Saëns, Septet for piano, trumpet, and strings
Jon Kimura Parker, David Washburn, Carmit Zori, Robyn Bollinger, Toby Hoffman,
Sæunn Thorsteinsdóttir, David Grossman
Francis Poulenc, Sextet for winds and piano
WindSync, Jon Kimura Parker
Jean Françaix, Les petits nerveux (Nervous Children)
WindSync, Jon Kimura Parker
Franz Joseph Haydn, Trio in C Major, Hob. XV:27
Robyn Bollinger, Sæunn Thorsteinsdóttir, Jon Kimura Parker
Charles Loeffler, Two Rhapsodies for oboe, viola and piano
Nathan Hughes, Aloysia Friedmann, Jon Kimura Parker
Antonín Dvorák, Piano Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 87
Robyn Bollinger, Aloysia Friedmann, Sæunn Thorsteinsdóttir, Jon Kimura Parker
Concerto Chat™ with Jon Kimura Parker
Thursday, August 9, at St. Francis Catholic Church
Children’s Concert – Peter and the Wolf
Sunday, August 5, 5:30pm at Lopez Center
Franz Schubert, Fantasie in F minor for piano four-hands
Scott Cuellar, Jon Kimura Parker
Joaquín Turina, Piano Quartet in A minor
Benjamin Beilman, Aloysia Friedmann, Barry Gold, Scott Cuellar
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Duo for violin and viola in G Major, KV 423
Carmit Zori, Toby Hoffman
Johannes Brahms, Viola Quintet in G Major, Op. 111
Carmit Zori, Benjamin Beilman, Toby Hoffman, Aloysia Friedmann, Desmond Hoebig
Chamber Music on Lopez Concert Tickets are available at Lopez Center for Community and the Arts beginning May 2, and at the Lopez Farmers Market beginning June 2.
Information and tickets for the August 5 Know the Score lecture event on Lopez are available beginning June 2 at Lopez Bookshop, Paper Scissors on the Rock, and at the Lopez Farmers Market.
For more information on our Lopez events, please contact us: lopez@oicmf.org or at the Festival Office, 360-376-6636.
The Gryphon Trio Returns for Whirlwind Residency January 29th – 31st
The Gryphon Trio arrives on Orcas Island late in the day on Monday, January 29th, and gets right to work presenting an evening of violin, cello, and piano masterclasses, the first of a flurry of activities planned for their three days as Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival’s Musicians-in-Residence. This residency is an important educational and musical gift to the island.
Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival Artistic Director Aloysia Friedmann is thrilled that the Gryphon Trio will be available for this winter’s OICMF Musicians-in-Residence experience. Bringing their artistry and fun personalities back to Orcas Island will be a joy. Violinist Annalee Patipatanakoon, cellist Roman Borys, and pianist James Parker have established the Gryphon Trio as one of the world’s preeminent piano trios over the 25 years they’ve performed together. The Gryphon Trio tours regularly throughout North America and Europe, and their 18 recordings are an encyclopedia of works for piano trio. They have commissioned over 75 new works and regularly collaborate on projects that push the boundaries of chamber music. Gryphon cellist Roman Borys is Artistic Director of Ottawa’s Chamberfest. Annalee Patipatanakoon and James Parker serve as the festival’s Artistic Advisors in addition to their responsibilities at the University of Toronto Faculty of Music, where Dr. Parker is the Rupert E. Edwards Chair in Piano Performance and Ms. Patipatanakoon is Associate Professor of Violin.
The trio has appeared at Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival events many times over the years, in both the August Festival and at smaller, more intimate Salon Concerts. The Gryphon Trio’s busy OICMF January residency features masterclasses, ensemble coaching, a private dinner, a Community Concert, and an afternoon on Shaw Island.
Deeply committed to the education of the next generation of audiences and performers alike, the trio members frequently conduct masterclasses and workshops at universities and conservatories. The January 29th OICMF masterclasses are open to violinists, cellists, and pianists of all ages and abilities, and observers are welcome. The classes run from 6:30-8:00pm at the Funhouse and the chapel at Orcas Christian School and are free of charge. The masterclasses have limited space, so please contact the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival office at (360) 376-6636 to register to perform or observe.
The Gryphon Trio will board the inter-island ferry on Tuesday for the short trip to Shaw Island to play a concert for the students of Shaw School, and the whole Shaw community is invited. The concert at the Shaw Community Building begins at 2:00pm on January 30th.
The trio returns to Orcas Island Tuesday evening for an exclusive dinner concert in a beautiful home. The multi-course meal with wine pairings will be catered by Bill Patterson of William Patterson Foods. Seating for this intimate dining experience is extremely limited. For more information and for reservations, contact the OICMF office at (360) 376-6636 or info@oicmf.org.
