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Paul Watkins Joins as Artistic Director
Opening Night Features Emerson String Quartet
Two World Premieres, Including Hand Eye:
Composed by Sleeping Giant and Performed by eighth blackbird
And New Festival-Commissioned Work by Mark Grey
Debut of Lecture/Performance Series “Beyond the Notes”
with Violinist Eugene Drucker
Artists Making Festival Debut:
Eugene Drucker, violin; Jaime Laredo, violin; Sharon Robinson, cello; Alessio Bax, piano; Ran Dank, piano; Stephanie Gonley, violin; and composer consortium Sleeping Giant
Subscriptions available now & single tickets on sale April 20 from www.greatlakeschambermusic.org or by phone (248) 559-2097*
**Please note that tickets to the Detroit Institute of Arts, Kerrytown Concert House and Capitol Theatre and Arts Centre must be ordered by contacting those venues directly.
April 16, 2015 – The Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival is delighted to welcome new Artistic Director Paul Watkins for its 22nd season, taking place from June 13-28 at nine venues across the metro Detroit area. Each June, the Festival brings a contingent of the world’s finest chamber musicians for two weeks of performances. The theme of this summer’s two-week event is “New Beginnings: Making Music in America,” which reflects the personal, musical and literal journey of Mr. Watkins in his first year as Artistic Director. He leads the festival on a voyage encompassing an eclectic blend of America’s classical and contemporary repertoire, including a World Premiere of Hand Eye – composed by Sleeping Giant and performed by eighth blackbird, with flutist Tim Munro performing his final concert as a member of the ensemble. An additional World Premiere will be a Festival-commissioned work by their Stone Composer Fellow Mark Grey.
 Mr. Watkins comments, “I am thrilled and honored to be the new Artistic Director of the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival. This wonderful event already shines brightly in the starry summer skies of American music festivals, thanks to the inspirational leadership of my predecessor, James Tocco. In 2014, I was privileged to join James in a performance of the Brahms E minor Cello Sonata at the opening concert of the Festival. The combination of his extraordinary playing and the warmth of the audience made for an evening I will never forget. My hope is to recreate many such memorable musical experiences in 2015 with a phenomenal array of artists, many of whom will be making their first appearances at the GLCMF.”
Additional highlights of the 2015 Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival include an opening night performance and post-concert reception with the Emerson String Quartet on June 13 at the Seligman Performing Arts Center; the debut of “Beyond the Notes,” a performance/lecture series featuring violinist Eugene Drucker; plus the continuation of The Catherine Filene Shouse Chamber Music Institute, with the second year of the Apprentice Ensemble program, a collaboration with The Sphinx Organization.
2015 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS:
GLCMF World Premieres & Commissions
 This summer features the World Premiere of Hand Eye on June 27, a full-length work that has been commissioned for the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival by Maxine and Stuart Frankel, who are Detroit-area art collectors and philanthropists. In addition to their remarkable collection of contemporary art, the Frankels have sponsored numerous cutting-edge projects in multiple artistic disciplines. The new piece is being prepared for eighth blackbird by Brooklyn-based composer consortium Sleeping Giant, which consists of Chris Cerrone, Timo Andres, Ted Hearne, Jacob Cooper, Andrew Norman and Robert Honstein. Eighth blackbird was a part of the inaugural class of the Festival’s Shouse Chamber Music Institute 18 years ago, representing the growth and success of the Festival. 
Hand Eye is made up of six movements, with each composer creating one movement that features a different member of eighth blackbird. The Festival brought Sleeping Giant and eighth blackbird to the Frankel’s gallery in 2013, then the composers each chose a piece of art to inspire his section of the complete work. Hand Eye has been co-commissioned by Carnegie Hall and the University of Texas, both of which will host subsequent performances.
Also receiving its World Premiere will be a new, Festival-commissioned work by their Stone Composer Fellow Mark Grey. Each year, the composer selected for this position premieres an original piece at the Festival. Composer and sound designer Mark Grey has previously been commissioned by such companies as The National Opera of Belgium, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Colorado Music Festival Orchestra, and by artists such as the Kronos Quartet and Leila Josefowicz.
