Featuring Benjamin Hochman and the Girsky String Quartet

Ned Rorem (1923-2022)

String Quartet No. 4 (1994)

I. Ugly and relentless

II. Infinitely tender

III. Very fast

IV. Absolutely strict

V. Wistful

VI. Massive

VII. Very Fast

VIII. Cold and hot

IX. Like the wind

X. Infinitely tender

Intermission

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Quintet for Piano and Strings in F minor, Op. 34

I. Allegro non troppo

II. Andante, un poco adagio

III. Scherzo: Allegro

IV. Finale: Poco sostenuto – Allegro non troppo – Presto, non troppo

Artists: Girsky String Quartet; Natasha Bazhanov, violin; Timothy Christie, viola; Artur Girsky, violin; Rowena Hammill, cello; Benjamin Hochman, piano

Featuring the Girsky String Quartet and images by Pablo Picasso

The Arts, capital ‘A.’ In our line of work, we refer to this broad category early and often. If a STEM curriculum is good, a STEAM one is better (this is a fact!). But chamber music itself occupies a rather specific corner of the Arts. We favor small rooms, small combinations of instruments, and perhaps go so far to consider our music ‘absolute,’ i.e., having no specific meaning other than sound itself. The listener can make of it what they will. Performers, too.

But what happens when chamber music emerges from its corner into the Arts more broadly. The 4th String Quartet of American composer Ned Rorem presents a fascinating opportunity to explore whether or not a piece of chamber music is necessarily absolute. Initially, Rorem based each of the 10 movements of this quartet on a different work by Picasso, and gave each movement the title of the painting or drawing that inspired it. Within a few years of the premiere, however, Rorem became dissatisfied with the idea of his music being perceived as representational, and he removed the titles from the movements. The third movement, originally titled Acrobat on a Ball, became ‘III: Very fast’— English for ‘III: Allegro molto,’ a tempo indication common to canonical classical works, at once specific and vague, therefore versatile, and ultimately “meaningless.”

What to do. Honor the original intention, and include the Picasso titles? Or honor the later revision and suppress them? Because you deserve a full festival experience we’ll do both. And we’ll even show the Picasso drawings and paintings at the center of all the fuss. We’ll have you guessing “was that the Minotaur or the Basket of Flowers? The Head of a Boy or the Death of a Harlequin?” Or was it simply, Very fast? The answer to all of these questions is unequivocally, ‘Yes!’ Helping us engage all your senses is The Walls Winery, whose selection of wines will make sure your senses of taste and smell don’t feel left out.

Ned Rorem (1923-2022)

String Quartet No. 4 (1994)

I. Minotaur

II. Child Holding a Dove

III. Acrobat on a Ball

IV. Still Life

V. Seated Harlequin

VI. Head of a Boy

VII. Basket of Flowers

VIII. Self Portrait

IX. Three Nudes

X. Death of a Harlequin

Artists: Girsky String Quartet — Natasha Bazhanov, violin; Timothy Christie, viola & moderator; Artur Girsky, violin; Rowena Hammill, cello

Tonight’s performance has been made possible by the generosity of Dick and Julie Swenson.

Late Beethoven evokes strong feelings among musicians, first and foremost, that of reverence. To the string player, the quartets leap to mind (Op. 127, 130, 131, 132, 133, 135), Beethoven’s final works of any kind. To the orchestral musician or vocalist (or multitude of New Year’s Eve revelers) the 9th Symphony, Op. 125, and Missa Solemnis, Op. 123 dominate (as does the overture Consecration of the House, Op. 124 among the enlightened). But what of practitioners of Beethoven’s primary instrument, the pianoforte? Pianists look to the final five of 32 solo sonatas (Op. 101, 106, 109, 110 & 111), Bagatelles numbering 17 in all (Op. 119, 126), and the massive “Diabelli” Variations, Op. 120, each an expressive universe unto itself.

