Notes & News from Drew & Jenny

Say “HELLO” to our Thursday night audience

Here’s our Thursday night audience waving hello!

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To our Friday night audience: Ready to push your fun button tomorrow night?  (Allusion to the Venetian Festival’s slogan.)  We definitely are!  I personally will be, too…ready to push the shutter button on my camera.  Bring your smiles and waves!  The Perugino Quartet was on fire tonight!  You’re in for an amazing concert.

Check this out: http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/eightwest/Perugino_Quartet_performs.  The Perugino was on TV-8 this morning!  Awesome work, guys!

On a sort of unrelated note, I’m delighted to introduce to you my new photography website: http://imagery.drewle.com.  Browse at your leisure — and feel free to sign the guestbook, too!

Online Resources for Week Four, “Viva Italia!”

We hope that you can join us for Viva Italia! this Thursday and Friday, which also happens to coincide with Saugatuck’s Venetian Festival.  No, this is not a coincidence.  We worked hard to make this happen!

Liszt’s Three Petrarch Sonnets:
http://www.answers.com/topic/petrarch-sonnets-ii-3-for-piano-ann-es-ii-4-6-s-161-4-6-lw-a55-4-6
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Liszt

Wolf’s Italian Serenade:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_Serenade_%28Wolf%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Wolf

Respighi’s Piano Quintet:
http://www.arizonachambermusic.org/06cd-notes.htm (scroll down a bit)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottorino_Respighi

Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Souvenir_de_Florence
http://www.tchaikovsky-research.net/en/Works/Chamber/TH118/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyotr_Ilyich_Tchaikovsky

Incredible presentation and performance by Trio Terzetto

Trio Terzetto really shined today, both tonight at the Woman’s Club and earlier today at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts, where they did a mini-presentation for an area migrant workers’ daycare.  The 100+ children, all between the 2nd and 5th grades, were enthralled by the Trio’s talking, playing, and demonstrations!  This was a truly great event, as many of these children had never seen a cello or a violin, let alone hear classical music presented to them in an easy, unpretentious way.  This is what we live for!  This event also marked the first (and hopefully the first of many) collaborations with the Saugatuck Center for the Arts.  Many thanks for everyone who helped to make this happen, most of all our board member (and ticketmaster), Alan McPhail.

Today was capped by a stupendously amazing performance by the Trio Terzetto.  The sheer artistry, color palette, organic ensemble, and bravura of these three supremely talented musicians left nothing to be desired.  There was standing applause after the opening Beethoven!  There are still seats available for tomorrow (Friday) and Saturday, so please, do come and bring a friend or two…you can’t miss this Trio.  Pretty soon, it will be difficult to afford or even obtain tickets to hear this group…seriously.  We are very lucky to have them in Saugatuck.

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Gimme five, Tanya!

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Trio Terzetto's riveting performance tonight at the Woman's Club

Trio Terzetto's riveting performance tonight at the Woman's Club

Educational concert presented by Trio Terzetto

Tomorrow will be a first for the Chamber Music Festival of Saugatuck!  We will be presenting our first ever FREE educational concert for kids.  The Trio Terzetto will perform at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts at 1:30pm tomorrow (Thursday, July 22).

This short concert will be geared towards young listeners, but people of all ages are welcome.  We hope to see you there!

Online resources for Week 3: Trio Terzetto

For some biographical information on Leon Kirchner:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Kirchner

For more information on Kirchner:
http://www.millertheatre.com/Events/EventDetails.aspx?nid=1351

For biographical information on Beethoven:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_van_Beethoven

For information on Beethoven’s Op. 1 Piano Trios:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_Trios_Nos._1-3_(Beethoven)

For biographical information on Brahms:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johannes_Brahms

For information on Brahms’ B Major Piano Trio:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_Trio_No._1_(Brahms)

http://www.answers.com/topic/piano-trio-no-1-in-b-major-op-8

Don’t miss the Trio Terzetto in Saugatuck this weekend!  Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30pm at the Saugatuck Woman’s Club.

For more information on Diana, Tanya and Renana, check out their website!
http://www.trioterzetto.com/terzetto/Welcome.html

1st night of ‘C’est Magnifique’ = great success!

Yesterday night’s concert was, I must say, a very big hit!  The three larger-ensemble pieces (Ibert’s Trois pieces breve, Milhaud’s Suite: La cheminee du roi Rene, and Poulenc’s Sextet) were separated by gorgeous solo performances, showcasing each of the individual artists.

Brad’s phenomenal rendition of Debussy’s Premiere Rhapsody left nothing to be desired.  Wendy’s charismatic introduction to Busser’s Cantilene et Rondo (some of which was spoken in French!) set up her spectacular performance perfectly.  Paul’s performance of Saint-Saens’ Romance melted audience members right in their seats with many admiring ‘ooohs’ and ‘ahhs.’  Sarah’s rendition of Ravel’s Piece en forme de Habanera was best described as gorgeously poisonous.  And, finally, Christopher’s performance of Ibert’s Piece for Solo Flute was simply flawless; and by this point in the program, our audience was so enthusiastically wound up that their applause was making it difficult for the artists to leave the stage!

