Spoleto Festival USA Kicks Off 2014 Bank of America Chamber Music Series Programs Today

Geoff Nuttall, now in his fifth year as Spoleto Festival USA's Charles E. and Andrea L. Volpe Director for Chamber Music, today announced details of the Bank of America Chamber Music series comprising 11 programs, each performed three times at the Dock Street Theatre in Charleston, South Carolina from today, May 23 through Sunday, June 8.

This year's series includes the world premiere of Color Preludes for String Quintet by pianist/composer/conductor Stephen Prutsman, who has been a regular performer at the chamber series for the past 19 years. This work will be performed by Mr. Prutsman and the St. Lawrence String Quartet on Wednesday, June 4 at 1:00pm and Thursday, June 5 at 11:00am and 1:00pm.

Swedish mezzo-soprano Charlotte Hellekant will appear in four programs this season, with performances of baroque opera arias as well as romantic and 20th-century songs. An instrument not always included in Spoleto's chamber series, the voice allows for great expression, a skill Hellekant has perfected; she is often praised for her strong stage presence and acting ability.

Programs for this season's series span nearly 350 years and include well-known canonic jewels as well as new musical experiences with contemporary compositions and selections unearthed from past centuries. Program highlights include two arias from Handel's Giulio Cesare; George Crumb's "Vox Balaenae (Voice of the Whale);" Mendelssohn's Piano Trio in D Minor, op. 49, no. 1; Schoenberg's "Ein Stelldichein;" Michael Colgrass's "Hammer and Bow;" a chamber arrangement of Haydn's Symphony no. 102 in B-flat Major; a string sextet from Richard Strauss's opera Capriccio; a solo jazz set by Stephen Prutsman; and Vaughan Williams's Piano Quintet in C Minor.

The chamber music series begins on Friday, May 23 at 1:00pm with Telemann's Concerto for Oboe in E Minor, TWV 51:e1, Sarasate's "Nouvelle fantaisie sur Faust," op. 13 and Schubert's admired Piano Quintet in A Major, D. 667, "The Trout."

Assembling distinguished musicians from around the world, the chamber series is renowned for its engaging artists and their onstage camaraderie as much as for their virtuosity. In addition to Mr. Prutsman and the St. Lawrence String Quartet (Mr. Nuttall, Mark Fewer, Lesley Robertson, Christopher Costanza), returning artists include pianist Inon Barnatan, cellist Andrés Díaz, percussionist Aiyun Huang, flutist Tara Helen O'Connor, clarinetist Todd Palmer-who celebrates his 20th year as part of this series-bassist Anthony Manzo, pianist Pedja Muzijevic, violinist Daniel Phillips, oboist James Austin Smith, and violinist Livia Sohn. Artists making their Festival debut include violinist/violist Gabriela Díaz, violist Masumi Per Rostad of the Pacifica Quartet, cellist David Ying from the Grammy Award-winning Ying Quartet, and mezzo-soprano Charlotte Hellekant.

Each of the 11 programs is performed three times with two chamber performances daily at 11:00am and 1:00pm in the 463-seat Dock Street Theatre at 135 Church Street.

Spoleto Festival USA offers three chamber music subscription packages that include benefits such as premium reserved seats, up to a 15% savings on full-price chamber music tickets, access to Patron Services Manager Sally Lovejoy, and free exchanges. SUBSCRIPTION A is $192 and features six odd-numbered chamber concerts at 1:00pm. SUBSCRIPTION B is $160 and features five even-numbered chamber concerts at 1:00pm. SUBSCRIPTION C is $352 and features the first performance of each chamber concert, of which times vary. Subscriptions are available by calling Patron Services Manager Sally Lovejoy at 843-720-1114.

For $50, Chamber Affinity Program members are invited to five receptions in a private home following the 1:00pm weekend chamber performances giving them the opportunity to meet Geoff Nuttall and the chamber artists, and to socialize with other chamber music lovers. For more information or to purchase membership in the Chamber Affinity Program, please call Patron Services Manager Sally Lovejoy at 843-720-1114.

Tickets to all Bank of America Chamber Music series performances are available online at spoletousa.org, by phone at 843-579-3100, in person at the Charleston Visitor Center, 375 Meeting Street, or through the Festival's mobile app. Tickets start at $15.