All of these late works, whether massive or miniature — and without exception — share a common thread. Each manages the feat of looking backward, forward, inward and outward simultaneously. There are public declarations of private sentiments, private rebuttals of commonly held truths, and ultimately, an attempt to touch, hold and comprehend the infinite. In his final creative period, Beethoven offers a musical theory of everything.

Tonight, we encounter Late Beethoven (capital ‘L’) in the form of his Sonata No. 30 in E, Op. 109. The music does not confound as it does in the preceding Große Sonate für das Hammerklavier, Op. 106, a 45-minute beast that stretches the very instrument let alone the player to technical and musical extremes. It is music of a more slender proportion, and is therefore perhaps more inclusive, an invitation to participate in the final journey of Beethoven’s musical life.

Seizing upon the idea of music that looks back as it looks ahead, pianist Benjamin Hochman, making his WWCMF debut, has conceived a program that frames Beethoven’s Op. 109 with music both ancient and modern.

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Sonata for Piano, No. 30 in E major, Op. 109

I. Vivace ma non troppo, sempre legato - Adagio espressivo

II. Prestissimo

III. Gesangvoll, mit innigster Empfindung. Andante molto cantabile ed espressivo

Additional works to be announced from the stage.

Artists: Benjamin Hochman, piano; Timothy Christie, moderator

Violinist Artur Girsky has led a fascinating life. It started in Riga, Latvia, in those days an SSR of the USSR (long since proudly restored to independence). He continued to Moscow where he trained at the renowned conservatory. Soon, Artur was a part of the Moscow Soloists, traveling Europe with leader and violist, Yuri Bashmet. On tour, Artur’s taste for adventure kicked in and he circuitously wound up in the USA, unbeknownst to the Moscow Soloists. Stints in New York, New Jersey and Florida followed. Eventually, he found his forever home with fellow violinist and WWCMF regular, Natasha Bazhanov, in Seattle, where both are members of the Seattle Symphony and the Girsky String Quartet. (ahem… about that name.)

Artur’s sense of adventure hasn’t waned in the least. And who knows, with a ravenous affinity for certain local brisket tacos, a “defection” to Walla Walla wouldn’t necessarily be a surprise. You’ll get to know Artur, find out where to get those tacos, and hear works by Arvo Pärt, Alfred Schnittke and JS Bach. Pianist Benjamin Hochman joins Artur for this special program. All works will be announced from the stage.

Artists: Artur Girsky, violin; Benjamin Hochman, piano; Timothy Christie, moderator

This event has been made possible by the generosity of David Meeker in memory of Dallas Eugene Meeker.

Alexandre Tansman (1897-1986)

Deux Mouvements

for cello quartet

I. Adagio cantabile

II. Allegro molto risoluto

Richard Wagner (1813-1883)

Feierliches Stück from “Lohengrin”

for cello quartet, arr. Friedrich Grützmacher (1832-1903)

J. S. Bach (1685-1750)

Partita No. 2 in D minor for solo violin (BWV. 1004)

for cello duo, arr. Requiro/Weiss

V. Chaconne

Intermission

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Piano Quartet in G minor, Op. 25

I. Allegro

II. Intermezzo. Allegro ma non troppo — Trio. Animato

III. Andante con moto

IV. Rondo all Zingarese. Presto

Artists: Timothy Christie, viola; Norbert Lewandowski, cello; David Requiro, cello; Ronaldo Rolim, cello; David Sabee, cello; Maria Sampen, violin; Meta Weiss, cello

This event has been made possible by the generosity of Elizabeth Carr in memory of Rosalie Chantiny, chamber music mentor.

Cellist David Requiro has played at WWCMF for many years. He gave a Portrait of an Artist recital back in the days before the Walla Walla Piano Group provided a beautiful Steinway and the means to transport it around the valley.

In fact, a lot of things were different last time David played on the PoA series. He wasn’t married then, for example. He wasn’t a dad. Therefore, we are overdue for a check-in. We will find out what new musical revelations have shaped this, his middle period.

One thing is for sure. When David plays, it will a be heel-stomping good time. WWCMF Founder and Artistic Director Timothy Christie moderates the conversation.

