Music in the Mountains in 2016 could be a story about numbers: 30 seasons, more than 50 events, 60 conservatory students, four conductors, 12 venues, five new acts, five returning favorites, one trio, one quartet and one quintet.
Or it could be a story about world premieres, unique programming and musicians who become like family.
Combining all of that and then some, here’s what’s new, the “do-not-miss,” and what music lovers on a tight budget can enjoy during the three-week festival:
“I’m always excited about having new people here,” festival Artistic Director Gregory Hustis said, “and we have new faculty in the Conservatory (Music in the Mountains) this year, too. I enjoy that with the audience, the same way I enjoy the comfort of seeing old friends.”
Among the new faces on stage will be award-winning violinist Jinjoo Cho, coming to Durango (July 15) fresh off her debut at Carnegie Hall Stern Auditorium in June. Pianist Stephen Prutsman (July 23) has won gold medals and awards in major competitions, including the Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition. Trio Harpeth Rising, which kicks off the festival Friday, blends folk, new grass, rock and classical, while quintet Sybarite5 (July 11, 12, 13) will “satisfy your love of Mozart and your inner rock star,” according to Music in the Mountains.Last year, the family concert moved from midday in a park to the evening and in the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College. It was free, although people needed to pick up tickets in advance. “I had to turn people away who came in before the concert because we’d given all the tickets away,” festival Executive Director Angie Beach said. “Then I looked around the hall and there were empty seats because people didn’t come.”So this year, there’s a charge of $5 per ticket, which includes a Schlotzky’s picnic and root beer floats. Kids will also receive an activity book with whodunit puzzles to solve because “The Composer is Dead” (July 25) is the theme of the concert.
The festival is shaking up the schedule a bit. The first Festival Orchestra concert (July 15) will be on a Friday night instead of Saturday afternoon. And Pops Night (July 22), featuring Steve Lippia in his return with an homage to all things Sinatra, moves to Friday after being held on Wednesdays since the fundraiser began. Organizers said it was hard for working people to have such a late night in the middle of the week.In the off-season, also known as the other 11 months of the year, two festival directors are starting new gigs. Music Director and Conductor Guillermo Figueroa has been named music director of the Santa Fe Symphony, and Matt Albert, artistic director of Conservatory Music in the Mountains, will begin his job as director of the new Chamber Music Program at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor in September.
The festival is shaking up the schedule a bit. The first Festival Orchestra concert (July 15) will be on a Friday night instead of Saturday afternoon. And Pops Night (July 22), featuring Steve Lippia in his return with an homage to all things Sinatra, moves to Friday after being held on Wednesdays since the fundraiser began. Organizers said it was hard for working people to have such a late night in the middle of the week.In the off-season, also known as the other 11 months of the year, two festival directors are starting new gigs. Music Director and Conductor Guillermo Figueroa has been named music director of the Santa Fe Symphony, and Matt Albert, artistic director of Conservatory Music in the Mountains, will begin his job as director of the new Chamber Music Program at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor in September.“Parents looking for good concerts for families should go to the very first one (July 15) and the very last one (July 31),” Music Director Figueroa said. “There are no long symphonies, they’re all incredibly well-known crowd-pleasers, magnificent, but good for kids with short attention spans.” Among the pieces on those programs are the “1812 Overture,” “Fanfare for the Common Man” and the “William Tell Overture.”The festival blasts off the planet with “Space Spectacular,” conducted by Carl Topilow and illustrated with photos from NASA (July 30).The Party in the Park (July 16), a collaboration with KSUT-FM public radio, will be an all-day affair with wide variety of music, starting with the Cézanne Quartet and including the Durango FUNK Allstars, the Southwest Civic Winds and Jarabe Mexicano, capped off with the Stooges New Orleans Brass Band.Transcendence (July 14), one of two concerts at St. Columba Catholic Church this year, seems to be one many people are looking forward to, albeit for different reasons. For Beach, the third outing of the Tailgate Party in Viles Park before the concert is shaping up to be the best yet.“I’m incredibly excited by the Richard Strauss’ ‘Metamorphosen,’” Figueroa said. “It will be 23 strings on one of the greatest pieces ever written. I’ll be playing first violin – I’ve always wanted to do it with such good players that I could just play and not conduct.”
