The 24th annual Alexandria Festival of the Lakes Chamber Concert Series will present 15 musicians performing a range of classical compositions.
The public is invited to attend the three-day festival at 7 p.m. each night on Friday, Aug. 5, Saturday, Aug. 6 and Saturday, Aug. 13 at United Methodist Church in Alexandria.
Tickets are $15 for adults and can be purchased in advance at Cherry Street Books in Alexandria or by calling (320) 763-9400. They can also be purchased at the door. Students are admitted for free.
The programs are subject to change. For more information, visit www.alexfest.org .
This activity is funded in part by a grant from the Lakes Region Arts Council through a Minnesota State Legislative appropriation.
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SCHEDULE
Friday Aug. 5, 7 p.m.
Johannes Brahms: Violin Sonata #2 in A Major, op. 100
Ralph Vaughan Williams: Piano Quintet in C minor
Antonín Dvořák: String Quintet in G Major, op. 77
Musicians: Peter McGuire, Jill Olson Moser, Tamás Strasser, Richard Bock, Chris Brown, Dina Michelson Namer.
Saturday, Aug. 6, 7 p.m.
Rebecca Clarke: Morpheus for viola and piano
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Wolfgang Amadè Mozart: Piano Trio in B-flat Major, K. 502
Claude Debussy: Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp
Johann Sebastian Bach: Sonata in A minor for solo flute, BWV 1013
Solo harp selections: Marcel Tournier: Vers la Source dans le bois
Carlos Salzedo: Song in the Night
Andre Jolivet: Chant de Linos for flute, harp and string trio
Musicians: Adam Kuenzel, Colin McGuire, David Auerbach, Sarah Lewis, Ann Benjamin, Sonja Thompson.
Saturday, Aug. 13, 7 p.m.
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Richard Strauss, arr. Hasen'hrl: Till Eulenspiegel, einmal anders!
Leoš Janáček: Pohádka (Fairy Tale) for cello and piano
Darius Milhaud: Viola Sonata #1
Ludwig van Beethoven: Septet in E-flat Major, op. 20
Musicians: Jennifer Gerth, J. Christopher Marshall, Ellen Dinwiddie Smith, Peter McGuire, Tamás Strasser, Sarah Lewis, Chris Brown, Sonja Thompson.
ABOUT THE MUSICIANS
David Auerbach, viola
David Auerbach has given numerous solo and collaborative recitals throughout New England and the Midwest and has participated in the music festivals of Ravinia, Kneisel Hall and Norfolk.
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He is the principal violist of the Minnesota Opera Orchestra and has played nearly continuously with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra for the last several seasons. He also performs regularly across the country, including with the chamber orchestra A Far Cry, which is based in Boston.
Auerbach recently joined the faculty of the University of St Thomas and also maintains a private teaching studio.
Ann Benjamin, harp
Ann Benjamin plays second harp with the Minnesota Orchestra. Previously, she was associate professor of harp at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and principal harpist with the Shreveport Symphony and Opera Orchestra.
An LSU Summer Research Grant and an LSU Council on Research Grant were awarded to Benjamin for commissioning and performing new works for the harp at the third, fifth and sixth World Harp Congresses and for the production of her CD, Sky Loom: Music for Flute and Harp, with flutist Dr. Katherine Kemler.
Benjamin chaired the 33rd American Harp Society National Conference at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Richard Bock, cello
Richard Bock has served as principal cellist of the American Symphony Orchestra, as well as The Phoenix Symphony for 24 seasons. He has also played with Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Orchestra, Pro-Arte Chamber Orchestra, Soviet Emigre Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic and more.
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Bock was the artist in residence at the School of Fine Arts at the University of Arizona and held a similar position at Arizona State University's School of Music.
Bock's recent recordings include Mosaic, a collection of Yiddish songs and music of the royal courts of Europe.
Chris Brown, contrabass
Prior to joining the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra (SPCO) as principal bass, Christopher Brown was a bass player with Pittsburgh and Detroit symphonies.
In addition to his work in classical music, Brown is a jazz enthusiast, songwriter and composer. He once appeared on the cover of Life magazine in his role of Jesus in the rock opera "Jesus Christ Superstar."
Summertime takes Brown to the Grand Teton Music Festival in Jackson, Wyoming, and the Festival of the Lakes in Alexandria. Brown retired from the SPCO in 2013.
Jennifer Gerth, clarinet
Principal clarinet of the Duluth-Superior Symphony and an active member of the Twin Cities musical community, Jennifer Gerth frequently performs with the Minnesota Orchestra, VocalEssence, Minnesota Dance Theatre, the Minnesota Opera and the Mill City Opera.
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Gerth is on the faculty at Augsburg College, the University of St. Thomas, and teaches and performs at Birch Creek Performance Center in Door County, Wisconsin.
Adam Kuenzel, flute
A native of Cincinnati, Adam Kuenzel joined the Charleston Symphony as principal flute before assuming the principal chair of the San Antonio Symphony.
