Summer Concert Guide: Classical music scene to have a busy season
The local classical music scene certainly isn’t taking a summer vacation
Find a scissors, because you are going to have to clip this list and tape it to your front door, or your fridge, or somewhere else where you are sure to see it. You do not want to miss out!
Summer is rolling in, and it is overflowing with nights and afternoons of classical music. Some are elaborate, and you might want to get the gang together. Others are simple and free. You might want just to drift there by yourself, and just be.
Here is what we have to look forward to.
June in Buffalo
The University at Buffalo’s June in Buffalo festival, traditionally held the first week of June, spotlights avant-garde music. David Felder, composer in residence at UB, welcomes a host of composers from around the world for a week’s worth of public concerts and lectures.
This year’s guest composers are Harvey Sollberger, Martin Bresnick, Mathew Rosenblum and Bernard Rands.
• Lectures are free and take place in Baird Recital Hall at 10 a. m. Here is the lecture lineup:
June 1: Harvey Sollberger June 2:Martin Bresnick June 3: David Felder June 4:Mathew Rosenblum
June 5: Bernard Rands
June 6:A lecture on bass/accordion techniques by Mikko Luomo, Finnish accordionist, and Italian bassist and composer Stefano Scodanibbio.
• Afternoon concerts are also free. They take place at 4:30 p. m. Here is the lineup:
June 1:Works by JiB participants in Baird Recital Hall.
June 2: The Meridian Arts Ensemble performs in Baird Recital Hall.
June 3: The New York New Music Ensemble holds a concert and workshop at Lippes Concert Hall in Slee Hall.
June 4: Accordionist Luomo performs in Baird Recital Hall.
June 5: Bassist Scodanibbio performs in Baird Recital Hall.
June 6: Verge Ensemble presents a concert and workshop at Lippes Hall in Slee Hall.
• Admission is $12 for evening concerts. All concerts begin at 8 p. m. and, unless otherwise noted, take place at Lippes Hall in Slee Hall. Here is the schedule:
June 1:Meridian Arts Ensemble.
June 2: New York New Music Ensemble, music by Bresnick, Rosenblum, Sollberger and Lukas Foss.
June 3: In the Black Box Theater, UB Center for the Arts, a program centers on Bresnick’s “For the Sexes: The Gates of Paradise,” for piano and DVD.
June 4: Verge Ensemble, in music by Felder, Rands and Rosenblum.
June 5: Sollberger’s “Sunflowers”; Felder’s “Another Face”; also music by Bresnick, Rands, Rosenblum and Antosca.
2:30 p. m. June 7: The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra plays a concert, including Felder’s “Three Pieces for Orchestra” as well as Rands’ “London Serenade.”
For information on June in Buffalo events, call the UB Concert Office at 645-2921.
The Roycroft Chamber Music Festival
These picturesque concerts take place on two consecutive weekends at St. Matthias Episcopal Church in East Aurora (at the corner of Maple Street and Main Street/Route 20A). Admission is $20 at the door and $15 in advance. Advance tickets are available at the Roycroft Inn in East Aurora and by mail from Roycroft Chamber Music Festival, P. O. Box 281, East Aurora, N. Y. 14052. Here is the music scheduled for this year:
8 p. m. June 13:Mozart’s String Quartet K. 157; Ravel’s Sonata for Violin and Cello; and the Suite for Two Violins, Cello and Piano Left Hand by Hollywood composer Erich Wolfgang Korngold.
7 p. m. June 14:Martinu’s Madrigal Sonata for Flute, Violin and Piano; Joseph Kreutzer’s Grand Trio for Flute, Clarinet and Guitar; and Dvorak’s Quintet for Strings in G, Op. 77.
8 p. m. June 20: Purcell’s “The Golden Sonata” for Two Violins and continuo; Handel’s Trio Sonata in F, Op. 2, No. 4; Haydn’s String Quartet Op. 71, No. 3; and Mendelssohn’s Trio in C Minor.
7 p. m. June 21: Arnold Bax’s Sonata in One Movement for Clarinet, Violin and Piano; Beethoven’s String Quartet in F, Op. 18, No. 1; and Brahms’ Sextet in G for Strings.
Bach and Beyond
Every June for one magical weekend, Baroque music takes the spotlight at the Fredonia Opera House (9 Church St., Fredonia). This year, festival director Grant Cooper and the International Baroque Soloists are performing all six of Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos. They also honor Handel on the 250th anniversary of his death.
Concerts are at 8 p. m. Admission is $20, or $45 for all three concerts. For information, call 679-1891. Here is this year’s schedule:
June 12: Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos No. 1 and 4; Handel’s “Four German Arias”; also music by Telemann.
June 13: Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos No. 3 and 6; Handel’s “Water Music,” two Telemann concertos.
June 14: Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos No. 5 and 2, music by Handel and Giovanni Bononcini.
Three Bach Lunches are also scheduled. You buy your own lunch; the music is free. Reservations are required.
12:30 p. m. June 9: Intermezzo Coffeehouse, 12 Park Place, Fredonia (672-6070).
12:30 p. m. June 10: The White Inn, 52 East Main St., Fredonia (672-2103).
12:30 p. m. June 11: Shorewood Country Club, 4958 West Lake Road, Dunkirk (366-1880).
BPO Summerfest at Artpark
Every July, Artpark turns into our own personal Hollywood Bowl. You get pops concerts, deep classics, wine, warm breezes and song. For tickets or information, call 754-4375 or visit www.bpo.org or www.artpark.net.
8 p. m. July 11: Guest conductor Robert Franz conducts the BPO and Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus in Carl Orff’s heady “Carmina Burana.”