On Wednesday, January 31st, local instrumental ensembles are invited to coaching sessions with the Gryphon Trio. The sessions run from 1:00-4:00pm at the chapel at Orcas Christian School and are available to classical music ensembles of all instrument combinations. Contact the OICMF Festival office at (360) 376-6636 to register for a coaching time during this free event.
The chapel at Orcas Christian School is the setting for the Gryphon Trio’s Community Concert on Wednesday, January 31st. The high arched ceilings give the building wonderful acoustics and the gothic windows make a beautiful backdrop for the performers. The concert begins at 7:00pm and seating is limited. The concert is free, although a courtesy ticket is required; donations to Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival are always welcome. Concert tickets are available at Darvill’s Bookstore.
Please contact Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival at (360) 376-6636 or info@oicmf.org to register for the January 29 Masterclasses or the January 31 Ensemble Coaching sessions, or to reserve a seat at the dinner table.
Leaves of Gold Concert December 11, 2017
Aloysia Friedmann, founder and Artistic Director of Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival, is very pleased to announce the annual Leaves of Gold concert on Monday, December 11, at 6:00 PM in the Music Room of the Mansion at Rosario Resort. The Miró Quartet, OICMF’s Quartet-in-Residence, joins pianist Jon Kimura Parker in works by Clara Schumann, Robert Schumann, and Johannes Brahms. The concert, aptly titled “Love Triangle,” will capture the hearts of audience members as they learn about the close relationship between Clara and the very young Brahms as Robert’s physical and mental health deteriorated. The program will also include a few other musical surprises!
The Miró Quartet members, violinists Daniel Ching and William Fedkenheuer, violist John Largess, and cellist Joshua Gindele, are on faculty at the Sarah and Ernest Butler School of Music at the University of Texas at Austin, where they teach private students and coach chamber music. They concurrently maintain an active international touring schedule, performing at major chamber music series and on the most prestigious concert stages, most recently a highly anticipated and sold out return to Carnegie Hall to perform Beethoven’s complete Opus 59 Quartets, garnering accolades from critics and audiences alike.
Jon Kimura Parker is Professor of Piano at The Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. He frequently gives recitals and performs with major orchestras around the world. He has lectured at The Juilliard School, The Colburn School, The Steans Institute, New York University, and Yale University. Mr. Parker is the Artistic Advisor of the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival, where he has given world premieres of new works by Peter Schickele and Jake Heggie, and he was recently appointed Artistic Director of the Honens International Piano Competition in Calgary, Alberta.
The Mansion at Rosario Resort, glowing with old-fashioned cheer during the holiday season, is an enchanting setting for OICMF’s Leaves of Gold concert. A reception in the Mansion Dining Room follows the concert, featuring a delicious buffet of hors d’oeuvres, desserts, and wines, prepared and served by executive chef Raymond Southern and his staff. Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival is grateful to Rosario Resort owners Jan and Jerry Barto for hosting this event. The concert is underwritten by the Valerie and William Anders Foundation and kind patrons like you. Tickets are $150 ($75 of the ticket price is tax deductible). To reserve your seat, email linda@oicmf.org or call the OICMF office at 360-376-6636.
Miró Quartet in Residence October 9-13
Be sure to catch the Miró Quartet, Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival’s “Quartet in Residence,” the week of October 9-13 while the string quartet is here for an action-packed week of fun activities for all islanders! From pop-up appearances and a community concert to a mini concert “tour” onboard the inter-island ferry and several events in between, the Miró Quartet will surely strike a chord with the Orcas Island community and beyond.
From Carnegie Hall to Random Howse: On Monday, October 9th, the Miró Quartet arrives on Orcas Island in the early evening, just in time to play a couple of sets at Random Howse. The quartet played a sold-out Carnegie Hall concert earlier this year; don’t miss this opportunity to hear them while you dine in Eastsound! The music begins at 6:30, with no cover charge. Call Random Howse at 360-376-1111 to reserve a table.
A Musical Afternoon for Island Seniors: On Tuesday, October 10th, the Miró Quartet entertains Orcas Island seniors with a concert at the Orcas Senior Center at 2:00. The concert is free to all senior citizens on the island, and will be followed by a reception with treats, coffee, and tea.
Fun Family Concert at the Grange: On Thursday, October 12th, at 7:00pm, the Miró Quartet performs a wide variety of music, from classical composers to modern and maybe even a fiddle tune or two. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students 18 and younger, and can be purchased by cash or check at Darvill’s Bookstore.
Shhh…it’s education: Between all of the concerts and activities during the week, the Miró Quartet entertains and engages Kim Freeman’s Orcas Island Middle School students in two sessions at the Orcas Public Library.
