Tonight’s performance has been made possible by the generosity of Mark Brucks and Susan Monahan.

Robert Hutchinson (b. 1970)

PAS DE QUATRE (2010) FOR STRING QUARTET

Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival Commission

Dimitri Shostakovich (1906-1975)

TWO PIECES, OP. 11 FOR STRING OCTET

I. Prelude: Adagio

II. Scherzo: Allegro molto

INTERMISSION

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

CLARINET QUINTET IN A, K. 581

I. Allegro

II. Larghetto

III. Menuetto

IV. Allegretto con variazioni

Artists: Doyle Armbrust, viola; Timothy Christie, viola; Maeve Feinberg, violin; Norbert Lewandowski, cello; Clara Lyon, violin; Anna Maberry, Violin; Philip Payton, violin; Russel Rolen, cello; Maria Sampen, violin; Kevin Schempf, clarinet; and Spektral Quartet.

Tonight’s performance has been made possible by the generosity of Jim Johnson.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

CLARINET QUINTET IN A, K. 581

I. Allegro

II. Larghetto

III. Menuetto

IV. Allegretto con variazioni

Artists: Timothy Christie, viola; Norbert Lewandowski, cello; Philip Payton, violin; Maria Sampen, violin; and Kevin Schempf, clarinet.

Tonight’s performance has been made possible by the generosity of Steve and Dianna Woolley.

Spektral Quartet garnered a 2017 GRAMMY nomination for their recent album, Serious Business. Tonight’s Special Event at Rasa Vineyards assures you that they mean business!

Works will include, but are not limited to:

Augusta Read Thomas (b. 1964)

CHI (2017) FOR STRING QUARTET

I: CHI – vital life force

II: AURA – atmospheres, colors, vibrations

III: MERIDIANS – zeniths

IV: CHAKRAS – center of spiritual power in the body

Tomeka Reid (b. 1977)

PROSPECTIVE DWELLERS (2016) FOR STRING QUARTET

INTERMISSION

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)

STRING QUARTET IN F (1903)

I. Allegro moderato

II. