Chamber Music Festival of Lexington Has a New Website
Go to: http://chambermusiclex.org/


 

For a number of years this was the official website for the Chamber Music Festival of Lexington.
Content is from the site's 2016 archived pages and from other outside sources.

If you have inadvertently ended up here while searching for the most up to date information about the for the Chamber Music Festival of Lexington, go to its current website at: http://chambermusiclex.org/.

 

THE CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL OF LEXINGTON IS A 10-DAY MUSIC FESTIVAL IN THE HEART OF THE BLUEGRASS.

THE 2016 FESTIVAL

The 2016 Chamber Music Festival of Lexington will present 10 continuous days of events - traditional concerts, pop-up events, fundraisers, and more. It will feature a return of Ensemble-in-Residence WindSync, our core artists, as well as guest guitarist Jason Vieaux (2015 Grammy Winner), and Composer-in-Residence Avner Dorman. The multi-venue schedule will feature a mixture of traditional concerts, pop-up events and fundraisers. The organizers would like to thank a number of people who volunteered their time and/or expertise to make these outstanding events possible including Duck Jameson, Benjamin Pred, Don Delihantz, and Rudolph Penone.

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HISTORY

The Chamber Music Festival of Lexington was founded in 2007 by arts patron Charles Stone and Chicago Symphony violinist Nathan cole, a Lexington Native. The Festival brought some the best artists from around the country to Lexington to play a weekend of concerts in the beautiful Fasig-Tipton Pavilion. The Festival, now in its 10th season, spans 10 days of programming, hosts an innovative Ensemble-in-Residence program, and commissions a new work annually.

The Chamber Music Festival of Lexington, now in its 10th season, is the only such Festival in the US to premiere a new commissioned work by a leading American composer every season.  Held every August in Lexington, Kentucky, the Festival brings together a quintet of nationally recognized musicians to offer Central Kentuckians three formal concerts at the beautiful Fasig-Tipton Pavilion in the famed Bluegrass horse country, pop-up concerts by its Ensemble-in-Residence, educational programs, and a world class guest artist.  Its core group of musicians is led by Music Director Nathan Cole, first Associate Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Pianist Alessio Bax, violist Burchard Tang, cellist Priscilla Lee, and violinist Akiko Taramoto complete the ensemble. A guest artist is invited each year to compliment the group. This year’s guest artist is Jason Vieaux, Grammy-winning guitarist hailed by NPR as "perhaps the most precise and soulful classical guitarist of his generation." Past guest artists have included famed clarinetist Alexander Fitterstein; Joseph Conyers, Assistant Principal Double Bass with the Philadelphia Orchestra; and Andrew Bain, Principal Horn with the LA Philharmonic.

During its second season, the Festival began a commissioning program, presenting a world premiere each year. Since then, new pieces from cutting edge composers such as Jeff Beal, Adam Schoenberg, and Daniel Kellogg have been offered. The 2016 season presents a new work by award-winning composer Avner Dorman. During the 2010 season, the Festival announced a co-commissioning partnership with the Lexington Philharmonic whereby every other year each organization contracts a new piece from the same composer. This is a unique partnership that allows a composer to interact with multiple audiences inside one city. In addition to commissioning music, each year the Festival commissions a visual work from Lexington’s strong community of artists to serve as the iconography for the Festival.

The Festival was expanded in 2013 to include a week-long set of concerts and programs by its Ensemble-in-Residence, Windsync. This year, the Ensemble in Residence programs and the formal concerts are seamless, providing musical offerings every day of the Festival.

 

COMPOSER-IN-RESIDENCE

In 2008, the Festival established a Composer-in-Residence program that commissioned a new work for the Festival each year. In 2010, the program evolved in a joint commissioning program with the Lexington Philharmonic, with the help of the Saykaly-Garbulinska Foundation. The 2016 Composer-in-Residence is the award-winning Avner Dorman.

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EVENTS

 

Member Comments by Gracie Willet: On the first day of my move from Baltimore to Lexington, KY, I accidentally attended a concert while waiting for the movers to arrive. My new digs were adjacent to Triangle Park, and while the moving van was stuck in traffic, I wandered over to the concert and was blown away by the performance. I had to leave early as my furniture arrived during the concert, but I managed to find other venues where the groups in the festival performed. Since then I have attended every event held in town. I should say that the moving company I hired connected me to a national hauler, and they did a fantastic job of getting my fragile artwork and ceramic collections to my new home with zero breakage. Music to my ears on both fronts!

 

AUG 18
WINDSYNC POP UP CONCERTS

  • Thu, Aug 18, 2016 4:30pm   Tue, Aug 23, 2016 5:00pm
  • TRIANGLE PARK

Windsync presents public Pop-Up Concerts and in-school performances including CMFL's annual Opening Event and Art Walk. Full performance schedule to be announced by June 1st.

AUG 23
MAINSTAGE CONCERT I

  • Wednesday, August 24, 2016
  • 7:30pm  9:30pm
  • FASIG-TIPTON PAVILION

PROGRAM
Full concert at Fasig-Tipton Pavilion featuring WindSync members playing onstage, side-by-side with the Festival’s core troupe. Programming TBA.