Pop-up string quartet rides the Inter-Island: On Friday, October 13th, the quartet expands their audience to Shaw and Lopez Islands to wrap up their residency. The four musicians board the inter-island ferry from Orcas and perform for passengers and crew as the boat makes its way around the islands. They will disembark at Shaw Island for an afternoon of music with the Shaw School students, then get back on the ferry bound for Lopez Island, where they play a Salon Concert for a very appreciative audience.
This week of exciting Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival events is generously underwritten by the Valerie and William Anders Foundation and kind patrons like you.
Jon Kimura Parker and Hurricane Harvey
Posted on CBC News August 28, 2017
‘I’m hopeful’: Vancouver pianist weathering Hurricane Harvey
‘This couldn’t be more different from the dry summer we had here in Vancouver,’ says Jon Kimura Parker
A pianist from Vancouver who now lives in Houston says his home — and piano — have so far survived the pummelling winds and catastrophic floods of Hurricane Harvey.
But Jon Kimura Parker says he and his wife are still stranded in their house, as the flooding has wound through their street and pooled in their backyard.
“I’m hopeful,” Kimura Parker told Early Edition guest host Stephen Quinn.
“We’ve survived the last two days and the water hasn’t reached our house … but it just keeps happening,” he said.
2017 Festival Artists
Aloysia Friedmann, violin, viola
Jon Kimura Parker, piano, composer
Steve Alboucq, trumpet
Oliver Aldort, cello
Jose Franch-Ballester, clarinet
Benjamin Beilman, violin
Adria Benjamin, viola
Rachel Buchman, teaching artist
Andrés Cárdenes, violin
Martin Chalifour, violin
Chee-Yun, violin
Michael Collins, clarinet
Roshanne Etezady, composer
Gunnar Folsom, percussion
David Harding, viola
Jake Heggie, composer
Desmond Hoebig, cello
Jeffrey Kahane, piano
Karl Kawahara, violin
Alecia Lawyer, oboe
Timothy McAllister, saxophone
Lorna McGhee, flute
Monique Mead, violin
Miró Quartet
Off The Score
Anita Orne, saw
Alexandra Preucil, violin
William Preucil, violin
Geoffrey Shilling, fibre artist
Andrew Staupe, piano
Adam Stern, conductor
Stephen Swanson, bass
Bion Tsang, cello
Anne Martindale Williams, cello
Sandy Yamamoto, violin
Monique Mead is Musician in Residence May 15-19, 2017
Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival brings Carnegie Mellon University music professor Monique Mead to Orcas Island as Musician-in-Residence May 15th through 19th. She will work with string players of all ages in the public school music program and at an Advanced Master Class for community members.
Monique Mead and her graduate assistant, Abbey Roemer, have been virtual instructors in the Orcas Island public school music classes this winter and spring, coaching Pamela Wright’s strings classes every month via Skype. Ms. Mead has enjoyed the distance-learning process, and says, “I love connecting with the students through Skype. It allows us to collaborate over an entire semester and builds excitement for the Musician-in-Residence week. The most frustrating thing is that I can’t reach out and lift those sagging elbows, but just you wait!”
Mrs. Wright is pleased with the progress her students have made with this novel mode of learning and remarked, “The Skype sessions that we have had so far with Monique and Abbey have been very instructive! We have been helped to reevaluate our bowing, which changed the emotion of one of our pieces.”
The week of intensive instruction culminates in the school music program’s Spring Concert, “Waltzing Through the Ages,” on May 18th at 7:00 p.m. in the High School gym. The students will play waltzes and courtly dances along with other dance forms. Many familiar tunes will include selections from “The Sound of Music” and waltzes for dukes, skaters, sailors, and even a river or two. Monique and Abbey will add to the evening’s entertainment, performing “Navarra,” a collection of flashy Spanish dances by Pablo de Sarasate, accompanied by Monique’s 12-year-old son Tino.
Community musicians have an opportunity to work with Monique Mead at an Advanced Strings Masterclass on Tuesday, May 16th, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. in the high school band room. The class is for advanced string players and string ensembles who would like coaching on pieces they are working on. Members of the community are also invited to come and observe the masterclass. This is a great opportunity to watch and learn from a very engaging master instructor. For more information about the masterclass and to sign up, contact Laura Gibbons at the Orcas Island Chamber Music office, 360-376-6636 or laura@oicmf.org.
This week of music instruction and performance is presented by Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival with the generous support of Rick Gould and Mimi and Slim Sommerville. OICMF has offered its Musician-in-Residence program to Orcas Island students and community members for over ten years, bringing musicians and music educators into the community to teach, coach, and inspire musicians of all ages.