Music Mountain Presents Amernet String Quartet With Chauncey Patterson, Ronald Thomas, and The Galvanized Jazz Band

America's longest running summer chamber music festival, Music Mountain, continues its exceptional 89th season! The impressive Amernet String Quartet performs Schubert, Richard Strauss, and Tchaikovsky on Sunday, August 12 (3pm). The weekend gets off to a dancing start on Saturday, August 11 (6:30pm) with The Galvanized Jazz Band playing the best of Dixieland, New Orleans jazz, and swing! Concerts are scheduled through September 23.

Amernet String Quartet, "one of America's finest ensembles" (Cincinnati Enquirer), returns to Music Mountain on Sunday afternoon with an outstanding program, to include Schubert: Quartettsatz in C Minor, D. 703; Schubert: String Quartet in E Flat Major, D. 87; Richard Strauss: String Sextet from Capriccio Op. 85 - a Music Mountain premiere!; and Tchaikovsky: String Sextet in D Minor, Op. 70 "Souvenir de Florence." The quartet will be joined by guest artists Chauncey Patterson, Viola and Ronald Thomas, Cello.

The Amernet String Quartet has garnered recognition as one of today's exceptional string quartets, praised for their "intelligence" by The New York Times. The Amernet's performance schedule has taken the quartet across the Americas and to Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America. They have collaborated with many of today's most prominent artists and ensembles, performed at major festivals to critical acclaim and have appeared as quartet soloist with the Cincinnati Symphony. The Amernet String Quartet actively advocates for neglected works of the past and aims to enliven the concert experience through its innovative programming.

Violist Chauncey Patterson has garnered an impressive career as chamber musician, teacher, soloist, and orchestral player. He has been Principal Viola at Denver Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, and the award winning Miami String Quartet. During his 15 year tenure, The Miami String Quartet toured the U.S. extensively playing virtually every high profile venue including Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, and the Hollywood Bowl. Foreign travels (both with and without the MSQ) have taken Mr. Patterson to Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico, Barbados, Panama, Brazil, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Turkey, Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Switzerland, England, and the Netherlands. Mr. Patterson currently resides in Miami, Florida where he serves as Solo Viola of the Florida Grand Opera and interim professor of viola at the Frost School of Music, as well as violist in the Bergonzi String Quartet.

Cellist Ronald Thomas sustains one of the most active and varied careers in today's music world as performer, teacher and artistic administrator. Mr. Thomas is the co-founder and artistic director emeritus of the Boston Chamber Music Society as well as the artistic director of The Chestnut Hill Concerts in Madison, CT. He was principal cellist of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, appeared in recital and as soloist with orchestras throughout the United States, Europe and the Far East, and performed with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center both at Alice Tully Hall and on tour. Mr. Thomas has taught at MIT, Brown University, the Boston Conservatory and Peabody Conservatory.

Grab your dancing shoes on Saturday and spend the evening with The Galvanized Jazz Band! The Galvanized Jazz Band is a dynamic group of Connecticut musicians devoted to the energetic performance of hot dixieland, New Orleans jazz, blues, rags, stomps, struts, spirituals, swing, and classic popular songs from the past century! In addition to playing local concerts and private parties, The Galvanized Jazz Band has performed at Jazz Festivals from Maine to New Orleans and throughout Europe. Recognized by Connecticut Magazine as "Best Jazz Band in the State", the Galvanized Jazz Band has thrilled generations of fans since 1971!

The Saturday Evening Twilight Series features pre-concert dinners at the charming Falls Village Inn. Experience a piece of history built over 175 years ago that helped shape the history of Falls Village.

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. Music Mountain is supported, in part, by the Connecticut Commission On Culture & Tourism and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Chamber music concerts continue with St. Petersburg Piano Quartet (August 19); Cassatt String Quartet with Paul Katz, cello (August 26); Labor Day Benefit Concert & Reception with Peter Serkin & guests (September 2); and Shanghai String Quartet (September 9).

The Saturday Evening Twilight Series continues with Josh Lawrence & Color Theory (August 18); Amina Figarova Quintet (August 25); Gabriel Alegría Afro-Peruvian Sextet (September 1); and The Bridge Trio (September 8).

Specially Priced Concerts include: Labor Day Benefit Concert & Reception on Sunday, September 2. All tickets $75. Special Concert & Wine Reception to Celebrate the Completion of the Beethoven Quartet Cycle on Sunday, September 9. All tickets: $60.

Regularly scheduled Chamber Music Concerts are $35. Twilight Series Concerts are $30. Concert & Dinner Passes are available for all Twilight Series Concerts for $70; includes Pre-Concert Dinner (5pm) at The Falls Village Inn, a Litchfield County landmark - Classic American comfort fare, seasonal - and 6:30pm Twilight Concert at Music Mountain. Dinner reservations must be made no later than the Friday prior to concert date by calling the Music Mountain box office at 860-824-7126.

Children ages 5-18 are admitted FREE to ALL CONCERTS when accompanied by a ticket holder. Saturday evening Twilight Concerts are at 6:30 pm. Sunday afternoon Chamber Music concerts are at 3 pm. Discounts apply through participating organizations. For a complete summer schedule, special ticket prices, and to download a ticket order form visit musicmountain.org or call (860) 824-7126.

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