The Catherine Filene Shouse Chamber Music Institute
The Shouse Institute brings the finest emerging young professional chamber ensembles to the Festival for two weeks of intensive coaching and performing with Festival artists. This year’s participants are the Excelsa, Calidore, Altius and Donald Sinta Quartets. Under the Festival’s Artistic Encounters program, four coachings for Shouse Institute ensembles will be open to the public and given by violinists Stephanie Gonley (June 16), Philip Setzer (June 18) and Jaime Laredo (June 22), plus cellist Paul Watkins (June 25).
Sphinx Apprentice Ensemble Program
The Sphinx Organization is a Detroit-based arts nonprofit with the mission of transforming lives through the power of diversity in the arts. The Festival has partnered with this organization for a second year to help foster a young, diverse chamber ensemble through their Shouse Institute. Sphinx has selected an ensemble to join Shouse groups for two weeks of intensive coaching and performances with Festival artists. This year, the Festival welcomes the Sotto Amore Duo.
New Programs this season:
BEYOND THE NOTES
A musical performance and discussion with Emerson String Quartet violinist Eugene Drucker on the lessons of music, hope, and renewal, as revealed in his novel The Savior about a violinist’s experiences during the Holocaust (June 17).
DYNAMIC DUOS
The Festival offers two noteworthy duo performances on Wednesday evenings: the cello/piano duo of Paul Watkins and Alessio Bax (June 17) and pianists Anton Nel and James Tocco (June 24).
MUSIC MEETS MINDFULNESS
A one-hour yoga class open to the public, accompanied by live performances of Festival artists, which will be hosted at Kirk in the Hills on Monday, June 22 at 7PM.
ABOUT THE GREAT LAKES CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL
The Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival was born in 1994 of a remarkable relationship between religious and cultural institutions. A secular event, the Festival is sponsored by three religious institutions (representing Catholic, Jewish, and Protestant faiths) and Detroit Chamber Winds & Strings, a prominent musical ensemble that is an administrative partner for the Festival.
In two weeks each June, the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival presents more than 20 concerts in southeastern Michigan. Many of these performances occur in the venues of the Festival’s sponsors – St. Hugo of the Hills Catholic Church, Temple Beth El, and Kirk in the Hills Presbyterian Church. Additional concert locations have included the Detroit Institute of Arts, Kerrytown Concert House (Ann Arbor), Seligman Performing Arts Center, various locations in Grosse Pointe, the Capitol Theatre in Windsor (Ont.) and St. Thomas Aquinas Church in East Lansing. A special highlight was a performance at the Library of Congress, in Washington, D.C.
The list of performers over the years reads like a long “who’s who” in chamber music, including Jeremy Denk, Andrés and Roberto Díaz, Peter Oundjian, Joseph Silverstein, Miriam Fried, Gilbert Kalish, Philip Setzer, Jonathan Biss, David Finckel, St. Lawrence Quartet, Peter Wiley, Miró Quartet, Wu Han, Fred Sherry, Ida and Ani Kavafian, and a host of additional musicians.
The 2015 Festival will mark the inaugural season of cellist Paul Watkins as the Festival’s Artistic Director. In this role, he follows the Festival’s founding Artistic Director, James Tocco, who retired in 2014. The cellist of the Emerson String Quartet, Mr. Watkins is an accomplished instrumentalist, pianist, and conductor. In his role as Festival artistic director, he will continue the Festival’s tradition of engaging world-class musicians and creating imaginative projects.
CHRONOLOGICAL LISTING OF CONCERTS
Many of the below concerts are preceded by a 20-30-minute performance or discussion from Festival artists. Unless otherwise noted, Preludes begin 45 minutes prior to concerts and are complimentary for ticket holders.
