Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival

||| FROM MARY TAYLOR for ORCAS ISLAND CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL |||

Tangos, trios, exciting new musical arrangements, and the world’s most preeminent talent are all part of Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival’s 27th Summer Concert Season, opening August 2 and continuing through August 17. Founder and Artistic Director Aloysia Friedmann has programmed a series of brilliant concerts and events, with repertoire that showcases masterworks by Beethoven, Mozart, and Brahms as well as extraordinary jazz compositions by Django Reinhardt and Astor Piazzolla. And don’t be surprised if you hear a little fiddlin’ and saw-playing as well!

Up-and-coming Ukrainian pianist and Honens International Piano Competition Winner Illia Ovcharenko joins a host of Festival favorite performers, including pianist Jon Kimura Parker, Slovenian guitarist Mak Grgić, violinists Robyn Bollinger, Jeff Thayer, Cho-Liang Lin, and Margaret Batjer, violists Aloysia Friedmann and Eileen Swanson, cellist Robert DeMaine, and double bassist David Grossman. The Austin-based Miró Quartet, OICMF’s Quartet-in-Residence, and Canada’s celebrated Gryphon Trio will round out the magic of this Festival Season.

From August 2-17, Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival is offering five 7:30 p.m. concerts, each repeated the next evening at 5:30 p.m., at Orcas Center. Also at Orcas Center are FREE daytime and evening events, including two pre-concert events, an afternoon Children’s Concert, and an Open Rehearsal for our respected elder patrons.

Headlining concerts throughout this year’s Festival are three Concertmasters – Bollinger of Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Thayer of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, and Batjer of Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.

A highlight of this year’s Festival is the Gryphon Trio, pianist Jamie Parker, violinist Annalee Patipatanakoon, and cellist Roman Borys. The group wowed Orcas Island audiences in 2011, 2014, and 2018 with their masterful technique and artistic flair and have since continued to cultivate an international reputation as one of the world’s most dynamic and innovative trios. The Gryphon Trio will treat patrons to a free mini concert of tangos on August 9 and 10 at 6:30pm and 4:30pm, respectively. Also, a free pre-concert talk about Ovcharenko’s extraordinary win at Honens International Piano Competition will precede the August 13 and
August 14 concerts.

The final concert pair of the Festival is dedicated to the memory of William Anders, the astronaut who took the photo “Earthrise,” one of the most famous images ever recorded. Anders, a longtime supporter of the Festival, passed away in a plane crash on June 7 in the San Juan Islands. A rendition of Franz Schubert’s Ave Maria featuring musical saw and Fiddlin’ for Bill, a string octet arranged by violinist William Fedkenheuer, are among the tributes. The closing night concert is sponsored by Anders’ wife, Valerie, in his memory.

The season’s much-anticipated free children’s concert will take place on the front lawn of Orcas Center at 1pm on August 7. Young people of every age will enjoy Adam Stern’s lively narration of Jean de Brunhoff’s beloved children’s classic The Story of Babar, the Little. Elephant and lots more musical fun with an exquisite ensemble of performers. No ticket is required.

Our respected elder patrons are invited to enjoy an open rehearsal of our Teenage Genius concert on August 16 at 1pm. The free event offers attendees the opportunity to see how chamber music is created prior to the evening performances. Those unable to attend concerts in person can watch all 5:30 concerts via livestream. To watch on line, register at www.oimcf.org.

Courtesy of the late Joyce Burghardt’s family, OICMF is offering free tickets to all Main Stage Concerts for youth ages 6-18 and their families. To secure “Friends of Joyce” tickets, please contact the OICMF office at (360) 376-6636.

The Festival Season’s entire repertoire is available to view at oicmf.org.