Artists: Timothy Christie, moderator; David Requiro, cello; Ronaldo Rolim, piano

This event has been made possible by the generosity of John Sampen & Marilyn Shrude.

A WWCMF first, tonight’s event explores heavy metal music. The string quartet Seven)Suns provides the perfect introduction if you’re new to the genre, or the perfect fix if you are already a disciple. Much of the harmonic language of heavy metal is informed by baroque music, as are the florid individually virtuosic instrumental lines.

An example of early heavy metal, for example, is the harpsichord cadenza from Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5. It is, for lack of a better word, extreme. And that is what is at the core— the hardcore as it were— of heavy metal music. Enjoy wines by appropriately named House of Bones.

Artists: Seven)Suns: Jennifer DeVore, cello; Fung Chern Hwei, viola; Adda Kridler, violin; Earl Maneein, violin

This event has been made possible by the generosity of Brad Anderson & Kay Mead.

When the four members of Seven)Suns play together, they explore dystopian music rooted in the language of avant-metal and hardcore. You’ll find out what that means on Thursday, June 22. But what happens when you take the quartet apart and hear each musician individually? Metal or Mendelssohn? Hardcore or Handel? Dystopia or Debussy? Each musician brings a unique perspective, and hopefully rejects the concept of alliteration.

The members of Seven)Suns, Jennifer DeVore, Fung Chern Hwei, Adda Kridler, and Earl Maneein are joined by pianist Ronaldo Rolim for this recital. WWCMF Founder & Artistic Director Timothy Christie moderates.

Artists: Jennifer DeVore, cello; Fung Chern Hwei, viola; Adda Kridler, violin; Earl Maneein, violin; Ronaldo Rolim, piano

This event has been made possible by the generosity of Kris & Tim Barry.

Eric Ewazen (b. 1954)

Trio in E Flat for Trumpet, Violin and Piano (1992)

I. Andante

II. Allegro Molto

III. Adagio

IV. Allegro Molto

Intermission

Ernő Dohnányi (1877-1960)

Serenade in C (1902)

for string trio

I. Marcia (Allegro)

II. Romanza (Adagio non troppo)

III. Scherzo (Vivace)

IV. Tema con variazioni (Andante con moto)

V. Rondo

Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921)

Septet for Trumpet, Strings and Piano (Op. 65)

I. Préambule

II. Menuet

III. Intermède

IV. Gavotte et Final

Artists: Timothy Christie, viola; Tom Hicks, piano; Billy Ray Hunter, trumpet; Norbert Lewandowski, cello; Christina McGann, violin; Philip Payton, violin; Joshua Skinner, double bass

This event has been made possible by the generosity of Cecile & Rick Ervin.

There is such a thing as the perfect chamber ensemble. It is balanced, unified in expression and awash in a vast array of musical colors. The string quartet? No siree! I am talking about the saxophone quartet. Only once before has the saxophone quartet made an appearance on the WWCMF stage. This is by design, an effort to mitigate jealousy among the practitioners of all the other instruments. But we must from time to time open the Pulp Fiction briefcase and gaze at the beauty within.

masso, the Chicago-based saxophone quartet, make their WWCMF debut as the 2nd annual Emerging Artist Quartet Fellows. During their residency in Walla Walla, masso has been hard at work presenting community outreach performances in English and Spanish around the Walla Walla Valley.

Their work in the community during the festival has been made possible by a generous grant from the Wildhorse Foundation.

Artists: masso: Sam Alvarez, tenor saxophone; Isaac Boone, baritone saxophone; Kurt Cox, soprano saxophone; Ila Gupta, alto saxophone

This event has been made possible by the generosity of Margo & Tom Scribner.

Christina McGann first visited Walla Walla in 2008, violin in hand. She recruited board members to WWCMF just by practicing with the window open. The sound of Bartok and Tchaikovsky floating out over Palouse and Catherine Streets was both an invitation and a call to action.

Christina returns to WWCMF this season with not just her violin, but also her viola. Her recruiting efforts are going into overdrive. Who can resist the siren song of a viola played well? Christina is joined by Whitman College Visiting Assistant Professor of Music and Piano Tom Hicks, making his WWCMF debut.

