SISTER BAY – Midsummer’s Music has announced the schedule for a five-week virtual season of chamber music concerts, which will begin on August 5 and feature works by a diverse organization of composers, while making plans for a live and socially remote Labor Day weekend concert.
The video series replaces the season originally scheduled for mid-summer, its thirtieth annual edition, which was intended to provide 10 systems to be played at 38 intimate locations in Door County from June 12 to August 2 and August 23 to September 7.
These concerts were canceled some time before the start of the season due to considerations about the COVID-19 pandemic, however, executive director and artistic assistant director, Allyson Fleck, said at the time that the organization would be working on creating an online season. Midsummer’s aired several performances, meetings and other occasions during the spring and early summer.
The new season features five systems that will be divided into two concerts of approximately 30 minutes and will be streamed on the Midsummer website, Facebook page and YouTube channel.
The first component of the systems will be transmitted at 7 p.m. Wednesday and 8 p.m. On Fridays, while the matches of the moment will be broadcast at 7pm. Thursday and 8 p.m. Saturday. The concerts will be presented through nationally renowned radio personalities John Clare of 107.3-FM St. Louis and Symphony Hall on Sirius XM satellite radio, Lisa Flynn of WFMT-FM Chicago, and Norman Gilliland and Lori Skelton of Wisconsin Public Radio.
In addition, the first and momentary portions will be combined and transmitted at 3 p.m. Sundays. These mornings will come with more content, adding live interviews with the artists, and will present some of Door County’s most picturesque landscapes.
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Midsummer’s co-founder and artistic director, Jim Berkenstock, has traditionally included works by famous composers from diverse backgrounds in his thematic programs, and this abbreviated online season is no exception. It features works by composers (three of whom are on the “Three Composers” program), composers of all nationalities and races, and a world premiere through Midsummer resident composer Jacob Beranek.
Composers this season include:
Florence Price, who was the first African-American woman to have a symphony conducted through a primary orchestra in the United States when the Chicago Symphony premiered her Symphony No. 1 in 1933.
Germaine Tailleferre, female member of the influential art organization Les Six, in Paris in the early 20th century.
Melanie Bonis, who used the so-called Mel Bonis for her sex.
Luise Adolpha Le Beau, in what could be the American premiere of his “String Quintet”.
Elfrida Andrée of Sweden, whose “Quintet with piano” will be performed.
Other highlights of Midsummer in his press release come with Reynaldo Hahn’s “Piano Quintet,” Coleridge-Taylor’s “Five Fantasy Pieces for String Quartet, and George Walker’s “Lyric for String Quartet.” Works through Grieg, Tchaikovsky, Haydn and Beethoven complement these rarely heard pieces.
The musicians who play with Midsummer’s come from famous orchestras and chamber bands from around the world. This season’s roster returns to favorites David Perry and Ann Palen on violin, cellist Sally Chisholm, cellist Paula Kosower, pianist Jeannie Yu, flutist Heather Zinninger-Yarmel and clarinetist Dan Won, and newcomer Greg Sauer to cello.
The concert in person on Labor Day weekend will come with works by Anton Reicha and Beethoven. Details will be announced at a later date.
Midsummer’s Music’s 2020 virtual season can be streamed on midsummersmusic.com, the “Midsummer’s Music in Door County” Facebook page, or your YouTube channel. For more information, call 920-854-7088 or the website.
The schedule:
“Restless Passion,” presented by Norman Gilliland of Wisconsin Public Radio
“Soaring Spirits”, presented through Lisa Flynn of WFMT-FM
“New Voices”
“Three Composers”, presented through Lori Skelton of Wisconsin Public Radio:
“Musical Mountains and Fjords”, presented through John Clare of 107.3 FM St. Louis and Sirius XM
Contact Christopher Clough at 920-741-7952, 920-562-8900 or [email protected].