Music Moutain Presents Avalon String Quartet With Soyeon Kate Lee and Jimmy Greene Quartet

Music Mountain, America's longest running summer chamber music festival, continues its 89th season with the Avalon String Quartet performing a program of Beethoven, Mozart, Dohnanyi and Shostakovich on Sunday, August 5 (3pm). The weekend music begins on Saturday, August 4 (6:30pm) with first time guest Jimmy Greene Quartet - bringing his remarkable sound and vibrant jazz to Music Mountain! Concerts are scheduled through September 23.

Sunday afternoon welcomes Avalon String Quartet with guest artist Soyeon Kate Lee, Piano performing Beethoven: Piano Quartet #2 in D Major, WoO 36; Mozart: String Quartet in D Major, K. 575 "Prussian;" Shostakovich: String Quartet #7 in F Sharp Minor, Op. 108; and Dohnanyi: Piano Quintet in C Minor, Op. 1.

Described by the Chicago Tribune as "an ensemble that invites you - ears, mind, and spirit - into its music," the Avalon String Quartet has established itself as one of the country's leading chamber music ensembles. The Avalon String Quartet has performed in major venues across the U.S., in London and Germany. Their many recordings have been received with critical acclaim and their live performances are often featured on Chicago's WFMT. The Avalon String Quartet is quartet-in-residence at the Northern Illinois University School of Music.

Korean-American pianist Soyeon Kate Lee has been lauded by the New York Times as a pianist with "a huge, richly varied sound, a lively imagination and a firm sense of style," and by the Washington Post for her "stunning command of the keyboard." Lee has been rapturously received as guest soloist and recitalist and is an active chamber musician, frequently collaborating in many chamber music festivals throughout the United States. Ms. Lee is the co-founder and artistic director of Music by the Glass, a concert series dedicated to bringing together young professionals in New York City.

GRAMMY Award-nominated saxophonist, composer, arranger - and Connecticut native - Jimmy Greene is considered one of the most respected saxophonists of his generation. His solo albums have been met with critical acclaim, he has appeared on numerous albums as a sideman and has toured and/or recorded with the likes of Horace Silver, Tom Harrell, Freddie Hubbard, Harry Connick, Jr., and the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, among many others. The Jimmy Greene Quartet includes keyboardist Xavier Davis, bassist Luques Curtis, and drummer Jamire Williams, in addition to Jimmy Greene on tenor saxophone. The ensemble performs regularly in jazz venues, festivals and clubs worldwide.

In December 2012, Mr. Greene's daughter, Ana Márquez-Greene's life was taken at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Beautiful Life, is a poignant, reflective program that honors his daughter's love of singing with a program combining jazz, spirituals, contemporary Christian music and ballads. Greene continues to honor and memorialize her spirit with his most recent album, Flowers.

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 Amernet String Quartet with Chauncey Patterson, viola and Ronald Thomas, cello (August 12); St. Petersburg Piano Quartet (August 19); Cassatt String Quartet with Paul Katz, cello (August 26); and the Labor Day Benefit Concert & Reception featuring Peter Serkin, piano, Jihyun (James) Kim, oboe, Caitlin Beare, clarinet, Claire Worsey, horn, and Adam Romey, bassoon (September 2).

The Saturday Evening Twilight Series continues with Galvanized Jazz Band (August 11); Josh Lawrence & Color Theory (August 18); Amina Figarova Quintet (August 25); and Gabriel Alegría Afro-Peruvian Sextet (September 1).

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.

To post a comment, you must register and login.