WWCMF Founder & Artistic Director Timothy Christie moderates the conversation. Music by Schubert, Vieuxtemps and Wieniawski.

Artists: Timothy Christie, moderator; Tom Hicks, piano; Christina McGann, violin/viola

Collage has been made possible by the generosity of Darcie Furlan.

It takes two to tango goes the expression. But that’s a minimum, right? We have many more than two, and tango we will. There will be other dances, too, unfolding in the continuous do-si-do we call Collage. Collage is a style of programming and performing where there are no breaks between selections— the end of one piece is the beginning of the next. What’s more, there is not one stage, but many stages. In front of, to the side, behind, above, and even among the audience. And the music itself comes from many different eras and styles. It is a pageant celebrating the depth, wit and fearlessness of the WWCMF roster of artists.

The grounds of the Inn at Abeja open at 5:30 PM. Abeja’s chef Jake Crenshaw has prepared a menu of wood-fired pizzas, salads and other delicious bites to pair with Abeja’s exquisite wines. Food will be available by prior reservation. Tickets to the performance do not include food or wine.

Grounds open at 5:30 pm.

Artists: Timothy Christie, viola; Rowena Hammill, cello; Billy Ray Hunter, trumpet; Norbert Lewandowski, cello; Christina McGann, violin; Stephen Miahky, violin; Philip Payton, violin; Thomas Rosenkranz, piano

Pacific MusicWorks: Tekla Cunningham, baroque violin; Henry Lebedinsky, harpsichord; Adaiha MacAdam-Somer, viola da gamba/baroque cello

Lighting Design & Engineering: Patty Mathieu; Kurt Walls

Collage has been made possible by the generosity of Darcie Furlan.

It takes two to tango goes the expression. But that’s a minimum, right? We have many more than two, and tango we will. There will be other dances, too, unfolding in the continuous do-si-do we call Collage. Collage is a style of programming and performing where there are no breaks between selections— the end of one piece is the beginning of the next. What’s more, there is not one stage, but many stages. In front of, to the side, behind, above, and even among the audience. And the music itself comes from many different eras and styles. It is a pageant celebrating the depth, wit and fearlessness of the WWCMF roster of artists.

The grounds of the Inn at Abeja open at 5:30 PM. Abeja’s chef Jake Crenshaw has prepared a menu of wood-fired pizzas, salads and other delicious bites to pair with Abeja’s exquisite wines. Food will be available by prior reservation. Tickets to the performance do not include food or wine.

Grounds open at 5:30 pm.

Artists: Timothy Christie, viola; Rowena Hammill, cello; Billy Ray Hunter, trumpet; Norbert Lewandowski, cello; Christina McGann, violin; Stephen Miahky, violin; Philip Payton, violin; Thomas Rosenkranz, piano

Pacific MusicWorks: Tekla Cunningham, baroque violin; Henry Lebedinsky, harpsichord; Adaiha MacAdam-Somer, viola da gamba/baroque cello

Lighting Design & Engineering: Patty Mathieu; Kurt Walls

This event is made possible by the generosity of John Jamison & Kathy Wildermuth.

Please note the venue has changed to Yellowhawk Resort.

WWCMF visits the Yellowhawk Resort for an evening of baroque music performed on period instruments by Pacific MusicWorks (Tekla Cunningham, baroque violin; Henry Lebedinsky, harpsichord; Adaiha MacAdam-Somer, viola da gamba/baroque cello).