Of course, I would be amiss to fail to mention Adam’s incredible role as collaborative pianist through all of this.  It’s a lot of notes for one pianist to handle!  (Which happens to be why he declined to play a solo piece when we asked him — he’s already being taxed enough!  Sorry, Adam!)

To have each of these artists’ incredible energy collectively join together for their ensemble pieces was what really put the feather in the cap of this concert.  The Poulenc Sextet was an absolute powerhouse, and so rightfully deserved the mad, standing ovation from our audience!

Sarah Southard happily and deservingly receives applause from our audience.

Sarah Southard happily and deservingly receives applause from our audience.

Adam Clark talks to our audience about Poulenc's Sextet.

Adam Clark talks to our audience about Poulenc's Sextet.

Poulenc's Sextet in mid-performance.  I'm amazed I was even able to get this shot - I was shaking from excitement!

Poulenc's Sextet in mid-performance. I'm amazed I was even able to get this shot - I was shaking from excitement!

Thunderous standing applause for our finale!

Thunderous standing applause for our finale!

Our audience members were truly enthralled last night.

Our audience members were truly enthralled last night.

Bastille Day

Happy Bastille Day!  What a fitting day for a dress rehearsal full of French music down in Saugatuck.  Hope to see you at the concerts this Thursday or Friday!

Week Two rehearsal pictures

Today I had the pleasure of hearing Chris, Sarah, Wendy, Paul and Brad rehearse for this weekend’s concerts.  They sound great!  Here are some pictures from the rehearsal this morning in Saugatuck.  Please come hear some great French music this Thursday and Friday night at 7:30pm at the Saugatuck Woman’s Club.

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Brad and Wendy discuss chair heights before rehearsal.

Brad and Wendy discuss chair heights before rehearsal.

Paul and Brad discuss the music.  (Notice Paul's fantastic red pants!  So stylish in Saugatuck!)

Paul and Brad discuss the music. (Notice Paul's fantastic red pants! So stylish in Saugatuck!)

And, last but not least, a post-rehearsal treat courtesy of Brad.  He has become famous for the various baked goods that he brings to rehearsals.  :)

And, last but not least, a post-rehearsal treat courtesy of Brad. He has become famous for the various baked goods that he brings to rehearsals. :)

Online resources for Week Two: C’est Magnifique!

Dear Chamber Music Goers:

Here are some links for you to learn more about our program this week.  We can’t wait to see you there!

Ibert: Trois pieces breves & Piece for Solo Flute

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Ibert (a very concise biography with short list of works)

http://www.classicalarchives.com/composer/2723.html#tvf=tracks&tv=about (another, different short bio)

http://www.fuguemasters.com/ibert.html

http://www.classicalarchives.com/work/91834.html#tvf=tracks&tv=about

http://www.cyberflute.com/ibert-piece.html

Debussy: Premiere Rhapsody

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_Debussy (a and well-written biography, plus a discussion of his musical style)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premi%C3%A8re_rhapsodie

http://www.genevaconcerts.org/GenevaCts/sso11-01.asp (scroll about halfway down the page for the Debussy)

http://www.columbuschambermusic.org/03-04_Season/Program%20Notes/spoleto.htm (again, scroll towards the bottom to find the section on Debussy’s Rhapsody)

Busser: Cantilene et Rondo, Op. 75

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_B%C3%BCsser (short biography and list of selected works)

Saint-Saens: Romance in F major, Op. 36

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camille_Saint-Sa%C3%ABns (a very thorough bio with other tidbits)

http://www.answers.com/topic/romance-for-horn-or-cello-orchestra-or-piano-in-f-major-op-36

Milhaud: Suite, La cheminee du roi Rene, Op. 205 (Milhaud is pronounced “Mee-YO”, with the emphasis on the “YO” part…it’s a hard one to pronounce!)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darius_Milhaud (biography)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_chemin%C3%A9e_du_roi_Ren%C3%A9

Ravel: Piece en forme de Habanera

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Ravel (great bio plus discussions about his style and influences)

http://www.wyntonmarsalis.org/discography/classical/on-the-twentieth-century/ (scroll down a bit…it’s hidden in the body of the program notes)

Poulenc: Sextet for Wind Quintet and Piano

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Poulenc (concise bio)

http://www.carnegiehall.org/article/box_office/events/evt_10859_pn.html?selecteddate=10102007 (scroll down for the section on Poulenc’s Sextet)

http://www.sierrachamber.com/programs/2003-2004/03_program4.pdf (PDF must be downloaded if using Firefox browser; Apple Safari will open in the same window)

http://festspel.com/archives/1622

Great opening night!

Thanks to everyone for coming tonight!  And of course, a huge Thank You to the performers, the Board members, our interns Kaitlyn and Leah, and the legions of volunteers, all without whom tonight would have been impossible.  Looking forward to performance number two tomorrow night!

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