Music Mountain to Welcome Avalon String Quartet & Swingtime Big Band, 7/25-26

Music Mountain, America's oldest continuing summer chamber music festival, continues its 86th season with Swingtime Big|Brave Band on Saturday, July 25th (6:30pm) playing the best music of the Swing Era! Plus pre-concert dinner at Falls Village Inn (5pm). The weekend continues on Sunday, July 26th (3pm) with the Avalon String Quartet performing Faure, Debussy, and Ravel with guest artists Jan Opalach, Bass-Baritone and Jonathan Yates, Piano and Music Mountain's new Musical Director. For the second season, Music Mountain is offering an extended summer program filled with Music Mountain debuts, first time guests, brand new series', and returning favorite bands and ensembles! Chamber, country, opera, jazz, and folk concerts are scheduled thru September 27th.

Swingtime Big|Brave Band returns for their 8th annual Music Mountain appearance on Saturday evening thrilling concert audiences and Ballroom dancers alike with authentic recreations of the timeless swing music of such great Big|Brave Band leaders as Count Basie, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, and Tommy Dorsey. Under the leadership of saxophonist and artistic director Steve Shaiman, the band is dedicated to the performance of America's greatest popular standards. The 20-piece authentic swing band, comprised of master interpreters of music from the Swing Era (mid-1930's through early 1950's), is committed to keeping this important music alive by performing as often as possible for audiences of all ages. The band features two vocalists who bring to life the sounds of legendary singers and crooners such as Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat "King" Cole and Frank Sinatra.

Music Mountain visitors are welcome to attend a pre-concert themed dinner at The Falls Village Inn (5pm) prior to Saturday evenings concert. Reservations much be received by Friday, July 24.

Sunday afternoon welcomes Avalon String Quartet with guest artists Jan Opalach, bass-baritone and Jonathan Yates, piano for a program filled with Music Mountain debuts! The extended program will include *Fauré: Mandoline, Opus 58 #1; *Debussy: Mandoline, L. 29; *Debussy: Fêtes Galantes II, L. 104; Debussy: String Quartet in G Minor, Opus 10; *Lili Boulanger: Elle était descendue au bas de la prairie; *Ravel: Don Quichotte à Dulcinée; and Ravel: String Quartet In F. * indicates Music Mountain premieres.

Avalon String Quartet has established itself as one of the country's leading chamber music ensembles. They have performed in many major venues including Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie Hall and Merkin Hall in New York; the Library of Congress in Washington DC; Wigmore Hall in London and Herculessaal in Munich. The Quartet's live performances and conversation are frequently featured on Chicago's WFMT-FM. They have also been heard on New York's WQXR-FM and WNYC-FM. The Avalon String Quartet is quartet-in-residence at the Northern Illinois University School of Music.

The American bass-baritone, Jan Opalach, is one of the most versatile vocalists on the operatic stage. He is highly regarded for his superb understanding of a broad range of musical styles and eras. Mr. Opalach had been a regular guest of the New York City Opera since 1980. Among the many roles he has performed during his long association there, are Papageno in Die Zauberflöte;;Figaro, the title role in Le nozze di Figaro,: Leporello in Don Giovanni, and Bartolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia. As a featured soloist, Mr. Opalach has sung with the acclaimed orchestras of Baltimore, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, and Los Angeles, among many others and has achieved international recognition with appearances in Mexico City, The Netherlands, and Sweden. Mr. Opalach is an Associate Professor of Voice of the prestigious Eastman School of Music.
Jonathan Yates, pianist, is the fourth Musical Director of Music Mountain in its eighty-six year history. He is also Music Director of both the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra and the Norwalk Youth Symphony. He has collaborated with many of the country's most respected musicians, including Midori, Kim Kashkashian, David Finckel, Gilbert Kalish, Ida Kavafian, Colin Carr, Paul Neubauer, Joseph Lin, and Anthony McGill. Mr. Yates made his professional orchestral conducting debut at 23, leading the National Symphony Orchestra in a Millennium Stages Concert, and made his Carnegie Hall debut (Stern Auditorium) as a pianist in the following year. He has also served on the faculty of Sarah Lawrence College.

Music Mountain is located in Falls Village, Connecticut on Music Mountain Road, where a short scenic drive will bring you to Gordon Hall atop Music Mountain. Free parking and picnic facilities are available. Food, locally baked cookies, coffee, and spring water are also available for purchase.

Upcoming quartets scheduled to perform include Penderecki String Quartet with Matt Haimowitz, cello (August 2); St. Petersburg String Quartet with Pamela Mia Paul, piano (August 9); St. Petersburg String Quartet with Daniel Austrich, violin and Melvin Chen, piano (August 16); Harlem String Quartet with Francine Kay, piano (August 23).

The Saturday Evening Twilight Series will continue with The Sharon Playhouse (August 1); Trios Fur Zwei - Trios For Two (August 8); The Galvanized Jazz Band (August 15); Peter & Will Anderson with Alex Wintz, guitar (August 22).

Chamber Music Concerts are $35 at the door/$30 in advance. Twilight Series Concerts are $30 at the door/$27 in advance. Pre-Concert Dinner + Concert: $65. Children ages 5-18 are admitted FREE for ALL CONCERTS when accompanied by a ticket holder. Saturday Twilight Concerts are at 6:30pm. Chamber Music concerts are at 3pm on Sundays, unless otherwise noted. Group rates and pre season ticket vouchers are available. Discounts apply through participating organizations. For a complete summer schedule, special ticket prices, and to download a ticket order form visit www.musicmountain.org or call 860-824-7126.

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