New Hampshire Music Festival Announces its 70th Anniversary Season
Hosted by Plymouth State University, annual music series featuring world-class professional musicians returns with classic, chamber and special performances throughout the summer
Plymouth, NH (June 14, 2022) – The New Hampshire Music Festival will open its 70th summer of bringing classical music to the Granite State on Tuesday, July 5, at 7:30 p.m. at Plymouth Congregational Church with its first chamber concert of the season. Its Classics series begins Thursday, July 7, at 7:30 p.m. in the Hanaway Theatre at the Silver Center for the Arts at Plymouth State University (PSU) with ‘Return to Loon Lake’ featuring Mozart’s Overture to The Marriage of Figaro, Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, and American composer Alan Hovhaness’s, Loon Lake Symphony.
The New Hampshire Music Festival’s 70th Anniversary season will continue throughout July with a diverse program of classical concerts, chamber concerts, special events for children and unique performances, including the return of its annual Squam Lake Water Music Concert on Wednesday, July 13. This performance by the Festival brass ensemble aboard a pontoon boat on Squam Lake harkens back to the Festival’s roots in the 1940s when professional musicians and advanced students performed at the summer retreat of esteemed pianist and teacher Hedy Spielter and her husband, actor Jules Epailly, on ‘Melody Island’ on Lake Winnipesaukee. Concertgoers would travel to Melody Island by boat or canoe to enjoy the beautiful music emanating from the island’s band shell as they floated on the lake.
“After two years of virtual programming and scaled back in-person performances, the entire Festival orchestra, staff, and board members are thrilled to be back in full force this year,” said Lucinda Williams, New Hampshire Music Festival Executive Director. “We have planned exciting programs that include works commissioned throughout our history as well as contemporary works and a new world premiere commission. The Festival musicians are truly looking forward to reuniting with our patrons to share glorious musical moments!”
Each summer since its official formation in 1952, the New Hampshire Music Festival has drawn many of the country’s most accomplished musicians to New Hampshire to perform well-known classics and contemporary works. The Festival has been in residence at Plymouth State University for more than 40 years; in addition to hosting performances, many Festival musicians and their families live on campus during the season. Most performances and events take place in Plymouth and Holderness, while the children’s series is held at The Curious George Cottage of the Rey Cultural Center in Waterville Valley.
“Throughout its 70-year musical history, the Festival has always had a commitment to serve the broadest spectrum of its community,” said Phil Boulter, Chair, New Hampshire Music Festival Board of Trustees. “With our main series classical, chamber and outreach concerts, to one-on-one educational opportunities for young people, our goal is to continue to bring the country’s finest musicians to the Granite State to perform. We are especially proud of our newly-added Squam Lakes Water Music Concert, which brings the evolution of the Festival full circle from its beginnings on Melody Island.”
From its early days on Melody Island, the Festival has grown organically and purposefully to a 75-plus member, fully-professional orchestra that offers Granite State residents and summer visitors world-class performances of symphonic, choral and chamber music. Continuing its tradition of education, strong collaborations with community partners enable the Festival to bring transformative music experiences and educational programs to students of all ages.
The full schedule for the New Hampshire Summer Music Festival 70th Anniversary season is as follows:
Classical Concert Series Schedule – All performances at the Silver Center for the Arts at PSU:
- Classical Series Concert 1 – Return to Loon Lake
Thursday, July 7, 7:30 p.m. and Friday, July 8, 7:30 p.m. - Classical Series Concert 2 – Water Music and a Premiere
Friday, July 15, 7:30 p.m. - Classical Series Concert 3 – American Creations and a Tchaikovsky Masterpiece
Friday, July 22, 7:30 p.m. - Classical Series Concert 4 – Carmina Burana
Thursday, July 28, 7:30 p.m. and Friday, July 29, 7:30 p.m.
Chamber Concert Series Schedule: All performances at Plymouth Congregational Church unless otherwise noted:
- Chamber Concerts Week 1
Tuesday, July 5, 2022, 7:30 p.m.
-Suite for Two Cellos, 1973, Gian Carlo Menotti (1911–2007)
-Kleine Kammermusik, op. 24, no. 2, 1922, Paul Hindemith (1895–1963)
-Three Preludes, 1926, George Gershwin (1898–1937), arr. Brandon Ridenour
-Quartet for Piano and Strings in G Minor, op. 25, 1856–61, Johannes Brahms (1833–1897)
- Chamber Concerts Week 2
Tuesday, July 12, 7:30 p.m.
-Sextet, 1998, 13¢, Guillaume Connesson (1970–)
-Widerstehe doch der Sünde, BWV 54, 1714, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
-String Quartet no. 9 in C Major, op. 59, no. 3, 1805–6, Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
- Chamber Concerts Week 3
Tuesday, July 19, 7:30 p.m.
-Sonatine for trumpet and piano, 1950, Jean Françaix (1912–1997)
-Alone. Together. Covid 2019., 2022, Sandra Flesher (1938–)
-Suite for Two Violins and Piano, op. 71, 1903, Moritz Moszkowski (1854–1925)
-Souvenir de Florence, op. 70, 1890, Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893)
Saturday, July 23, 4:00 p.m., Rey Center, 13 Noon Peak Road, Waterville Valley
-Alone. Together. Covid 2019, 2022, Sandra Flesher (1938–)
- Chamber Concerts Week 4
Tuesday, July 26, 7:30 p.m.
-Légende, 1906, George Enescu (1881–1955)
-String Quartet no. 3 in F Major, op. 73, 1946, Dimitri Shostakovich (1906–1975)
-Piano Trio no. 3 in F Minor, op. 65, 1883, Antonín Dvořák (1841–1904)
For information about the New Hampshire Music Festival 70th Anniversary season, including schedules, ticket information and more, visit www.nhmf.org.
CAPTION: The New Hampshire Music Festival will open its 70th summer of bringing classical music to the Granite State on Tuesday, July 5, at 7:30 p.m. at Plymouth Congregational Church with its first chamber concert of the season. Its Classics series begins Thursday, July 7, at 7:30 p.m. in the Hanaway Theatre at the Silver Center for the Arts at Plymouth State University. The Festival’s 70th Anniversary season will continue throughout July with a diverse program of classical concerts, chamber concerts, special events for children and unique performances, including the return of its annual Squam Lake Water Music Concert on Wednesday, July 13. The photo above shows Festival musicians performing for flowing concert goers at the 2021 Water Music Concert.
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About New Hampshire Music Festival: The New Hampshire Music Festival is a summer festival that honors the tradition of classical music while exploring new artistic paths. Our organization offers patrons an engaging, immersive festival experience by presenting world-class performances of symphonic, choral and chamber music. Strong collaborations with community partners are a hallmark of this important cultural institution, enabling transformative music experiences and educational programs to students of all ages. The festival was founded in 1952 as a small chamber orchestra performing on Melody Island in Lake Winnipesaukee and has grown to be a highly-valued community asset. Every summer, musicians from around the country come to Plymouth to perform well-known classics and contemporary works.
About Plymouth State University: Established in 1871, Plymouth State University serves the state of New Hampshire and the world beyond by transforming our students through advanced practices where engaged learning produces well-educated undergraduates, and by providing graduate education that deepens and advances knowledge and enhances professional development. The Plymouth State Learning Model is organized around seven dynamic theme-based hubs called “Integrated Clusters,” which emphasize open, integrative and project-based experiences. With distinction, we connect with community and business partners for economic development, technological advances, healthier living, and cultural enrichment with a special commitment of service to the North Country and Lakes Region of New Hampshire. To learn more about Plymouth State University, visit www.plymouth.edu.
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