AUG 25
CABARET CONCERT

  • Thursday, August 25, 2016
  • 7:30pm - 9:30pm

TBD
A new location will be announced by June 1. Open to public with nominal cover charge.

AUG 26
MAINSTAGE CONCERT II

  • Friday, August 26, 2016
  • 7:30pm  9:30pm
  • FASIG-TIPTON PAVILION

PROGRAM
Full concert featuring a World Premiere by Avner Dorman, and other programming TBA.

AUG 28
MAINSTAGE CONCERT III

  • Sunday, August 28, 2016
  • 2:00pm  4:00pm
  • CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL OF LEXINGTON

PROGRAM
Full matinee concert featuring programming TBA.

 

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ARTISTS

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Nathan Cole, violin, serves as First Associate Concertmaster with the highly acclaimed Los Angeles Philharmonic. He moved to LA from having played in the first violin section of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for many years. A native of Lexington, he has won numerous honors including a top prize at the International Violin Competition of Sion-Valais. He studied at the Curtis Institute of Music, where his teachers included Pamela Frank, Felix Galimir, Ida Kavafian and Jaime Laredo. Cole’s chamber music appearances have included the Marlboro Music Festival and the Mimir Festival in Fort Worth, Texas, for many years.

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RETURNING ARTISTS

Alessio Bax, piano, is praised for creating “a ravishing listening experience” with his lyrical playing, insightful interpretations, and dazzling facility. First Prize winner at the Leeds and Hamamatsu international piano competitions – and an Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient – he has appeared as soloist with over 100 orchestras, including the London and Royal Philharmonic orchestras, the Dallas and Houston symphonies, the NHK Symphony in Japan, the St. Petersburg Philharmonic with Yuri Temirkanov, and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra with Sir Simon Rattle.

Burchard Tang, viola, is a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra. He studied with Choong-Jin Chang, principal viola of the Philadelphia Orchestra. He attended the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied with Joseph de Pasquale, former principal violist of the Philadelphia Orchestra. As a chamber musician, Tang has appeared at many of the country’s top festivals, including Marlboro, Ravinia, Music from Angel Fire, Seattle and Caramoor. He is also on the faculty at Temple University, teaching viola and chamber music.

Priscilla Lee, cello, is an Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient, and a winner of the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s prestigious Bronislaw-Kaper Award. She has appeared as soloist with the American Youth Symphony, the Crossroads Chamber Orchestra, and the Palisades Symphony. Lee studied with former Guarneri String Quartet cellist David Soyer at the Curtis Institute of Music, and at the Mannes College of Music with Timothy Eddy. She was a member of Lincoln Center’s Chamber Music Society Two for two seasons and is a founding member of Trio Cavatina, with pianist Ieva Jokubaviciute and violinist Harumi Rhodes.

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GUEST ARTISTS

Avner Dorman, Saykaly-Garbulinska Composer-in-Residence. Avner Dorman writes music of intricate craftsmanship and rigorous technique, expressed with a soulful and singular voice.  Many of his compositions have become contemporary staples in the repertoire. Regularly performed by the world’s finest orchestras, conductors, and soloists his work has been championed by conductors including Zubin Mehta, Ricardo Chailly, and Andris Nelsons.
Dorman’s music has garnered numerous awards and prizes. At the age of 25, he became the youngest composer to win Israel's prestigious Prime Minister's Award for his Ellef Symphony. He has earned several international awards from ASCAP, ACUM and the Asian Composers League. Dorman is an active conductor, and he is the current music director of City Music Cleveland Chamber Orchestra. He holds a doctorate in composition from the Juilliard School and serves as Assistant Professor of Music Theory and Composition at the Sunderman Conservatory of Music at Gettysburg College.

Jason Vieaux, Classical Guitar. This year, the Festival is excited to have world-famous guitarist Jason Vieaux as the inaugural David P. Reynolds Visiting Artist. Called “the most precise and soulful classical guitarist of his generation” by NPR, Mr. Vieaux’s solo recitals have been a feature at every major guitar series in North America, as well as many of the important guitar festivals in Asia, Australia, Europe, and Mexico. He has also performed as concerto soloist with over 50 orchestras, including Cleveland, Houston, Toronto, San Diego, Ft. Worth, Santa Fe, Charlotte, and Buffalo. Mr. Vieaux’s 2014 album “Play” was awarded a 2015 Grammy award for best classical instrumental solo album.

 
Johnny Lee, violin, joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic in 2005. Previously, he was Assistant Concertmaster of the Charlotte Symphony and Concertmaster of the Canton Symphony. He was also a member of the Grant Park Orchestra in Chicago. An avid chamber musician, Lee frequently appears on the LA Phil’s Chamber Music Society series. Lee graduated from Harvard University with a cum laude degree in Economics, and earned a master’s degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music. His principal instructors have included Carol Ruzicka, Linda Cerone, Lynn Chang, and William Preucil.