Johann Georg Pisendel (1688-1755)

Sonata in E minor for violin and continuo

I. Largo

II. Moderato

III. Scherzando

Georg Böhm (1661-1773)

Suite for harpsichord

I. Allemande

II. Courante

III. Sarabande

IV. Gigue

François Couperin (1668-1733)

Troisième Concert Royaux in A major

I. Prélude

II. Allemande

III. Courante

IV. Sarabande

V. Gavotte

VI. Muzette

VII. Chaconne

Georg P. Telemann (1681-1767)

Fantasia for solo violin in E flat major, TWV 40:20   

I. Dolce

II. Allegro

III. Largo

IV. Presto

J.S. Bach (1685-1750)

Sonata in A major sonata for violin and obbligato harpsichord, BWV 1015

I. [Andante]

II. Allegro

III. Andante un poco

IV. Presto

Artists: Pacific MusicWorks: Tekla Cunningham, baroque violin; Henry Lebedinsky, harpsichord; Adaiha MacAdam-Somer, viola da gamba/baroque cello

This event is made possible by the generosity of Susan Monahan & Mark Brucks.

Anton Arensky (1861-1906)

String Quartet No. 2 in A minor (1894)

I. Moderato

II. Variations sur un thême de P. Tschaikowsky. Moderato

III. Finale. Andante sostenuto

Intermission

Florence Price (1887-1953)

Piano Quintet in A minor

I. Allegro moderato

II. Andante con moto

III. Juba: Allegro

IV. Scherzo: Allegro

Artists: Timothy Christie, viola; Rowena Hammill, cello; Norbert Lewandowski, cello; Christina McGann, violin; Stephen Miahky, violin; Thomas Rosenkranz, piano; Maria Sampen, violin

This event is made possible by the generosity of Iain & Stephanida Christie.

The greats don’t ask permission. Sure, a string quartet has and will always have two violins, a viola and a cello— it’s the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup of chamber groups, perfectly balanced. But when the musical idea is clearly formed, the great artist breaks rules with abandon. Hence, Anton Arensky, protégé of Tchaikovsky, decided to turn the string quartet upside down using the formation of one violin, one viola and two cellos. Yup, dark chocolate. (To spend a moment longer with this analogy, viola is therefore the peanut butter, which feels right.)

The Quartet in A minor is a tribute to Tchaikovsky, composed in memoriam. Russian Orthodox plainchant informs the sound world, the richness of two cellos providing gravitas. However, there are fireworks galore, and ultimately this work is more an uplifting celebration of life rather than a lamentation of life lost.

Anton Arensky (1861-1906)

String Quartet No. 2 in A minor (1894)

I. Moderato

II. Variations sur un thême de P. Tschaikowsky. Moderato

III. Finale. Andante sostenuto

Artists: Timothy Christie, viola; Rowena Hammill, cello; Norbert Lewandowski, cello; Stephen Miahky, violin

This event is made possible by the generosity of Michael Haight & Cathy Lee-Haight.

Cellist Rowena Hammill enjoys a varied career between Southern California and the Pacific Northwest. A year-round resident of Vashon Island, WA, naturally Rowena is Assistant Principal Cello of LA Opera.

She is an avid horseback rider, teaches cello at Pacific Lutheran University in Parkland, WA, and has appeared at WWCMF numerous times as cellist of the Girsky Quartet.

Just to put a finer point on the sheer variety of her life in music, Rowena coached actress Michelle Pfeiffer on how to play cello for her role as Claire Spencer in the film What Lies Beneath. With that title as directive, WWCMF Founder & Artistic Director Timothy Christie will ask the probing questions.

Artists: Timothy Christie, moderator; Rowena Hammill, cello; Thomas Rosenkranz, piano

This event is made possible by the generosity of Mike & Sue Gillespie.

Jessie Montgomery (b. 1981)

Duo for Violin and Cello (2015)

I. Meandering

II. Dirge

III. Presto

Bohuslav Martinů (1890-1959)

Variations on a Slovakian Theme, H. 378 (1959)

for cello and piano

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

Sonata in G minor for Violin and Piano (1917)

I. Allegro vivo

II. Intermède: fantasque et léger

III. Finale: très animé

Intermission

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Piano Trio No. 2 in C, Op. 87

I. Allegro

II. Andante con moto

III. Scherzo. Presto — Poco meno presto

IV. Finale. Allegro giocoso

Artists: Timothy Christie, violin; Norbert Lewandowski, cello; Volta Piano Trio: Jennifer Caine Provine, violin; Oksana Ejokina, piano; Sally Singer Tuttle, cello

This event is made possible by the generosity of Jim & Jo Ann Clapp.

