Sanibel Music Festival 2011 Program

ALL CONCERTS START AT 8 PM

Saturday, March 5 - Jupiter String Quartet

This dynamic young American quartet, formed in 2001, is almost a family affair!  It consists of violinists Nelson Lee and Megan Freivogel, violist Liz Freivogel (older sister of Meg) and cellist Daniel McDonough (husband of Meg, brother-in-law of Liz).  The quartet was selected for the prestigious CMS Two Residency at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.  Other honors include first prize in the Banff International String Quartet Competition, grand prize in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and Chamber Music America's Cleveland Quartet Award.

They have been chosen to do SMF's 2011 Educational Outreach Program at the Sanibel Elementary School, due to their strong interest in education.

PROGRAM:

Schumann: Quartet in A major op. 41 no. 3; Copland: Movement for String Quartet; Turina: La ocavion del torero; Beethoven: Quartet in C sharp op. 131.

Tuesday, March 8 - Trio Solisti

To my mind, “Trio Solisti has now succeeded the Beaux Arts Trio as the outstanding chamber-music ensemble of its kind,” wrote one of America’s most notable critics, Terry Teachout of the Wall St. Journal. The NYT calls them “consistently brilliant,” and the New Yorker Magazine crowned them, “The most exciting piano trio in America.” The three instrumentalists, violinist Maria Bachmann, cellist Alexis Pia Gerlach and pianist Jon Klibonoff frequently perform as soloists with orchestras.

They perform at all of the major festivals, both as a trio and as individual guest artists. The trio has made critically acclaimed debuts, including Lincoln Center’s Great Performers Series, the Kennedy Center and Wolf Trap.

They are the founding ensemble of Telluride MusicFest.

PROGRAM:

Schumann: Fantasiestucke Piano Trio op. 88; Chopin Trio; Dvorak: Trio in F minor op.65; Hubay Czardas.

Saturday, March 12 - Cassatt String Quartet

The all-female Cassatt String Quartet, named for impressionist painter Mary Cassatt, is acclaimed as one of America’s outstanding ensembles. Based in Manhattan, their American performances include Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie Hall, Tanglewood, the Kennedy Center and the Library of Congress in DC. The quartet has been presented on major radio stations such as NPR, Boston’s WGBH, New York’s WQXR and WNYC, and on Canada’s CBC Radio and Radio France.

Numerous awards include top prizes at the Banff International String Quartet Competition and the New Yorker Magazine’s Best of…CD Selection.

PROGRAM:

Debussy: Quartet in G M op 30; Selections from Dvorak Cypresses in G Major; Schubert: String Quartet #14 in D Major "Death and the Maiden"

Tuesday, March 15 - Gould Piano Trio with Clarinetist Robert Plane

This British trio-Lucy Gould, violin, Alice Neary, cello and Benjamin Frith, piano-will be joined for our concert by Lucy's husband, Robert Plane, who is principal clarinetist for the National Orchestra of Wales.  Former British Rising Stars, the trio has performed world-wide, including Carnegie Hall, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, Lincoln Center and Wigmore Hall, plus festival appearances at Edinburgh, Spoleto and Bath.

Its concerts are broadcast frequently on BBC Radio 3.  The trio records extensively, often with Robert Plane, and it has been shortlisted for a Gramophone Award. Its many awards include First Prize at the Charles Hennen competition in Holland, joint first prize in the inaugural Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition, Audience Prize and First Prize at the 1993 Primo Vittorio Gui Competition in Florence.

PROGRAM:

Milhaud: Suite for violin, clarinet and piano; Brahms: Clarinet Trio; Beethoven: Trio for piano. violin and cello in B flat Major Wo0 39 Allegretto; Schubert: Piano Trio in Eb D 929

Saturday, March 19 - Boston Chamber Music Society with William Purvis, French Horn

We welcome back this ensemble of superbly versatile musicians, who come together in different instrumental combinations to perform chamber music. The Boston Globe calls them, “…vivid, compelling and first rate.” This concert will feature a divertimento for horn, violin and cello, then a horn trio (violin, horn and piano), and will end with a piano quintet (string quartet plus piano).

Mr. Purvis is a faculty member of Juilliard, Yale School of Music and SUNY Stony Brook. He pursues a multifaceted career in the U.S. and abroad as horn soloist, chamber musician, conductor and educator and was nominated for a Grammy for best classical recording of 2006. BCMS has been called New England’s premier chamber music society and is known as one of the most extensive and longest-running concert series in the region.

PROGRAM

Mozart: Horn Quintet in E-flat major K. 407; Brahms: Horn Trio in E-flat major Opus 40; Schubert: Sting Trio in B-flat major D. 471; Franck: Piano Quintet in F minor

Tuesday, March 22 - Opera Theater of Connecticut

For the Sanibel Music Festival's Silver Anniversary 25th Season in 2011, Opera Theater of Connecticut returns to present a concert titled Festivals, Parties and Celebrations. OTC, presently celebrating its own silver anniversary, plans an exciting evening of arias, duets and ensembles from opera's festive moments, sung by an ensemble of talented young artists.    Artistic Director Alan Mann will punctuate the concert with witty and informative commentary.  Several of the company's gifted young singers who have performed for us through the years have gone on to such companies as the Met, La Scala, New York City Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago.

THEME: Festivals, Parties and Celebrations

PROGRAM:

To be announced

Saturday, March 26 - Olga Kern

"Olgamania” will reign in Sanibel once again! Ever since Olga first played for us in 2001, after her combination of volcanic playing and a slinky fire-engine red dress made her the first woman to win Gold at the Cliburn in over thirty years, she has been a Festival favorite. Critics have praised her “almost superhuman power and endurance,” her “voluptuous charisma” and her “incredible stage presence.” This year, she collaborated with legendary soprano Kathleen Battle at Carnegie Hall, in addition to her busy touring schedule.

PROGRAM:

Clara Schumann: Variations of Robert Schumann; Robert Schumann: Carnaval; Rachmaninoff: Five Preludes; Scrabin: Sonata #9; Balskirev: Islamey