Midsummer Music’s 2024 summer concert series ascended to new heights with enthusiastic audiences, a world premiere, and spectacular music performed by world-class musicians. Eight summertime concerts, including the annual Labor Day Gala, remain, starting August 25 and ending September 2.
Violinist David Perry and pianist Jeannie Yu headline the program featuring Ernest Chausson’s Concerto, one of the most dramatic and rapturous works in chamber music literature. Théodore Dubois’ Quintet opens the program, setting the tone with gaiety and élan. See it on August 25 at Hope United Church of Christ in Sturgeon Bay and September 2 at Midsummer’s annual Labor Day Gala at Björklunden in Baileys Harbor.
The Romance and Rapture program is inspiring, heart-rending, vivacious, captivating, and life-affirming, with music by contemporary black female composer Saraki Dixon Vanderveer, female French composer Mélanie Bonis, and the iconic Hungarian composer Ernst von Dohnányi. The program is performed on August 27 at Birch Creek in Egg Harbor, August 28 at Björklunden in Baileys Harbor, and August 31 at The Clearing Folk School in Ellison Bay.
In the eponymous Beethoven Septet program, Ludwig van Beethoven’s Septet for clarinet, bassoon, horn, and strings was the most popular piece during his lifetime and was a prototype for the nine symphonies that followed. John Ireland’s colorful and dramatic Sextet for clarinet, horn, and strings is a surprisingly neglected masterpiece. Check it out on August 29 at the Kress Pavilion in Egg Harbor, August 30 at Sister Bay Moravian Church in Sister Bay, and September 1 at Woodwalk Gallery in Egg Harbor.
Series musicians are Lindsay Flowers, oboe; JJ Koh, clarinet; Fritz Foss, horn; Jeannie Yu, piano; David Perry, Ann Palen, and Dawn Wohn, violins; Sally Chisholm and Allyson Fleck, violas, Cole Randolph, cello; and Jeremy Attanaseo, bass.
The complete 2024 summer brochure can be downloaded at www.midsummersmusic.com.
Tickets are $39 for adults, $19 for students, and children 12 and under are free with an adult. Premium prices apply for the Labor Day Gala and other special events. Flex Packs of six tickets for the price of five tickets are also available. Order tickets at www.midsummersmusic.com or by phone at (920) 854-7088.
Midsummer’s Music was co-founded in 1990 by Jim and Jean Berkenstock, long-time Door County summer residents and principal orchestral players with the Lyric Opera of Chicago. What began as two concerts among friends has become one of the Midwest’s most anticipated chamber music series, bringing thousands of chamber music enthusiasts from around the globe to the magical Door County Peninsula.
For more information visit www.midsummersmusic.com.
Sally Chisholm, Viola (credit Dan Eggert): https://www.midsummersmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/midsummers-music-opener-2024-kress-73-scaled.jpg
Other high-resolution photos can be downloaded at https://www.midsummersmusic.com/photos/.
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For Calendar Listings:
Romance and Rapture
Obsidian, rippled, moonlight, gleams (2019) Sakari Dixon Vanderveer
Quintet No. 2 in C Major, Op. 124 Mélanie Bonis
Sextet in C Major, Op. 37 (1935) Ernst von Dohnányi
August 27, 7:00 pm: Birch Creek Music Performance Center, Egg Harbor
August 28, 7:00 pm: Björklunden, Baileys Harbor
August 31, 3:00 pm: The Clearing Folk School, Ellison Bay
Beethoven Septet
Sextet (1898) John Ireland
Septet in E-flat Major, Op. 20 Ludwig van Beethoven
August 29, 5:00 pm: Donald & Carol Kress Pavilion, Egg Harbor
August 30, 7:00 pm: Sister Bay Moravian Church, Sister Bay
September 1, 5:00 pm: Woodwalk Gallery, Egg Harbor
David Perry, Jeannie Yu: Chausson Concerto!
Quintet in F Major (1905) Théodore Dubois
Concerto for Violin, Piano, and String Quartet, Op. 21 Ernest Chausson
August 25, 5:00 pm: Hope United Church of Christ, Sturgeon Bay
September 2, 3:00 pm: Labor Day Gala, Björklunden, Baileys Harbor
“Under the Harvest Moon” with Eric Lewis and the Griffon String Quartet
Song selections will be autumn-themed, along with pieces from the Beneath the Waves CD by Eric Lewis and the Griffon String Quartet
September 13, 7:00 pm: Woodwalk Gallery, Egg Harbor
September 14, 3:00 pm: Trueblood Performing Arts Center, Washington Island
September 15, 7:00 pm: Tarleton Threatre, Green Bay