When Brahms composed his Piano Trio No. 1 in B (Op. 8) in 1854, he was a clean-shaven, dashing young Romantic of 21. He completed his Piano Trio No. 2 in C (Op. 87) in 1882 sporting a 10” beard and a certain gravitas, aged 49. The two trios are a half-step and a world apart. B major’s key signature has 5 sharps. C major’s has 0 sharps (or flats). B major uses all of the black keys on a piano, C major only the white ones. One can infer, therefore, an inverse relationship between beard length and number of black piano keys used. What a difference a half-step makes. Like a good story, only some of this is true. Join the Volta Piano Trio and WWCMF Founder & Artistic Director Timothy Christie to separate fact from fiction, good information from bad, and discover the treasures within this extraordinary work by Brahms.

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

Piano Trio No. 2 in C, Op. 87

I. Allegro

II. Andante con moto

III. Scherzo. Presto — Poco meno presto

IV. Finale. Allegro giocoso

Artists: Volta Piano Trio: Jennifer Caine Provine, violin; Oksana Ejokina, piano; Sally Singer Tuttle, cello; Timothy Christie, moderator

This event is made possible by the generosity of Jim Johnson.

Violinist Jennifer Caine Provine performed in the inaugural season of WWCMF back in 2008 (and many times since). Fully 15 years later she now makes her PoA debut! Jennifer is violinist of the Volta Piano Trio (formerly Icicle Creek Piano Trio) and Associate Concertmaster of the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra. Add to that degrees in Slavic Languages and Literature from Harvard and Oxford Universities, and you begin to get the sense we have an iceberg on our hands.

WWCMF Founder & Artistic Director Timothy Christie, more of an Ice-Burg kind of guy, will join pianist Oksana Ejokina for an entertaining deep dive into what makes Jennifer tick, the mountain below the waterline.

Artists: Jennifer Caine Provine, violin; Timothy Christie, moderator; Oksana Ejokina, piano

Richard Strauss (1864-1949)

String Sextet, Op. 85, TrV 279a, From Capriccio (1941)

Andante con moto

Jessie Montgomery (b. 1980)

Voodoo Dolls (2008)

for String Quartet

Jessie Montgomery (b. 1980)

Strum (2006)

for String Quartet

Carlos Simon (b. 1986)

Loop (2021)

for String Trio

— Intermission —

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

Piano Trio in C minor, Op. 66 (1845)

I. Allegro energico e con fuoco

II. Andante espressivo

III. Scherzo: Molto allegro quasi presto

IV. Finale: Allegro appassionato

Artists: Timothy Christie, viola; Puget Sound Piano Trio: Alistair MacRae, cello; Ronaldo Rolim, piano; Maria Sampen, violin; Vital Quartet: William Frampton, viola; Alberto Parrini, cello; Philip Payton, violin; Orlando Wells, violin

Like many arts organizations, WWCMF moved its programming online during the worst of the pandemic. But we didn’t want “musicians in boxes.” Instead, WWCMF opted for a different strategy. We shipped lights and cameras to the action, capturing performances by WWCMF chamber ensembles in eight different locations around the United States. For the second of these eight performances, Vital Quartet gathered in a vintage clothing shop across the Hudson River from Manhattan. They donned masks, and showed up at the shuttered store with their instruments and a beat-up box containing lights and a couple cameras. They played for the vintage boots and handbags in the room, but also for an audience a couple of thousand miles to the west. All the theaters in New York remained closed, but chamber music, for one night, was alive and well. And so the WWCMF audience was introduced to these musicians, and to the extraordinary music of their core repertoire.

Tonight, Vital Quartet makes its Walla Walla debut, surrounded not by lights, cameras and vintage clothes, but by you, me and vintage wines from the Walls Winery. Welcome to Walla Walla, Vital Quartet! Featuring music by William Grant Still, Trevor Weston, Florence Price and Jesse Montgomery.

