The Meeting House Chamber Music Festival opened its new season on Sunday, June 21, at Highfield Hall in Falmouth, MA, and Monday, June 22, at the Church of the Holy Spirit, Orleans, MA. Irina Muresanu—the superb violinist who graced last year’s opening with her exuberance and virtuosity—was on Cape Cod for a welcome encore, joining artistic director and pianist Donald Enos in a program titled “Rorem, Ravel, and Rags.”
With Ms. Muresanu on violin and Mr. Enos on piano, “Rorem, Ravel, and Rags” moved with grace and panache from a contemporary American masterpiece to the entrancing music of one of France’s greatest composers to the distinctively American genre of ragtime. The old-fashioned “3 R’s” were a lot less fun," wrote Keith Powers in his excellent review of Monday night's performance in The Cape Cod Times. Duo opens festival...
And there is so much more to come! On Monday, June 29, at 7:30 pm, the festival's second concert will be held at Holy Spirit Episcopal Church in Orleans, MA. The program will include Beethoven's "Spring" Sonata, the Brahms Horn Trio Op.40, and works by Bargiel, Abbott, and Ewazen. Performing in this concert will be Lee Wadenpfuhl – horn; Alexey Shabalin – violin; and Donald Enos – piano. Don't miss this wonderful evening of music!
The Meeting House Chamber Music Festival is the longest-running chamber music festival on Cape Cod, founded in 1973 by Mr. Enos, who also holds the position of Wesley DeLacy Chair in Perpetuity with the Cape Symphony Orchestra. The festival has endured for a reason. “What distinguishes us,” explains Mr. Enos, “is that we create a moving experience for our audiences—not only for our long-time fans, but also for people experiencing chamber music for the first time.” In a region rich with musical offerings, the Meeting House Chamber Music Festival is a standout with creative programming and top-flight musicianship that has touched and delighted audiences for more than forty years.
Concerts will be held every Monday evening through the end of July,
typically in Orleans, and on selected other dates and locations. The concert of Monday, July 20, will be given at Cotuit Center for the Arts for the convenience of Mid-Cape fans.
Also among this year’s soloists will be the Israeli-American cellist and virtuoso Amit Peled, who will perform in Orleans on Friday, July 3. Mr. Peled is regarded as one of the finest instrumentalists performing on the world stage today. In a special “Meet the Artist” event that includes a reception as well, the virtuoso will play Pablo Casals’ cello, made by Matteo Goffriller in 1733 and now on loan to this gifted cellist from Casals’ widow and the Casals Foundation.
Another superb soloist featured again this year will be Elizabeth Remy Johnson, the principal harpist of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Remy Johnson, who grew up on Cape Cod, is a festival favorite renowned for the vibrant, contemporary sound she coaxes from the harp. On Monday, July 6, she will perform in a concert with an exciting mix of music from the French harpist and composer Carlos Salzedo, as well as Gustav Holst, John Rutter, and Zoltán Kodály, among others. Also performing in this concert will be the Chatham Chorale Chamber Singers, Joseph Marchio, Director.
Additional concerts in the series will include works from the pantheon of classical and contemporary composers—from Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms to Poulenc and Previn. The line-up of outstanding instrumentalists includes violinists Joyce Hammann, Katie Lansdale, Alexey Shabalin, and Heather Goodchild Wade; violist Laura Manko; cellists Bo Ericsson and Matthias Naegele; hornist Lee Wadenpfuhl; bassoonist Nanci Belmont; and oboist Stuart Breczinski.
The Meeting House Chamber Festival is grateful for the support of the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the Cape Cod 5 Foundation, and the Mary-Louise and Ruth N. Eddy Foundation.
ADMISSION:
Tickets are available at the door or in advance. Single ticket: $22 (under 18 free). 6 Concert Series: $95. For advance ticket sales, please call Hilary Ward at 508.896.2386.
CONCERT LOCATIONS:
Church of the Holy Spirit Episcopal, 204 Monument Rd., Orleans, MA
Highfield Hall, 56 Highfield Drive, Falmouth, MA
Cotuit Center for the Arts, 4404 Falmouth Rd., Cotuit, MA
FULL CONCERT SCHEDULE
Note: This schedule highlights concerts at the Festival's primary venue in Orleans. For the convenience of Cape Cod audiences, the musicians will also perform at Highfield Hall in Falmouth on Sunday, June 21, 4 pm and at Cotuit Center for the Arts on July 20, 7:30 pm. More details below!
For more information, please visit the festival’s website: http://www.meetinghousemusic.org
