The Peninsula Music Festival will present two chamber concerts at Shepherd of the Bay Lutheran Church on Highway 42 in Ellison Bay as parts of its annual February Fest.
Ehnes Trio on stage at Westminster United Church in Winnipeg
The Friday, February 4 concert will feature the return of the Ehnes Trio featuring violinist James Ehnes, cellist Robert DeMaine and pianist Andrew Armstrong. The Ehnes Trio was last heard in the February Fest series in 2008. The concert was such a success, that fans of the trio worked to raise the money necessary to bring them back to Door County for another event.
Grammy Award winning violinist James Ehnes has been a featured soloist during the August symphonic series on numerous occasions. Cellist Robert DeMaine made his debut with the Festival on August 5, 2010 and pianist Andrew Armstrong opened the Festival season in August 2006. Mr. Armstrong was also featured in a recital as part of February Fest 2008.
The program for this concert will feature Maurice Ravel’s Trio in A Minor and Tchaikovsky’s Trio for Piano, Violin and Cello in A Minor, Op. 50. The 7 pm concert is $40 per person general admission seating with a post concert party at Brew Coffee House, a few minutes away in Ellison Bay immediately following the concert. The post concert party will include hot hors d’oeuvres as well as red and white wine. The cost for the concert with the post concert party is $75.
On Sunday, February 13 at 3 pm a Brahms and Schumann Soiree will be presented with PMF musicians David Bell on Clarinet and Judith Jackson on piano. Samantha George will narrate. General admission seating is available for this concert at $30 with a brief reception immediately following the concert.
“In addition to amazing music, this concert will give our audience a chance to get to know these wonderful artists,” explains PMF Executive Director Sharon Grutzmacher. “They are fun people and I am so grateful to everyone who donated money to bring this trio back to Door County.”
The 2011 February Fest will continue on Sunday, February 13 at Shepherd of the Bay with a concert entitled Brahms & Schumann Soiree. This 3 pm concert will recreate a house concert that took place on November 13, 1894 at the home of Clara Schumann. The concert featured two Brahms Clarinet Sonatas (op. 120), performed by the composer and virtuoso clarinetist Richard Muhlfed. Clara and Muhlfeld also performed Robert Schumann’s Fantasy Pieces, op. 73. The Peninsula Music Festival February Fest concert will feature the music from that historic evening performed my Festival musicians David Bell on clarinet and Judith Jackson on piano. Interspersed throughout the music will be narration provided by Samantha George that will bring the evening to life by providing details on the music and the events of that evening.
General admission seating for this concert is $30 per person and includes a brief reception after the concert with the musicians.
The Peninsula Music Festival presents the February Fest each year to bridge the gap from August to August and to bring back members of the orchestra and favorite guest artists in an intimate setting. In addition to the February Fest, the Festival presents nine different symphonic concerts in three weeks each August. For details on all of the programs presented by the Peninsula Music Festival, visit the Festival’s website at www.musicfestival.com . Tickets can be ordered on line or by calling 920-854-4060 or stop in the Festival office at 3045 Cedar Street in Ephraim.