Artists: Vital Quartet: William Frampton, viola; Alberto Parrini, cello; Philip Payton, violin; Orlando Wells, violin

It’s Friday the 13th. And you’ll feel it in the roiling, anxiety-ridden opening bars of this extraordinary work by Felix Mendelssohn at the height of his powers. But you’ll be reassured and uplifted by the song without words, duet really, of the second movement; tickled by the impishly scurrying third; and ultimately transformed by the triumphant Finale. WWCMF Founder and Artistic Director leads an exploration of the music along with the Puget Sound Piano Trio, making their long overdue Walla Walla debut.

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

Piano Trio in C minor, Op. 66 (1845)

I. Allegro energico e con fuoco

II. Andante espressivo

III. Scherzo: Molto allegro quasi presto

IV. Finale: Allegro appassionato

Artists: Timothy Christie, moderator; Puget Sound Piano Trio: Alistair MacRae, cello; Ronaldo Rolim, piano; Maria Sampen, violin

New York is the City That Never Sleeps. As it says in the old Sinatra song, “If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere.” Violinist and violist Orlando Wells has done the former. He’s made it in New York as a member of the Harlem Chamber Players, in recordings and performances with the likes of Harry Connick Jr., as concertmaster for Broadway shows, and as violist of the acclaimed Sweet Plantain Quartet.

And tonight, Orlando does the latter. “Anywhere” is Foundry Vineyards in Walla Walla, Washington. And he’ll make it in works for violin and piano, joined by Brazilian pianist Ronaldo Rolim. This brings to mind the lyric to another Sinatra song: “They put coffee in the coffee in Brazil.” If we did that in Walla Walla, we’d never sleep, which would make us a lot like New York. So instead, we put wine in the wine, and that makes us the City That Gets A Solid Eight Hours. Welcome, Orlando! And good luck to WWCMF Founder & Artistic Director Timothy Christie, who negotiates the anagrammatic names Orlando and Ronaldo while moderating the conversation.

All works will be announced from the stage.

Artists: Timothy Christie, moderator; Ronaldo Rolim, piano; Orlando Wells, violin

In 1964 Ernest Hemingway published A Moveable Feast, a memoire of his time in Paris in the 1920s. This is the Paris of Picasso, Josephine Baker, and the carefree hedonism of the Jazz Age. What would it be like to be there? Well, there would be wine. There would be extraordinary cuisine. And there would be music.

The Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival (WWCMF) and Valdemar Estates present an evening of sumptuous food, wine, and music that will transport you to the twinkling lights of Montmartre, ca 1926. The evening will feature the culinary creations of Chef Juan Adames, wines curated by Valdemar Estates, and chamber music by WWCMF. 

The Girsky String Quartet will perform music by Aaron Copland, Ned Rorem, Joaquin Turina, Maurice Ravel, and Eric Satie.

Artists: The Girsky String Quartet — Natasha Bazhanov, violin; Timothy Christie, viola; Artur Girsky, violin; Rowena Hammill, cello

Dimitri Shostakovich (1906-1975)

PIANO TRIO IN E MINOR, OP. 67 (1944)

I. Andante — Moderato

II. Allegro con brio

III. Largo

IV. Allegretto — Adagio

— Intermission —

Erich Wolfgang Korngold (1897-1957)

STRING SEXTET, OP. 10 (1916)

for 2 violins, 2 violas & 2 cellos

I. Moderato - Allegro

II. Adagio. Langsam

III. Intermezzo. In gemäßigtem Zeitmaß, mit Grazie

IV. Finale. So rasch als möglich (Presto). Mit Feuer und Humor.

Artists: Timothy Christie, viola; Linda Kline, Viola; Norbert Lewandowski, cello; Stephen Miahky, violin; David Requiro, cello; Ronaldo Rolim, piano; Maria Sampen, violin; Meta Weiss, cello

Academy Award-winning composer Erich Wolfgang Korngold never set out to win an Oscar (actually, he won two and was nominated for two more besides). Far from it. If you asked him, he would tell you that he was mainly a composer of opera. However, Austria in the 1930s proved inhospitable to its Jewish population, and Korngold emigrated to the United States, specifically Hollywood, CA. Korngold would go on to score some 16 feature films, elevating the work of actors from Errol Flynn to a young Ronald Reagan.

The Sextet heard tonight is from Korngold’s formative years as a prodigy in Vienna, Austria. This work, composed at the ripe age of 19, marks the ascent of a great artist. Hailed as a genius by Gustav Mahler and supported by leading artists throughout Europe, Korngold could never have guessed his path would lead him away from the world’s musical capital and onto the silver screen.

Tasting Music 4; Scene 1; Take 1; Action!

Erich Wolfgang Korngold (1897-1957)

STRING SEXTET, OP. 10 (1916)

for 2 violins, 2 violas & 2 cellos

I. Moderato - Allegro

II. Adagio. Langsam

III. Intermezzo. In gemäßigtem Zeitmaß, mit Grazie

IV. Finale. So rasch als möglich (Presto). Mit Feuer und Humor.

Artists: Timothy Christie, viola; Linda Kline, Viola; Stephen Miahky, violin; David Requiro, cello; Maria Sampen, violin; Meta Weiss, cello

Pianist Ronaldo Rolim makes his WWWCMF debut in this Portrait of an Artist recital. Born and raised in Brazil, Ronaldo came to the United States at 18 to pursue musical studies, first at Oakland University (Michigan), then at the Peabody Conservatory and Yale University. Performances in some of the world’s musical temples followed— Carnegie Hall, Zurich’s Tonhalle, Wigmore Hall (London), and the Franz Liszt Academy (Budapest). The next natural and logical step in the progression, as with so many emerging artists, is the tasting room of Forgeron Cellars in Walla Walla, Washington.

As of 2022, Ronaldo will make a habit of performing in the Pacific Northwest. He begins a new chapter as Professor of Piano at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA.

Welcome to Washington, Ronaldo! All selections will be announced from the stage.

Artists: Timothy Christie, moderator; Ronaldo Rolim, piano

WWCMF should be a resource to the entire Walla Walla community. As an organization, we need to do a better job making everyone in the community feel welcome and included. To improve on our efforts, WWCMF is proud to present the inaugural season of a new initiative called the Pilot Quartet Fellowship, featuring the magnificently talented Ivalas Quartet. Composed of violinists Reuben Kebede and Tiani Butts, violist Aimée McAnulty and cellist Pedro Sánchez, the Ivalas Quartet has been changing the face of classical music since its inception in 2016.

During their week-long residency in Walla Walla, the Ivalas have ranged far and wide in the community, performing for often marginalized groups, including the Spanish-speaking population. Tonight, we celebrate their extraordinary musicianship and commitment to building community through music with a program from the historic Plaza Theater in downtown Waitsburg. Pro Tip: Watch social media for information about pop-up performances in downtown Waitsburg before the big show — WWCMF musicians will be checking out some of the new restaurants and bars, and they’ll have their instruments with them… more to come.

All selections will be announced from the stage.

Artists: Ivalas Quartet — Tiani Butts, violin; Reuben Kebede, violin; Aimée McAnulty, viola; Pedro Sánchez, cello

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

TRIO IN A MINOR, OP. 114

for piano, clarinet and cello

I. Allegro

II. Adagio

III. Andantino grazioso

IV. Allegro

— Intermission —

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

BRANDENBURG CONCERTO NO. 6 IN B FLAT, BWV 1051

I. [Allegro]

II. Adagio, ma non tanto

III. Allegro

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875–1912)

FIVE NEGRO MELODIES FOR PIANO TRIO, OP. 59, NO. 1

I. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child

II. I Was Way Down A-Yonder

III. Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel?

IV. They Will Not Lend Me A Child

V. My Lord Delivered Daniel

Artists: Timothy Christie, viola; Norbert Lewandowski, cello; Philip Payton, violin; David Requiro, cello; Kevin Schempf, clarinet; Joshua Skinner, bass; Meta Weiss, cello; Xiaohui Yang, piano