This preview has been provided by the Eastern Music Festival.
Internationally acclaimed soloists, world-class orchestral performers and instructors, and 234 young artists from around the globe gather in Greensboro this week to kick-off the Eastern Music Festival’s 56th season. Recognized as one of North Carolina’s “Musical Treasures,” EMF dominates the Triad’s summer cultural scene with more than 60 public performances.
The Festival runs June 24 through July 29, and it includes performances by the Festival’s professional orchestra, recitals by faculty ensembles, and young artists orchestral and chamber music, master classes, workshops and outreach activities in venues around the Triad including: Guilford College, UNCG, High Point University, and Greensboro’s new LeBauer Park. Abounding with talent and programmed adventurously, the Festival includes works by living composers, a world premiere of Samuel Jones‘ violin concerto on Saturday, July 22, and familiar symphonic and chamber works including Mahler’s 1st Symphony (July 1), Pictures at an Exhibition (July 8), Ein Heldenleben (July 22) and Shostakovich’s 5th Symphony. (July 29).
The Eastern Festival Orchestra, under the baton of Music Director Gerard Schwarz performs on Friday, June 30 and each Saturday evening in July. Guest artists on the Festival’s ‘anchor’ series include pianists Horacio Gutiérrez, and Awadagin Pratt, violinists Midori, Anne Akiko Meyers, and Jeffrey Multer, and clarinetist Jon Manasse.
The Festival’s Young Artists Orchestras perform each Thursday and Friday evening under the guidance of Maestro Grant Cooper (West Virginia Symphony) and Maestro José Luis Novo (Annapolis Symphony). Performing as soloists with the young artist orchestra programs on Thursday, July 13, and Friday, July 14, are faculty members Nigel Armstrong and Fabián López (violin), Neal Cary (cello), Leonid Finkelstehyn (double bass), George Sakakeeny (bassoon) and Randall Ellis (oboe).
The masterful violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, performs Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Rodion Shchedrin’s Carmen Suite (after George Bizet) on Thursday, June 29. Acclaimed American pianist William Wolfram presents a solo recital on Wednesday, July 5. The Festival’s Orchestral Fellows perform a chamber recital (Beethoven, Shostakovich, Mozart) on Tuesday, July 18 and The Mile-End Trio takes the stage for a piano trio recital on Wednesday, July 19. And the Festival’s guitar faculty (Jason Vieaux, Kami Rowan and Julian Gray) host EMF’s 3rd Annual Classical Guitar Summit on Wednesday, July 26.
Members of EMF’s faculty and guest artists perform chamber music every Monday and Tuesday evening beginning June 27 (except July 4) under the Eastern Chamber Players moniker. (An Eastern Chamber Players chamber music matinee is scheduled for Sunday, July 2, in lieu of the July 4 performance).
As varied as these season highlights appear, an EMF summer is so much more than the sum of its concert parts. The Festival is a learning experience for dedicated young artists, an enriching and entertaining social experience for our patrons, and a celebration of incredible artistry.
Detailed season information is available at www.easternmusicfestival.org. Tickets for all performances are available via the EMF Box Office at Triad Stage at 336-272-0160 or www.easternmusicfestival.org/festival/tickets.