OPENING NIGHT: SATURDAY, JUNE 13 at 8PM
SELIGMAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
SPONSORED BY AVIVA & DEAN FRIEDMAN
EMERSON STRING QUARTET
MARTINU | THREE MADRIGALS FOR VIOLIN AND VIOLA, H. 313
DVOŘÁK | TERZETTO IN C MAJOR, OP. 74
BLOCH | SUITE HÉBRAÏQUEE
BARBER | ADAGIO FROM STRING QUARTET IN B MINOR, OP. 11
DVOŘÁK | STRING QUARTET NO. 12 IN F MAJOR, OP. 96, “AMERICAN”
SUNDAY, JUNE 14 at 3PM
CHRIST CHURCH GROSSE POINTE
SPONSORED BY COMERICA
EMERSON STRING QUARTET
COPLAND | TWO BALLADS FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO
COPLAND | ELEGIES FOR VIOLIN AND VIOLA
IVES | STRING QUARTET NO.1, “FROM THE SALVATION ARMY”
BARBER | ADAGIO FROM STRING QUARTET IN B MINOR, OP. 11
DVOŘÁK | STRING QUARTET NO. 12 IN F MAJOR, OP. 96, “AMERICAN”
TUESDAY, JUNE 16 at 7:30PM
ST. HUGO OF THE HILLS CATHOLIC CHURCH
SPONSORED BY SANDRA & CLAUDE REITELMAN AND FRANZISKA SCHOENFELD
PRELUDE: CALIDORE STRING QUARTET PERFORMS BARTÓK’S STRING QUARTET NO. 2
EUGENE DRUCKER | PHILIP SETZER | STEPHANIE GONLEY | LAWRENCE DUTTON | PAUL WATKINS | ROBERT DEMAINE | ALESSIO BAX
RAVEL | SONATA FOR VIOLIN AND CELLO
NORMAN | “SABINA” FROM THE COMPANION GUIDE TO ROME
RACHMANINOFF | TRIO ÉLÉGIAQUE NO. 1 IN D MINOR, OP. 9
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17 at 7:30PM
CAPITOL THEATRE AND ARTS CENTRE, WINDSOR
SPONSORED BY THE MORRIS & BEVERLY BAKER FOUNDATION
RAN DANK | EUGENE DRUCKER
RACHMANINOFF | PRELUDE IN G MAJOR, OP. 32, NO. 5
RACHMANINOFF | PRELUDE IN C MINOR, OP. 23, NO. 7
DRUCKER | SUITE: BUT THEN BEGINS A JOURNEY IN MY HEAD
THOMAS | INCANTATION
RACHMANINOFF | SONATA NO. 2 IN B-FLAT MINOR
Non-subscription concert: For tickets, call 519-973-1238.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17 at 7:30PM
ST. HUGO OF THE HILLS CATHOLIC CHURCH
PRELUDE: DONALD SINTA QUARTET PERFORMS GLAZUNOV’S SAXOPHONE QUARTET IN B-FLAT MAJOR, OP. 109
PAUL WATKINS | ALESSIO BAX
STRAVINSKY | SUITE ITALIENNE
MUSSORGSKY | HOPAK FROM THE FAIR AT SOROCHINSK
RACHMANINOFF | PRELUDE IN G MAJOR, OP. 32, NO. 5
RACHMANINOFF | PRELUDE IN G MINOR, OP. 23, NO. 5
KREISLER | LIEBESLEID
KREISLER | LIEBESFREUD
CRUMB | SONATA FOR SOLO VIOLONCELLO
PROKOFIEV | CELLO SONATA IN C MAJOR, OP. 119
THURSDAY, JUNE 18 at 7:30PM
KIRK IN THE HILLS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
PRELUDE: ALTIUS QUARTET PERFORMS HAYDN’S STRING QUARTET IN C MAJOR, OP. 74, NO. 1