The July 17 Time Travel presents not one but two fine soloists, Van Cliburn medalist Aviram Reichert on Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor; and violist Nicolò Eugelmi in the world premiere of Miguel del Aguila’s “Concierto en Tango” transcribed for viola.The most musicians on one stage award goes to Voices of Destiny (July 24) with the Durango Choral Society joining the Festival Orchestra on Bach’s “Magnificat.” The concert ends with a star turn by Vadim Gluzman on Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1.The festival had to reorganize its schedule to accommodate a return of Conductor Karina Canellakis, whose schedule is heating up since she won the 2016 Sir George Solti Conducting Award. In addition to Sibelius and Brahms, Canellakis will conduct the winner of the conservatory’s Concerto Competition.
The July 17 Time Travel presents not one but two fine soloists, Van Cliburn medalist Aviram Reichert on Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor; and violist Nicolò Eugelmi in the world premiere of Miguel del Aguila’s “Concierto en Tango” transcribed for viola.The most musicians on one stage award goes to Voices of Destiny (July 24) with the Durango Choral Society joining the Festival Orchestra on Bach’s “Magnificat.” The concert ends with a star turn by Vadim Gluzman on Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1.The festival had to reorganize its schedule to accommodate a return of Conductor Karina Canellakis, whose schedule is heating up since she won the 2016 Sir George Solti Conducting Award. In addition to Sibelius and Brahms, Canellakis will conduct the winner of the conservatory’s Concerto Competition.While everyone’s budget can’t stretch to cover the full festival, there’s no reason to miss the fun because a number of events are free:
Open rehearsals allow concertgoers to see how the performance comes together. This year, Durango Motor Co. is encouraging more people to take advantage of this behind-the-curtains look at an orchestra by providing free coffee and pastries at the rehearsals on July 15, 17, 23, 29 and 31.Fort Lewis College Professor Emerita Linda Mack will continue her popular pre-concert lectures one hour before all the Festival Orchestra performances except July 24, when she’ll be preparing with the choral society to go on stage. They’re held in the Durango Mountain Club behind Purgy’s at Purgatory Resort and at the Center of Southwest Studies for performances at the Community Concert Hall. You don’t have to be a musician or music student to enjoy master classes taught by some of the festival’s most talented orchestra members and soloists. Teachers this year include Grammy-winner Albert, Hustis, Reichert, Canellakis and oboist Erin Hannigan.
Conservatory Music in the Mountains offers several free student recitals and several pop-up concerts around town. This year, guest artists-in-residence the Cézanne Quartet will also perform at the Pine River Library in Bayfield on July 27.
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Conservatory Music in the Mountains offers several free student recitals and several pop-up concerts around town. This year, guest artists-in-residence the Cézanne Quartet will also perform at the Pine River Library in Bayfield on July 27.
Music in the Mountains Sched (PDF)
If you go
Tickets and a complete schedule are available by calling the Music in the Mountains office at 385-6820, visiting the office at 1063 Main Ave., or going online to www.musicinthemountains.com.
A Music in the Mountains Overture
1987:
Festival launches with five performances and 11 musicians.
1988:
Free annual concert for children and families begins with performance of “Peter and the Wolf.”
1992:
Orchestra includes more than 40 musicians from five orchestras in the Southwest.
1997:
Chamber music concerts are added to the schedule.
1998:
Conservatory program starts.
2000:
Music in the Mountains Goes to School is founded. by 2016, it reaches more than 4,000 students annually.
2002:
The festival presents a record 22 concerts and expands to Pagosa Springs.
2006:
20th anniversary season features a performance at Mesa Verde National Park.
2007:
Founding Music Director Mischa Semanitzky conducts his final season.
2008:
Music Director Guillermo Figueroa and Artistic Director Greg Hustis take over leadership of the festival.
2011:
25th anniversary season includes more than 250 performers in 35 concerts.
2015:
Matt Albert appointed director of Conservatory Music in the Mountains.
2016:
30th season features more than 50 events and more than 80 musicians. Flutist Jean Larson Garver is the only musician who has performed all 30 seasons.
