Music Mountain to Welcome Cantata Profana, 7/2-3

Spend the 4th of July weekend at America's oldest continuing summer chamber music festival, Music Mountain, when its 87th Anniversary Season continues with the young ensemble Cantata Profana on Sunday, July 3rd (3PM) performing Beethoven and Schubert. Saturday, July 2 (6:30pm) brings Swingtime Big Band back for their ninth season playing the best of the Swing Era! The summer will feature 15 weekends of incredible music including returning favorite chamber ensembles and musicians (pianists Peter Serkin and Julia Hsu), first-time guests (pianist Richard Goode), the ever-popular Saturday Evening Twilight Series, featuring an array of Jazz ensembles and musicians, including the artists of the Catskill Jazz Factory, and the second season of the new Music Mountain Master Classes for Young Artists plus so much more! See why the New Yorker called Music Mountain "The Summer Shrine of the String Quartet." Concerts are scheduled through September 11.

By George! - Big Band Gershwin! For their ninth annual visit to Music Mountain, Swingtime Big Band celebrates the music of George Gershwin on the 100th anniversary of his first song being published! Saturday evening will also feature special centennial birthday tributes to bandleaders Harry James and Billy May. Also, this evening will be a pre-concert Swingin' Dinner at the Falls Village Inn, a Litchfield County Landmark! Seating is limited; reservations must be made by Friday, July 1. $70 ticket price includes dinner (5PM) and the concert!

Dedicated to the performance of America's greatest popular standards, Swingtime Big Band has been thrilling concert audiences with authentic recreations of the timeless swing music of such great Big Band leaders as Count Basie, Artie Shaw, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, among many others. Lead by Musical Director Steve Shaiman and featuring vocalists Bobbie Ruth and Jerry Costanzo, this 20-piece band brings to life both the style and the spirit of this unforgettable music.

Sunday afternoon brings Cantata Profana back to Gordon Hall for their second season. The program will include Beethoven: Septet in E Flat Major, Opus 20; and Schubert: Octet in F Major, Opus 166, D.803. "Both pieces have been played only a few times at Music Mountain in our 87 years," enthuses Music Mountain President Nicholas Gordon, "this will be a major treat for our audience."

As a vocal and instrumental chamber ensemble, Cantata Profana brings a wide range of baroque and contemporary music to its uniquely narrative programming style. The group of adventurous young instrumentalists and singers is devoted to new music, old music, and vocal music alike, presenting an almost gluttonous range of music each season. This 9-member ensemble is sure to bring inspiration to audiences of all ages.

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 and brownies, coffee, tea, lemonade, and spring water are available for purchase.

Music Mountain is supported, in part, by the Connecticut Commission On Culture & Tourism.

Chamber music concerts continue with Peter Serkin and Julia Hsu (July 10), Enso String Quartet with Daniel Epstein, piano (July 17), Avalon String Quartet with Soyeon Kate Lee, piano (July 24), and Richard Goode, piano (July 31).

The Saturday Evening Twilight Series continues with Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks (July 9), followed by the Catskill Jazz Factory's presentations of Joanna Wallfisch (July 16), Dan Tepfer (July 23), and Will and Peter Anderson (July 30).

Specially Priced Concerts are as Follows: All tickets to the Peter Serkin/Julia Hsu, Piano 4 Hands Concert on Sunday, July 10 are $60. Tickets for the Mid-Summer Benefit Concert with Richard Goode on Sunday, July 31 (3PM) are $75 and include a voucher for any regularly priced 2016 concert. Tickets for the Labor Day Benefit Concert & Reception with the Shanghai String Quartet, and pianists Gilbert Kalish and Jonathan Yates are $75 and include a voucher for any regularly priced 2017 concert.

The 87th season will continue to offer two ticketing options to complement their established family friendly ticket prices! Concert goers will be able to reserve their favorite seat(s) in advance for a one-time payment of $60 per seat, per season. For information on how to reserve a seat and specific seat availability, please call 860-824-7126. Music Mountain also continues its popular Gold Pass program. Major Gold Pass benefits include: Admission to all concerts; Priority Reserved Seating (subject to availability); $20 price for one guest per Gold Pass. Cost for Gold Pass Memberships: Individual: $780; Pair: $1,500. For a list of other benefits and more information, please call 860-824-7126. All Gold Passes are transferable.

Chamber Music Concerts are $35 at the door/$30 in advance. Twilight Series Concerts are $30 at the door/$27 in advance. Children ages 5-18 are admitted FREE for ALL CONCERTS when accompanied by a ticket holder. Saturday Twilight Concerts are at 6:30pm. Sunday afternoon Chamber Music concerts are at 3pm. Group rates and pre season ticket plans 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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