The Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival (CCCMF), celebrating 38 years as Cape Cod’s premiere presenter of summer chamber music, announces its 2017 summer season, presenting 12 compelling concerts from August 1 through 25 at 7:30 pm at locations throughout the region.
The Festival’s 38th season delivers a distinctly diverse array of chamber repertoire, stellar performing artists and instruments collectively presented in rare combinations sure to delight audiences. Artistic Directors Jon Nakamatsu and Jon Manasse, and Executive Director Elaine Lipton, now each in their 11th season with the Festival, eagerly anticipate this summer’s programming. “We are excited to be joining many wonderful musical colleagues to bring you a summer of sublime and thrilling musical treats. Two concerts in particular promise fantastic new delights, “The Power of Wind” featuring a host of stars and four amazing wind students performing a Mozart wind octet, and “A Mass at the Opera” with the Chatham Chorale, four vocal soloists, piano and organ in a performance of the rarely performed and very beautiful Petite Messe Solonnelle by Rossini.” Both Manasse and Nakamatsu take the stage over the course of the Festival, exceptional musicians recognized nationally themselves for their gifts on clarinet and piano, respectively.
“The Teacher and Student” concert offers insight into the compositional juxtaposition of styles between master Czech composer Antonín Dvó?ak and his then-teen student Joseph Suk. Dvó?ak’s Three Slavonic Dances and Trio in E Minor for Violin, Cello, and Piano, Opus 90 (‘Dumky Trio’), paired with Suk’s impressive Quartet in A Minor for Violin, Viola, Cello and Piano, Opus 1 reveal the similarities and differences of two of romanticism’s most passionate and prolific composers.
Two performances of a world première of Julian Lampert’s fascinating Quintet for Flute and String Quartet bring to life flutes throughout the ages, including both modern and historical instruments. Borromeo String Quartet performs three works complemented by featured flutist Jelle Atema. A student of Jean-Pierre Rampal, and professor of Biology and Research Fellow, Department of Cognitive and Neural Systems at Boston University, Atema has cultivated a life-long interest in the evolution of musical instruments. His research led him to produce replicas of ancient bone flutes found at Paleolithic and Neolithic digs, indicating the possibility of that era’s musical contribution. The contrasting combination of instrumentalists also perform Mozart’s Adagio and Fugue in C Minor for Strings, K. 546 and César Franck’s String Quartet in D Major.
A captivating collaboration delivers a unique Festival event in “A Mass at the Opera,” featuring Chatham Chorale conducted by Director Joe Marchio, four vocal soloists, accompanied by organ and piano. Neither petite nor solemn, Gioachino Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle, more operatic than sacred, delivers a bold score and audacious listening experience for the audience.
Prestigious performing artists are seen throughout the Festival programming, including the return of world renowned ensemble Emerson String Quartet in their fifth consecutive appearance performing two beloved string quartets in “Beethoven the Master.” Artistic Directors Manasse and Nakatmatsu join world-renowned wind virtuosi and rising chamber stars in “The Power of Wind,” featuring performances of works by Mendelssohn, Beethoven and Mozart. The star-studded season culminates with Ying Quartet’s final ensemble-in-residence performance of The Brahms Quintets, a breathtaking finale offering two of chamber music’s most celebrated clarinet and piano masterworks, performed by the Ying Quartet with Artistic Directors Manasse and Nakamatsu.
Concerts are held in six communities from Wellfleet to Cotuit, ensuring maximum accessibility to Cape Cod audiences, at these venues:
Wellfleet: First Congregational Church, 200 Main Street
Orleans: Church of the Holy Spirit, 204 Monument Road: 73 Main Street
Chatham: First Congregational Church: 650 Main Street (at the Rotary)
Dennis: Dennis Union Church: 713 Main Street (Route 6A)
Cotuit: Cotuit Center for the Arts: 4404 Falmouth Road (Route 28)
Tickets ordered on or before June 30: $34 general admission; $15 for college students (with ID); admission is free for attendees 18 and under. General admission to three or more concerts: $32 per ticket. Emerson String Quartet concert: $50 (whether individually purchased or as part of the three-concert package)
Tickets ordered on or after July 1: $38 general admission; $15 for college students (with ID); admission is free for attendees 18 and under. General admission to three or more concerts: $36 per ticket. Emerson String Quartet concert: $55 (whether individually purchased or as part of the three-concert package)
Special first-time ticket buyer’s price and a discounted ticket for the August 1 concert, if you are between the ages of 19 and 40, are available by calling Festival office.
Festival seating is limited to venue capacity, advance purchase is recommended. Tickets ordered online are available at will call at the performances. Tickets may also be purchased by calling or visiting the box office at 508-247-9400 or at 3 Main Street Unit 6, North Eastham. Box office hours are 10 am to 3 pm, Monday through Friday. Phone orders are available until12 noon on the day of each concert.
For more information about Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival’s 2016 season, performers, mission and venues, visitcapecodchambermusic.org, or follow Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival on Facebook and Twitter.