Sherman Chamber Ensemble Commemorates
Bernstein’s 100th Birthday with
Ode to Bernstein with a Dvorak Nightcap
The Sherman Chamber Ensemble, under the artistic direction of Eliot Bailen, will present the final concert of its Summer Masterpiece Series – featuring works by Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copeland and Antonín Leopold Dvořák. Concerts will take place on Friday, August 31 and Saturday, September 1 at 8 p.m.
The program celebrates the works of Leonard Bernstein on what would have been his 100th birthday. Bernstein, who passed away on October 14, 1990, was an American composer, conductor, author, music lecturer, and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the US to receive worldwide acclaim and was noted for his accomplishments in both classical and popular music,
Bernstein made his mark as the long-time music director of the New York Philharmonic, conducting of concerts with many of the world’s leading orchestras, and from his music for West Side Story, Peter Pan, Candide, On the Town, On the Waterfront, his Mass, and a range of other compositions, including three symphonies and chamber and solo works.
The Ensemble’s program features Israeli-born pianist Benjamin Hochman. Described as a “gifted, fast-rising artist” by the New York Times, his Benjamin Hochman’s eloquent and virtuosic performances blend colorful artistry with poetic interpretation, exciting audiences and critics alike. He’ll be joined by Susan Rotholz (flute), Jill Levy (violin), Sarah Adams (viola), Peter Weitzner (bass) and Eliot Bailen (cello).
The program includes: Piano Trio (Bernstein), Duo for Flute and Piano (Copland), West Side Story Medley Arr. Moss (Bernstein) and Piano Quartet No. 2 in Eb Major, Op. 87, (Dvořák).
The 8 p.m. Friday, August 31 concert will take place at St. Andrew’s Church on Main Street in Kent. On Saturday, September 1, the Ensemble will perform at 8 p.m. at the Lake Mauweehoo Club in Sherman, CT. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. A “Meet and Greet the Artists” reception will follow the performances.
General Admission to the concerts is $30. Senior and Student admission is $25. Children 15 and under receive free admission when accompanied by an adult purchasing a regular admission ticket. For those who would like lawn seating at the Sherman concert tickets are $10 at the door and purchasers should bring a beach chair or blanket. Tickets may be purchased at ShermanChamberEnsemble.org or by calling 860-355-5930. Tickets may also be purchased at the door subject to availability.
Also on Labor Day weekend, the SCE Blue Grass Band will present its annual free Bluegrass Jamboree featuring Paul Woodiel (fiddle) and Gary DiGiovanni (banjo) on Saturday, September 1 at 2 p.m. at the Lake Mauweehoo Clubhouse, Sherman, CT and on Sunday, September 2 at 1 pm at the Kent Village Barns, Kent, CT.
The Annual Lake Mauweehoo Coffeehouse is set for Friday, September 7, at 8 pm. Doors open at 7:30 pm. The evening features a 50th Anniversary Celebration of 1968 – one of Rock’s best years. Sherman Chamber Ensemble Director Eliot Bailen trades in his cello for a guitar and is joined by local favorites. A benefit for the Lake Mauweehoo Club tickets are $20 per person payable at the door. Proceeds fund improvements to the lakeside facility. Attendees are urged to bring food and beverages, and for lawn seating, blankets and chairs. Lake Mauweehoo Clubhouse, Leech Hollow Road, Sherman, CT
The Sherman Chamber Ensemble was founded in 1982 to bring world-class live classical music performance to Western Connecticut and nearby New York State. Its summer chamber music series has been described in The New York Times as “about as close as it gets to the Platonic ideal of a chamber music concert.” Additional events coming later this year include Labor Day weekend bluegrass jamborees; the annual “Live at the Lake” coffeehouse; and Thanksgiving weekend classical-jazz matinee performances.