 
WindSync, Ensemble-in-Residence. The Festival welcomes back the amazing WindSync as Ensemble-in-Residence. Hailed by the Houston Chronicle as “revolutionary chamber musicians,” WindSync has distinguished itself among classical music ensembles as North America’s foremost emerging wind quintet. The young, energetic group plays exclusively from memory, including elements of staging and choreography, and focuses on building connections with audiences through dynamic concert programming and charismatic stage presence. WindSync was the winner of the 2012 Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh International Competition.

 

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TICKETS

Tickets to the 10th Anniversary CMFL Fundraiser -
An Evening with Karen Slack and Cliff Jackson are
On-Sale Now! 

On Friday, March 4th soprano Karen Slack accompanied by Cliff Jackson on piano teams up for the second time on behalf of The Chamber Music Festival of Lexington, in an intimate evening of music at the newly renovated Blue Grass Trust mansion at 210 North Broadway, known formerly as the Women’s Club. Free parking available in lot behind building or across Broadway at the corner of Second St.

This fundraiser for the Chamber Music Festival of Lexington features wines, food catered by Donna Potter, and a custom lounge provided by Ethan Allen. Pre-show reception begins at 7 PM, with an 8PM curtain time. Tickets are priced at $100 and $150 (for stage-side cabaret seating). Portions of the ticket prices ($80 and $110, respectively), are deductible for tax purposes. Tickets are available below or by calling (859) 813-4265.

 

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PRESS


2016

  • February 17, 2016 - Chamber Music Festival of Lexington Changes, Broadens Management Team, Press Release
  • February 8, 2016 - Chamber Music Festival of Lexington Presents Two World Class Stars, Press Release

2015


  • August 26, 2015 - "Every note tells a story for 'House of Cards' composer,
  • chamber fest guest Jeff Beal," Kentucky.com
  • August 22, 2015 - "Chamber Fest soloist Jason Vieaux happy to break molds and preconceptions," Kentucky.com
  • July 24, 2015 - "'House of Cards' composer coming to Chamber Music Festival of Lexington," Kentucky.com
  • August 15, 2015 - Chamber Fest '15: House of Cards' Jeff Beal, [Archived] Under-Main.com

2014


  • August 21, 2014 - "Lexington-based Singer Performs at Chamber Music Festival Finale," Kentucky.com
  • August 21, 2014 - "Composer Shifts Into Overdrive for Chamber Fest", Kentucky.com
  • August 20, 2014 - "Chamber Music Festival Opens with Game Changing Performance," Copious Notes
  • August 16, 2014 - "Chamber Music Festival Showcases LA Music, Musicians," Kentucky.com
  • August 1, 2014 - "Thinking Outside of the Chamber," Under-Main.com
  • May 10, 2014 - "Chamber Music Festival of Lexington 2014," Copious Notes

2013


  • August 28, 2013 - “Andrew Patner of Chicago Sun Times and Classical Station WFMT discusses his visit for the 2013 Festival,” WFMT.com
  • August 25, 2013 - “Chamber Music Festival of Lexington reset many musical bars,” Kentucky.com
  • August 25, 2013 - “He makes art events happen, but don't call him an administrator,” Kentucky.com
  • August 14, 2013 – “Chamber Music Festival's street concert includes new instrument: car horn,” Kentucky.com
  • August 14, 2013 –  “WindSync plays Main Street for the Chamber Music Festival,” Kentucky.com

2012


  • September 2, 2012 – “Bigger audiences show organizers that chamber festival is a real crowd-pleaser,” Kentucky.com
  • September 2, 2012 – Gallery of Chamber Music Festival 2012, Kentucky.com
  • August 31, 2012 – “Australian musician happy to horn in on Chamber Music Festival of Lexington,” Kentucky.com
  • September 2, 2012 – Live Blog of world premiere of Chiris Rogerson’s Summer Night Music, Copious Notes
  • August 3, 2012 – “Richard Young: director of the Chamber Music Festival of Lexington," ChevyChaser.com

2011


  • August 22, 2011 – “Review: Chamber Music Festival of Lexington's world premiere,” Kentucky.com

2007 - 2010


  • August 27, 2008 – Video of Rehearsal for World Premiere work Book of Songs and Visions for Piano Quintet by Daniel Thomas Davis, Herald Leader Photo
  • August 24, 2008 – “This is How He Hears Us,” Kentucky.com
  • August 21, 2007 – “Chamber Music Festival of Lexington debuts on high notes,” Copius Notes

 

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SUPPORT

A BIG THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

The Saykaly Garbulinska Foundation
Mrs. Josephine Abercrombie
The David P. Reynolds Trust
LexArts
Kentucky Arts Council
WEKU/WKYL
Highbridge Spring Water
UK HealthCare
Dr. Charles Papp
Greentree Tearoom & Antiques
David & Susan Willmot
Enoteca Wine & Tapas Bar

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BECOMING A SPONSOR, PLEASE CONTACT US AT THE EMAIL ADDRESS INDICATED. 

 

For a number of years this was the official website for the Chamber Music Festival of Lexington.
Contnet is from the site's 2016 archived pages and from other outside sources.

If you have inadvertantly ended up here while searching for the most up to date information about the for the Chamber Music Festival of Lexington, go to its current website at: http://chambermusiclex.org/.

ChamberMusicLex.com