Aug 18, 2008

6th Music@Menlo explores 'Unfolding of Music'

By Janet Duca Norton / Society Columnist

The Peninsula chamber music festival Music@Menlo can be described as a successful cultural startup for festival founders, acclaimed pianist Wu Han and cellist David Finckel. Music@Menlo's 6th season, titled "The Unfolding of Music II," augmented and embellished the theme of the inaugural season, which explored the chronological evolution of classical music.

The July 18 through Aug. 8 festival and institute presented four major concerts featuring 40 world-class musicians, free performances by chamber music's future stars, CafÇ Conversation discussions, and programs or encounters with musicologists, musicians and composers.

"I am thrilled with how the festival turned out," executive director Edward Sweeney said. "Patrons said 'You always take it to a higher level: How do you do that every year?' I'm proud of our achievement."

There were several festival firsts. This year marked the first time a piece was commissioned for the festival. The piano trio composed by Kenneth Frazelle made its world premiere at the season's final concert, "Music Now: Voices of Our Time."

"A commission is a landmark for any organization," Sweeney said. "I'm quoting Wu Han when she said, 'We're contributing to the music of the future, we're contributing to the art form.'"

The piece by Frazelle, a faculty member at North Carolina School of the Arts, will be available for purchase in November.

Another first was having four modern composers' compositions presented on the Menlo campus. Composers Frazelle, Jennifer Higdon and Gabriela Lena Frank made the festival a one-of-kind event, by participating in coaching sessions, encounters and master classes. Tan Dun, the fourth featured composer whose piece was the finale for the new works program, was in Beijing for the Olympics.

Presented on Aug. 3 at Menlo School's Stent Family Hall, "The Rise of Modernism" was a sold-out concert. The program featured "some of the early 20 century's leading innovators," beginning with Debussy's "Violin Sonata" (1917) and ending with Shostakovich's "Two Pieces for String Octet" (1925).

But the biggest crowd pleaser was Prokofiev's "Overture on Hebrew Themes." Concertgoers Carol and Mac McCorkle, Phoebe and Neil Olcott, Larry and Sue Spitters, Head of Menlo School Norm Colb and his wife Susan, Marjo Lachman, Georgia Hesse and Nin Lyon were part of the enthusiastic audience that brought the six musicians to the stage four times for bows, finally ending the concert with a standing ovation.

Hospitality has been a hallmark of the festival. Following the modernism concert, Rick DeGolia continued his tradition of hosting a post-concert dinner in his Atherton garden for festival supporters, musicians and music institute home hosts.

Loren Trefethen, of Trefethen Family Vineyards (the evening's wine sponsor), offered a toast to the festival along with party guests Paul and Marcia Ginsburg, Scott Hayes, Peter Glaser, Debbie Rosenberg, Jennifer DeGolia, Lisa Garrigues, Joan and Allan Fisch, Trine Sorensen, Kathy Henschel, Fran Eastman, Ed Goodstein and executive director Sweeney.

Among the musicians receiving congratulations were festival founders Han and Finckel, pianist Anna Polonsky, clarinetist Anthony McGill, violist Paul Neubauer, oboist Bill Bennett, cellist Andres Diaz, violinists Jorja Fleezanis and Ian Swensen, and baritone Robert Gardner and the Escher String Quartet.

Speaking about the institute's young musicians, who participate in coaching sessions and classes from world-class musicians, American Record Guide's Music in Concert editor Gil French said, "It's all about how it's put together - the music and the musicians. I don't know any other festival where the average person has access. (The) coaching sessions and master classes, they are all free. I can't think of a better place (for young musicians to learn.)"

Pre-concert recitals are free and feature young musicians; conservatory level students perform at Prelude Performances and younger students perform at the Koret Young Performers Concerts. An outreach program brings young performers to retirement communities. Last year the group played at Lytton Gardens in Palo Alto and this year 12 students presented a concert at the Oakwood Convent of the Sacred Heart in Atherton. The retirees at Oakwood were thrilled to see that chamber music has a bright future.

A trio of local students - violinist Ashvin Swaminathan of Cupertino, cellist Ila Shon of Portola Valley and Redwood City pianist Vien Nguyen - played Beethoven's Piano Trio in C minor, Opus 1, No. 3 for the Oakwood retirement community. Playing Mozart's Sonata for Violin and Piano in B flat major were violinist Stephen Waarts and pianist Michael Davidman.

"We could not be more thrilled about what a wonderful festival season we've enjoyed," said Finckel, about he and his wife Han's undertaking of the sixth Music@Menlo. "To present such a wide palette of masterpieces from the last five centuries of chamber music, for the Peninsula's community of music lovers, is a tremendous privilege in and of itself. To do it in the Music@Menlo environment - surrounded by so much enthusiasm, great artistry and deep generosity from our artists, institute musicians and the entire festival family - ranks among the greatest joys of our artistic career."

Janet Duca Norton's society column appears every Sunday in the Daily News. Send event information to 255 Constitution Dr., Menlo Park, CA 94025 or e-mail society@paloaltodailynews.com.