The Spoleto Festival USA 2014 Bank of America Chamber Music Series Programs are as follows:

PROGRAM I
Friday, May 23 at 1pm; Saturday, May 24 at 11am and 1pm

Concerto for Oboe in E Minor, TWV 51:e1
Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767)

James Austin Smith, oboe; Geoff Nuttall and Livia Sohn, violins; Gabriela Díaz, viola; David Ying,cello; Anthony Manzo, double bass; Pedja Muzijevic, harpsichord

"Nouvelle fantaisie sur Faust," op. 13
Pablo de Sarasate (1844-1908)

Livia Sohn, violin; Pedja Muzijevic, piano

Piano Quintet in A Major, D. 667, "The Trout"
Franz Schubert (1797-1828)

Inon Barnatan, piano; Geoff Nuttall, violin; Gabriela Díaz, viola; David Ying, cello; Anthony Manzo, double bass

PROGRAM II
Sunday, May 25 at 11am and 1pm; Monday, May 26 at 11am

Neue Wiener Ländler, op. 1
Joseph Lanner (1801-43)

Geoff Nuttall and Livia Sohn, violins; Gabriela Díaz, viola; Anthony Manzo, double bass

Sonata op. 3, no. 2
Giovanni Antonio Pandolfi (fl 1660-69)

Mark Fewer, violin; David Ying, cello; Pedja Muzijevic, harpsichord

"Le corps á corps," op. 49
Georges Aperghis (b 1945)

Aiyun Huang, percussion

Piano Quartet in G Minor, K. 478
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-91)

Pedja Muzijevic, piano; Geoff Nuttall, violin; Gabriela Díaz, viola; David Ying, cello

PROGRAM III
Monday, May 26 at 1pm; Tuesday, May 27 at 11am and 1pm

Sonata in G Major, H. XVI: 40
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)

Pedja Muzijevic, piano

"Hammer and Bow"
Michael Colgrass (b 1932)

Mark Fewer, violin; Aiyun Huang, percussion

"Hommage à Tristan"
György Kurtág (b 1926)

James Austin Smith, English horn; Todd Palmer, bass clarinet

Piano Trio in D Minor, op. 49, no. 1
Felix Mendelssohn(1809-47)

Inon Barnatan, piano; Livia Sohn, violin; David Ying, cello

PROGRAM IV
Wednesday, May 28 at 11am and 1pm; Thursday, May 29 at 11am

Violin Concerto in B-flat Major
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710-36)

Livia Sohn, violin; Geoff Nuttall, Mark Fewer, Daniel Phillips, Gabriela Díaz, violins; Masumi Rostad,viola; David Ying, cello; Anthony Manzo, double bass; Pedja Muzijevic, harpsichord

"Flickan kom ifrån sin älsklings möte"
Wilhelm Stenhammar (1871-1927)
"Memories: a. Very Pleasant, b. Rather Sad"
Charles Ives (1874-1954)
"Den enda stunden"
Ture Rangström (1884-1947)
"Funeral Blues"
Benjamin Britten (1913-76)

Charlotte Hellekant, mezzo-soprano; Pedja Muzijevic, piano

String Quartet in C Major, op. 20, no. 2
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)

Geoff Nuttall and Daniel Phillips, violins; Masumi Rostad, viola; David Ying, cello

"Techno-parade"
Guillaume Connesson (b 1970)

Tara Helen O'Connor, flute; Todd Palmer, clarinet; Inon Barnatan, piano

PROGRAM V
Thursday, May 29 at 1pm; Friday, May 30 at 11am and 1pm

"Caprice sur des aires danois et russes", op. 79
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921)

Tara Helen O'Connor, flute; James Austin Smith, oboe; Todd Palmer, clarinet; Inon Barnatan, piano

"Priva son d'ogni conforto"
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)
"Deh, piangete, o mesti lumi" from Giulio Cesare

Charlotte Hellekant, mezzo-soprano; Geoff Nuttall, Mark Fewer, Gabriela Díaz, Daniel Phillips, violins; Masumi Rostad, viola; David Ying, cello; Anthony Manzo, double bass; Pedja Muzijevic, harpsichord

Viola Quintet in B-flat Major, op. 87
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-47)