STEPHANIE GONLEY | PHILIP SETZER | YOONSHIN SONG | LAWRENCE DUTTON | ROBERT DEMAINE | DAVID LEDOUX | PAUL WATKINS | KEVIN BROWN | ALESSIO BAX | CALIDORE STRING QUARTET
DEBUSSY | VIOLIN SONATA IN G MINOR
ADAMS | SHAKER LOOPS
DVOŘÁK | STRING QUINTET IN E-FLAT MAJOR, OP. 97
FRIDAY, JUNE 19 at 10:45AM
KIRK IN THE HILLS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
PRELUDE: EXCELSA QUARTET PERFORMS MOZART’S STRING QUARTET NO. 16 IN E-FLAT MAJOR, K. 428
ALESSIO BAX | STEPHANIE GONLEY | PHILIP SETZER | YOONSHIN SONG | LAWRENCE DUTTON | ROBERT DEMAINE | DAVID LEDOUX | PAUL WATKINS | KEVIN BROWN | CALIDORE STRING QUARTET
DEBUSSY | VIOLIN SONATA IN G MINOR
ADAMS | SHAKER LOOPS
DVOŘÁK | STRING QUINTET IN E-FLAT MAJOR, OP. 97
FRIDAY, JUNE 19 at 8PM
DAVID KLEIN GALLERY, DETROIT
CHRIS CERRONE | CHRIS SIES | EXCELSA QUARTET
REICH | DIFFERENT TRAINS
CERRONE | MEMORY PALACE
FRIDAY, JUNE 19 at 7:30PM
KERRYTOWN CONCERT HOUSE, ANN ARBOR
RAN DANK | YOONSHIN SONG | ROBERT DEMAINE | DAVID BUCK | TED HEARNE | ALTIUS QUARTET
BACH | TRIO SONATA IN G MAJOR, BWV 1038
HEARNE | NOBODY’S
PROKOFIEV | SONATA FOR FLUTE AND PIANO, OP. 94
FOOTE | A NIGHT PIECE, FOR FLUTE AND STRINGS
RACHMANINOFF | CELLO SONATA IN G MINOR, OP. 19
Non-subscription concert: For tickets, call 734-769-2999.
SATURDAY, JUNE 20 at 8PM
SELIGMAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
SPONSORED BY PLANTE MORAN
PRELUDE: THE AMERICAN INFLUENCE — PAUL WATKINS IN CONVERSATION WITH UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN MUSICOLOGIST STEVEN WHITING
STEPHANIE GONLEY | JAIME LAREDO | PAUL WATKINS | DETROIT CHAMBER WINDS & STRINGS
BACH | CONCERTO FOR TWO VIOLINS IN D MINOR, BWV 1043
COPLAND | APPALACHIAN SPRING SUITE
BARBER | SUMMER MUSIC FOR WOODWIND QUINTET, OP. 31
DVOŘÁK | SERENADE FOR STRINGS, OP. 22
SUNDAY, JUNE 21 at 1PM
DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ARTS
RAN DANK | JAIME LAREDO | ROBERT DEMAINE | SHARON ROBINSON | KEVIN BROWN | ANTON NEL | EXCELSA QUARTET
HONSTEIN | BEGINNINGS
DEMAINE | ETUDES-CAPRICES FOR SOLO CELLO
DANIEL POUR | INVENTIONS ON A MARRIAGE
Non-subscription concert: For tickets, call 313-833-7900.
SUNDAY, JUNE 21 at 3PM
DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ARTS
JAIME LAREDO | SHARON ROBINSON | CHRIS CERRONE | CHRIS SIES
CERRONE | MEMORY PALACE
KODÁLY | DUO FOR VIOLIN AND CELLO, OP. 7
Non-subscription concert: For tickets, call 313-833-7900.
