Door County summer classical music series launches a new fall concert festival
SISTER BAY - Midsummer’s Music is expanding beyond its titular seasonal boundaries with a new chamber music concert series from the end of September to mid-October.
Their inaugural Autumn Music Fest features seven classical concerts between Sept. 30 and Oct. 15 in Door County and Green Bay. As with Midsummer's summer season performances, Autumn Music Fest concerts will be performed in intimate cultural, historical, community and scenic locations.
Also like the summer concert season, Midsummer's fall series will bring world-class musicians to the area who've performed across the country and around the world with groups like the Chicago Symphony, Madison Symphony Orchestra, New Mexico Philharmonic, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, China National Symphony and the Ravinia Festival. Several concerts feature the Griffon String Quartet, Midsummer’s professional ensemble-in-residence, and the world-renowned Pro Arte Quartet, the ensemble-in-residence for the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Music.
The variety of composers and compositions found in Midsummer's usual summer programs also will be found in the fall series, with works by familiar composers like Brahms, Mendelssohn, Mozart and Ravel on the schedule alongside works by contemporary, female, lesser-known and racially diverse composers, including Elizabeth Maconchy, Frigyes Hidas and Eun-Chul Oh.
Midsummer's executive director and assistant artistic director Allyson Fleck said the success of the Griffon quartet, which plays concerts in Northeast Wisconsin year-round for the organization, helped lead to the new fall series.
"A few years ago, we saw that our community was lacking a fulltime, professional ensemble, so that's how we ended up with the Griffon String Quartet and a developing great series of concerts from September through May," Fleck said in an email to the Advocate. "Now, we want to inspire our summer musicians to come and participate with the Griffon with this new Autumn Music Fest.
"I'm very excited about it, and I think audiences – that may differ from our normal summer crowd – will be enthusiastic about it. We have seen for ages the huge attraction Door County has to visitors who come to see the beautiful fall foliage and to enjoy the many fall festivals that are already here. The idea of a Midsummer's Autumn Music Fest has been one we have considered for a long time, and now it's coming to fruition."
The series kicks off with an opening night salon concert and gala at 7 p.m. Sept. 30 with special guest Lori Skelton, host of Wisconsin Public Radio’s “Afternoon Classics.” The concert, with limited seating at a private residence in Sister Bay, has oboist Lindsay Flowers, clarinetist JJ Koh and pianist Garret Ross perform Paul Gilson’s Trio in G Minor, Hidas’ Oboe Concerto No. 2, Brahms’ Clarinet Sonata No. 2, Op. 120, and Oh’s "The Lovers." A reception with Skelton and the musicians follows the concert.
The Sept. 30 program will be repeated for an Oct. 1 concert at the Kress Pavilion in Egg Harbor.
Then the Pro Arte Quartet plays a program to be determined at 7 p.m. Oct. 7 at Hope United Church of Christ in Sturgeon Bay, and Pro Arte joins forces with the Griffon String Quartet for Mendelssohn's Octet in E-flat Major, Op. 20, and other works at 3 p.m. Oct. 8 at the Tarlton Theater in Green Bay.
The Griffon String Quartet wraps up the fall run with three performances of a program that includes Mozart's String Quartet D Minor, No. 15, K. 421, Maconchy's String Quartet No. 3 and Ravel's String Quartet in F Major. These concerts are at 4 p.m. Oct. 13 at the Aging and Disability Resource Center in Green Bay (includes dinner), 7 p.m. Oct. 14 at Hope United Church of Christ in Sturgeon Bay, and 3 p.m. Oct. 15 at the Kress Pavilion.
Midsummer’s Music was co-founded in 1990 by Jim and Jean Berkenstock, longtime Door County summer residents and principal orchestral players with the Lyric Opera of Chicago. What began as two concerts among friends now brings thousands of chamber music enthusiasts from around the globe to Door County for its summer season.
Tickets for the Sept. 30 gala are $79 for adults, $30 for students. The Oct. 1 and 7 concerts are $38 adults, $17 students, free for ages 12 and younger accompanied by a paying adult. A freewill donation will be accepted for the Oct. 8 and 13-15 concerts with the Griffon quartet. Those interested in attending the Oct. 13 Green Bay ADRC dinner concert should contact the ADRC at 920-448-4300.
For tickets or more information, call 920-854-7088 or visit midsummersmusic.com.
Contact Christopher Clough at 920-562-8900 or cclough@doorcountyadvocate.com.
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This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Door County chamber music series announces a new fall concert festival