He has been a guest artist with the Aspen Music Festival, Grand Teton Music Festival, Spoleto Festival, the St. Bart's Music Festival in the French West Indies and the Oregon Bach Festival.
Kuenzel made his Minnesota Orchestra subscription debut in 1991 and has since regularly appeared as soloist on the Orchestra's various concert offerings.
Sarah Lewis, cello
Cellist Sarah Lewis is in her 18th season with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. Prior to joining the SPCO, Lewis was a member of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.
During the summer, Lewis has been a featured performer at the Lakes Chamber Music Festival and has played in the Music in the Vineyards chamber music festival in Napa Valley, California.
Before joining the SPCO, she toured and recorded with pop artist Lorie Line, and she can be heard on numerous recordings of composer/performer Peter Ostroushko.
J. Christopher Marshall, bassoon
Texas native J. Christopher Marshall, a member of the Minnesota Orchestra since 1999, made his debut as soloist with the Orchestra in 2008.
Marshall has appeared regularly on the Minnesota Orchestra's Chamber Music series offerings. He is co-artistic director of the Colonial Chamber Series in Edina, and he is also a member of Prevailing Winds.
A former member of Florida's New World Symphony, Marshall has performed with the Boston Symphony and Pops, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the National Symphony, and he has participated in numerous music festivals, including Tanglewood and Spoleto USA.
Colin McGuire, violin
Colin McGuire has performed in a variety of ensembles and settings. He holds a permanent seat in the Duluth-Superior Symphony Orchestra as associate concertmaster.
He returned to Minnesota after playing full time with the Thunder Bay Symphony. Other orchestral opportunities have arisen with the Minnesota Orchestra, Mill City Opera, Music St. Croix and more.
McGuire has performed and traveled as a soloist and chamber musician. Recently, he was part of the formation of the Hennepin String Quartet, along with performances with larger chamber ensembles.
Peter McGuire, violin
Peter McGuire, principal second violin, will rejoin the Minnesota Orchestra this fall after serving as a second concertmaster with the Tonhalle Orchester - Zürich for three years.
McGuire began his career as first violinist in the Pioneer String Quartet and Des Moines Symphony and has served as guest principal second violin with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.
McGuire has performed as guest concertmaster with the Orchestre de la Suisse-Romande, Zürich Opera, Lucerne Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, Gürzenich Orchester - Cologne, and Richmond Symphony Orchestra.
Jill Olson Moser, violin
Violinist Jill Olson Moser performs extensively as an orchestral and chamber musician in the Twin Cities. She performs with the Minnesota Opera and is a regular substitute with the Minnesota Orchestra.
Prior to performing in the Twin Cities, Moser was the concertmaster of the Bismarck-Mandan Symphony and the Fargo-Moorhead Opera Orchestra.
A devoted educator, Jill has an active Suzuki violin studio and is on the faculty of Gustavus Adolphus College and the University of St. Thomas.
Dina Michelson Namer, piano
Dina Namer has had an extensive career in both the U.S. and Canada as a harpsichordist and pianist.
As an educator, Namer has taught piano performance at Ottawa, Carleton and Queen's Universities in Canada. Currently, she teaches piano, harpsichord and chamber music performance at Queen's University in addition to running a private studio in Ottawa.
As a chamber musician, Namer has been a member of the Aulos Ensemble, the Ottawa Baroque Ensemble, the Kingston Baroque Soloists, and the Sh'ma Ensemble.
Ellen Dinwiddie Smith, horn
Ellen Dinwiddie Smith has been a member of the Minnesota Orchestra since 1993 and currently serves as third horn. She contributes to Twin Cities musical life as the creator of a chamber music series, guest soloist, chamber music performer and private instructor.
Smith developed the Colonial Chamber Series, launched in 2006, and organized the Musicians for Tsunami Relief benefit concert, both held at Colonial Church in Edina.
Smith is an artist-teacher on the faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music Summerfest Young Artist Summer Program. She also maintains an active teaching studio in the Twin Cities and is adjunct professor of horn at Bethel and Augsburg Colleges.
Tamás Strasser, viola
An avid chamber musician, Tamás Strasser has been violist with The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra (SPCO) since 1975. He was previously a member of the Kansas City Philharmonic, United States Army Strings, New Art String Quartet and Concerto Soloists of Philadelphia.
Strasser has performed with The Vienna Trio and the Muir, Moscow and Bakken string quartets. Strasser has been a soloist with the Santa Fe Opera, the SPCO and the Kansas City Symphony, among other orchestras.
2016 once again finds Strasser playing principal viola for the Music in the Mountains Festival in the California wine country, as well as participating in the Arizona Musicfest.
Sonja Thompson, piano
Sonja Thompson enjoys a varied professional life as educator, church musician, theater musician, conductor, coach and performer.
In addition to her positions as assistant professor of music and college organist at Augsburg College and music associate at Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis, she also regularly appears as pianist and collaborator in a wide array of events and venues.