3 p. m. July 12: Franz conducts “Broadway Rocks,” with four singers in songs from “The Wiz,” “Hairpsray,” “Phantom,” etc.
2:30 p. m. July 17 and 8 p. m. July 18: Franz and the BPO preside over two return engagements by the Peking Acrobats.
8 p. m. July 25: JoAnn Falletta conducts Buffalo-born soprano Laura Aikin in an evening of opera arias.
3 p. m. July 26: Falletta conducts Marco Sartor, 2008 winner of the 2008 Falletta International Guitar Competition, in Rodrigo’s “Concierto de Aranjuez.”
8 p. m. July 31:The BPO and guest conductor Jack Wall use foggers, hazers, moving lights and video screens to create an overwhelming spectacle for “Video Games Live!”
8 p. m. Aug. 1: Pianist Natasha Paremski plays Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto, and Falletta conducts the Moussorgsky/Ravel “Pictures at an Exhibition.”
3 p. m. Aug. 2: Falletta conducts movie themes and Michael Ludwig is the soloist in Korngold’s romantic Violin Concerto.
The BPO’s Parks Concerts
Every summer, the BPO hits the road and performs in local parks. Here is the schedule.
7 p. m. June 30: The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. Free.
7 p. m. July 1: Schoellkopf Park, Niagara Falls. Free.
8 p. m. July 4: At Holiday Valley in Ellicottville, the BPO performs with a fireworks display. $25. Call (800) 349-9099.
7 p. m. July 7: Centennial Park, Batavia. Free.
7 p. m. July 8: Delaware Park. Free.
Chautauqua Opera
Beginning in late June, the Chautauqua Institution offers a full schedule of concerts and arts events. Opera performances are in English, and this year’s theme is “Politics and Opera.” Admission is $15 to $52. Performances take place at 7:30 p. m. in Norton Hall on the Chautauqua Institution grounds. For information, call 357-6250.
July 10 and 13: Verdi’s “Il Trovatore,” in a new production featuring Barbara Quintiliani.
July 24 and 27:Menotti’s “The Consul,” in a Chautauqua premiere. Aug. 7 and 10: Puccini’s “Tosca,” starring Carter Scott in the title role.
Aug. 21 and 24: Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Pirates of Penzance.”
ChautauquaLogan ChamberMusic Series
These concerts take place at 4 p. m. Mondays in Elizabeth S. Lenna Hall at the Chautauqua Institution. Call 357-6200.
June 29: Turtle Island String Quartet
July 6: The New Arts Trio
July 13: Cantus, Minn.-based male a cappella group July 20: Chautauqua Quartet
July 27: Chautauqua Wind Quintet
Aug. 3 and 10: Audubon Quartet
Aug. 17: Afiara Quartet
Aug. 24: Hammer/Klavier Quartet
Chautauqua Special Recitals
8:15 p. m. July 22: Pianist Alexander Gavrylyuk, who appeared with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra in summer 2008 to great acclaim, plays a special recital.
8:15 p. m. Aug. 20: “Dueling Strads” feature violinists Philippe Quint and Vadim Gluzman. Both will be performing on centuries-old Stradivari violins.
Chautauqua Symphony
Concerts take place at 8:15 p. m. in the Chautauqua Amphitheater unless otherwise indicated. Unless otherwise stated, the conductor is CSO Music Director Stefan Sanderling. Admission to most concerts is $17. Call 836-ARTS or visit www.ciweb.org.
July 3:CSO Principal Clarinetist Eli Eban plays Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto. Also, Holst’s “The Planets.”
July 7: Guest conductor Tito Munoz and oboist Jan Eberle play Mozart’s Oboe Concerto.
July 9:The CSO Percussion is featured in “The Glory and the Grandeur: Concerto for Percussion Trio and Orchestra” by Russell Peck. Also, Borodin’s “Polovtsian Dances.” July 11: Bach’s Cantata No. 60, Strauss Viennese Waltzes and Berg’s Violin Concerto, featuring CSO Concertmaster Brian Reagin.
July 16:Markus Groh is the soloist in Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1. Uriel Segal, former CSO music director, conducts.
July 18: Segal conducts Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings, as well as Mendelssohn’s “Scottish” Symphony.
July 21: Guest conductor Jeff Tyzik conducts a pops concert featuring CSO principal trumpet player Charles Berginc.
July 23: Pianist Alexander Gavrylyuk plays Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2.
July 25:An Opera Highlights concert.
July 28: Guest conductor Gunther Herbig conducts an all-Mozart program: the Overture to “Don Giovanni”; the Flute and Harp Concerto K. 299, featuring CSO principal flutist Richard Sherman and principal harp player Beth Robinson; and Symphony No. 36, the “Linz.”
July 30:Herbig conducts Sibelius’ Violin Concerto, with violinist Joan Kwuon, and Schubert’s Symphony No. 9, “The Great.”
Aug. 1: Soprano Emily Pulley, mezzo soprano Elizabeth Bishop and the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus are featured in Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection.”
Aug. 6:An 80th Anniversary Celebration concert features Chaim Zemach, principal cellist of the CSO, in Boccherini’s Cello Concerto in B flat.
Aug. 11: Guest conductor Jack Everly conducts a pops concert.
Aug. 13: Cellist Colin Carr is the soloist in Dvorak’s Cello Concerto. Also, Brahms’ Third Symphony.
Aug. 18:A concert features the Bassoon Concerto Op. 75 by Carl Maria von Weber, featuring Jeffrey Robinson.
Aug. 22: Violinist Philippe Quint and Vadim Gluzman, both performing on “dueling Strads,” play Bach’s Concerto for Two Violins, BWV 1043. Also, Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony.
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