TUESDAY, JUNE 23 at 7:30PM
TEMPLE BETH EL
SPONSORED IN MEMORY OF ANNETTE AND MARY FINK BY THE FINK FAMILY
PRELUDE: ALTIUS QUARTET PERFORMS MENDELSSOHN’S STRING QUARTET NO. 2 IN A MINOR, OP. 13
JAIME LAREDO | STEPHANIE GONLEY | SHARON ROBINSON | RAN DANK | ANTON NEL
DVOŘÁK | SONATINA IN G MAJOR, OP. 100
HOOVER | EL ANDALUS
SCHUMANN | DREI FANTASIESTÜCKE, OP. 73
BRAHMS | PIANO QUARTET IN G MINOR, OP. 25
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24 at 7:30PM
KIRK IN THE HILLS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
SPONSORED BY FRANZISKA SCHOENFELD
PRELUDE: CALIDORE STRING QUARTET PERFORMS ADÈS’ ARCADIANA (STRING QUARTET), OP. 12
ANTON NEL | JAMES TOCCO
MOZART | DUETTINO CONCERTANTE
SCHUMANN | SIX CANONIC ETUDES, OP. 56
BERNSTEIN | SYMPHONIC DANCES FROM WEST SIDE STORY
GRAINGER | FANTASY ON GERSHWIN’S PORGY AND BESS
RAVEL | LA VALSE
THURSDAY, JUNE 25 at 7:30PM
KIRK IN THE HILLS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
SPONSORED IN MEMORY OF DAVID LEBENBOM BY JAMES TOCCO
PRELUDE: EXCELSA QUARTET PERFORMS JANÁCEK’S STRING QUARTET NO. 2, INTIMATE LETTERS
EIGHTH BLACKBIRD | CALIDORE STRING QUARTET | DONALD SINTA QUARTET
MENDELSSOHN | STRING QUARTET NO. 6 IN F MINOR, OP. 80
GREY | WORLD PREMIERE TBD
SHOSTAKOVICH | STRING QUARTET NO. 8 IN C MINOR, OP. 110
VARIOUS COMPOSERS | SONGS OF LOVE AND LOSS
FRIDAY, JUNE 26 at 10:45AM
TEMPLE BETH EL
PRELUDE: DONALD SINTA QUARTET PERFORMS LIGETI’S SIX BAGATELLES, ESCAICH’S TANGO VIRTUOSO, AND ZARE’S Z4430
PAUL WATKINS | ANTON NEL | ALTIUS QUARTET | EXCELSA QUARTET
BERNSTEIN | THREE MEDITATIONS FROM MASS
REICH | DIFFERENT TRAINS
DVOŘÁK | PIANO QUINTET NO. 2 IN A MAJOR, OP. 81
FRIDAY, JUNE 26 at 7PM
DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ARTS
ANTON NEL | JAMES TOCCO | RACHEL GOTTLIEB KALMOWITZ | PAUL WATKINS
CRUMB| SONATA FOR SOLO VIOLONCELLO
COOPER | SILVER THREADS
COPLAND | SELECTIONS FROM TWELVE POEMS OF EMILY DICKINSON
BARBER | SONATA FOR CELLO AND PIANO, OP. 6
Non-subscription concert: For tickets, call 313-833-7900.
FRIDAY, JUNE 26 at 8PM
KERRYTOWN CONCERT HOUSE, ANN ARBOR
ALTIUS QUARTET | EIGHTH BLACKBIRD
MENDELSSOHN | STRING QUARTET NO. 2 IN A MINOR, OP. 13
ANDRES | CRASHING THROUGH FENCES (2009)
LANG | THESE BROKEN WINGS (2008)
VARIOUS COMPOSERS | SONGS OF LOVE AND LOSS
Non-subscription concert: For tickets, call 734-769-2999.
FRIDAY, JUNE 26 at 8:30PM
DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ARTS
JAMES TOCCO | EXCELSA QUARTET
GERSHWIN| THREE PRELUDES
WILD | THREE ETUDES ON SONGS BY GEORGE GERSHWIN
HEISS | MICROCOSMS
HAYDN | STRING QUARTET IN B-FLAT MAJOR, OP. 64, NO. 3
Non-subscription concert: For tickets, call 313-833-7900.
CLOSING NIGHT: SATURDAY, JUNE 27 at 8PM
SELIGMAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
SPONSORED BY MAXINE & STUART FRANKEL FOUNDATION
PRELUDE: THE MAKING OF HAND EYE – COMPOSERS FROM SLEEPING GIANT WITH PAUL WATKINS
EIGHTH BLACKBIRD
SLEEPING GIANT CONSORTIUM | HAND EYE (WORLD PREMIERE)
SUNDAY, JUNE 28 at 2PM
KERRYTOWN CONCERT HOUSE, ANN ARBOR
CALIDORE STRING QUARTET | DONALD SINTA QUARTET | EXCELSA QUARTET | PAUL WATKINS
HAYDN | STRING QUARTET IN C MAJOR, OP. 33, NO. 3
GREY | WORLD PREMIERE TBD
GRIEG | AUS HOLBERGS ZEIT oP. 40 (1884)
RADIOHEAD | YOU (1993)
SCHUBERT | QUINTET IN C MAJOR, D. 956
Non-subscription concert: For tickets, call 734-769-2999.
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