Five public concerts to feature 26 acclaimed performers and composers

PORTLAND — The Portland Chamber Music Festival will celebrate its 20th anniversary season Aug. 8-17 at the Abromson Center on the Portland campus of the University of Southern Maine.

PCMF is well known locally and regionally for its outstanding, vibrant performers and imaginative programming.

Highlights of this season’s programs include the festival’s first-ever performance of Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” with Houston Symphony Concertmaster Frank Huang as violin soloist; an intimate arrangement of Ravel’s “Mother Goose Suite”; and the great Piano Quintet of Brahms, which will include PCMF Young Artist Apprentice Hanna Renedo of Orono High School as second violinist. The festival will also feature a piano trio by the winner of its sixth international Composers Competition, Rhodes Scholar Nick DiBerardino.

The Portland Chamber Music Festival will also present its annual free children’s concert on Sunday, August 11. Vice President of Education at the New York Philharmonic Theodore Wiprud has designed an engaging, interactive program geared to children ages three to seven and their families entitled, “Oh, What those Strings Can Do!” The noontime concert will be preceded by musical games and activities in the Abromson Center lobby starting at 11 a.m.

This season’s 26 performers and composers include seven making their first-ever appearances at the festival.

Making their PCMF debuts, among others, are double bassist David Allen Moore of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, composer Laurie San Martin of the University of California at Davis faculty, and pianist Rieko Aizawa of the Horszowski Trio.

For detailed concert information and tickets, visit pcmf.org or call Brown Paper Tickets at 800-838-3006.

More information

This year’s event will be hosted and directed by Theodore Wiprud,

Abromson Center, University of Southern Maine, Portland Campus

Portland Chamber Music Festival

Tickets: pcmf.org or 800-838-3006

Thursday, August 8, 2013 at 8 p.m.

Pre-Concert Lecture with Professor Dan Sonenberg, 7 p.m.

J.S. Bach: Sonata for Viola and Continuo in D major, #2 BWV 1028

Anna Weesner: “Sudden, Unbidden” for Violin and Cello (1998; rev. 2012)

Chausson: Concert for Violin, Piano and String Quartet, Op. 21

Saturday, August 10, 2013 at 8 p.m.Pre-Concert Lecture with Professor Dan Sonenberg, 7 p.m.

Ravel: Mother Goose Suite (Arr. Roland Kato)

Nick DiBerardino: “27 Morningside” for Piano Trio (2011) winner, 2013 PCMF Composers Competition

Vivaldi: The Four Seasons — Frank Huang, violin

Free Children’s Concert

Sunday, August 11, 2013 at noon

Pre-Concert activities begin at 11 a.m. in the lobby

Featuring host Theodore Wiprud, Vice President of Education at the New York Philharmonic and PCMF musicians

Thursday, August 15, 2013 at 8 p.m.

Pre-Concert Lecture with Professor Dan Sonenberg, 7 p.m.

Barber: Summer Music (1956)

Laurie San Martin: Circus Maximus for Piano Trio (2000)

Brahms: Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34

Saturday, August 17, 2013 at 8 p.m.

Pre-Concert Lecture with Professor Dan Sonenberg, 7 p.m.

Mozart: Horn Quintet in E flat major, K. 407

Thomas Adès: Court Studies from “The Tempest” (2005)

Spohr: Nonet in F major, Op. 31

2013 Performers:

August 8, 10, and 11

Rieko Aizawa, Piano

Peter Sykes, Harpsichord

Jennifer Elowitch, Violin

Frank Huang, Violin

Jesse Mills, Violin

Jessica Thompson, Viola

Claire Bryant, Cello

Michael Kannen, Cello

David Allen Moore, Bass

Nick DiBerardino, Composer

Anna Weesner, Composer

Theodore Wiprud, Host

August 15 and 17

Yuri Funahashi, Piano

Elizabeth Mann, Flute

Carl Oswald, Oboe

Todd Palmer, Clarinet

Adrian Morejon, Bassoon

Patrick Pridemore, Horn

Miranda Cuckson, Violin

Jennifer Elowitch, Violin

Hanna Renedo, Violin

Rebecca Albers, Viola

Laurie Kennedy, Viola

Elizabeth Anderson, Cello

Marc Johnson, Cello

Carolyn Davis Fryer, Bass

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