Daniel Phillips and Mark Fewer, violins; Masumi Rostad and Gabriela Díaz, violas; David Ying, cello

PROGRAM VI
Saturday, May 31 at 11am and 1pm; Sunday, June 1 at 11am

Serenade no. 3 for Oboe, Clarinet, 4 Violins and Cello, H. 218
Bohuslav Martin? (1890-1959)

James Austin Smith, oboe; Todd Palmer, clarinet; Gabriela Díaz, Mark Fewer, Livia Sohn, Geoff Nuttall, violins; David Ying, cello

Two Songs, op. 91
Johannes Brahms (1833-97)

Charlotte Hellekant, mezzo-soprano; Masumi Rostad, viola; Pedja Muzijevic, piano

Harmonia artificiosa-ariosa: Partita no. 3
Henrich Ignaz Franz von Biber (1644-1704)

Mark Fewer and Livia Sohn, violins; Pedja Muzijevic, harpsichord

Piano Quintet in C Minor
Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

Inon Barnatan, piano; Geoff Nuttall, violin; Masumi Rostad, viola; David Ying, cello; Anthony Manzo, double bass

PROGRAM VII
Sunday, June 1 at 1pm; Monday, June 2 at 11am and 1pm

Kegelstatt Trio, K. 498 | Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-91)

Todd Palmer, clarinet; Masumi Rostad, viola; Pedja Muzijevic, piano

"Vox Balaenae (Voice of the Whale)"
George Crumb (b 1929)

Tara Helen O'Connor, flute; Chris Costanza, cello; Pedja Muzijevic, piano

"Il tramonto"
Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936)

Charlotte Hellekant, mezzo-soprano; St. Lawrence String Quartet

PROGRAM VIII
Tuesday, June 3 at 11am and 1pm; Wednesday, June 4 at 11am

String Quartet in E Minor | Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)

St. Lawrence String Quartet

Ein Stelldichein | Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951)

James Austin Smith, oboe; Todd Palmer, clarinet; Gabriela Díaz, violin; Andres Díaz, cello; Pedja Muzijevic, piano

Piano Quartet in C Minor, op. 60, no. 3 | Johannes Brahms (1833-97)

Stephen Prutsman, piano; Livia Sohn, violin; Gabriela Díaz, viola; Andrés Díaz, cello

PROGRAM IX
Wednesday, June 4 at 1pm; Thursday, June 5 at 11am and 1pm

Quintetto in D Major | Franz Xaver Süssmayr (1766-1803)

Tara Helen O'Connor, flute; James Austin Smith, oboe; Livia Sohn, violin; Gabriela Díaz, viola;Andrés Díaz, cello

"Elégie," op. 24
Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924)

Andrés Díaz, cello; Stephen Prutsman, piano

Color Preludes for Piano Quintet (World premiere)
Stephen Prutsman (b 1960)

Stephen Prutsman, piano; St. Lawrence String Quartet

PROGRAM X
Friday, June 6 at 11am and 1pm; Saturday, June 7 at 11am

Symphony no. 102 in B-flat Major
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809), arr. Salomon

Pedja Muzijevic, piano; Tara Helen O'Connor, flute; St. Lawrence String Quartet

Jazz Set

Stephen Prutsman,piano

Duo for Violin and Cello, op. 7
Zoltán Kodály (1882-1967)

Gabriela Díaz, violin; Andrés Díaz, cello

PROGRAM XI
Saturday, June 7 at 1pm; Sunday, June 8 at 11am and 1pm

Sextet from Capriccio, op. 85
Richard Strauss (1864-1949)

St. Lawrence String Quartet; Gabriela Díaz, viola; Andrés Díaz, cello

"Introduction, Theme and Variations" for Clarinet and Orchestra
Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868), arr. Palmer

Todd Palmer, clarinet; Tara Helen O'Connor, flute; James Austin Smith, oboe; Livia Sohn and Daniel Phillips, violins; Gabriela Díaz, viola; Andrés Díaz, cello; St. Lawrence String Quartet

"Scherzo" from A Midsummer Night's Dream
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-47)

Stephen Prutsman and Pedja Muzijevic, piano

Clarinet Quintet in A Major, K. 581
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-91)

Todd Palmer, clarinet; St. Lawrence String Quartet

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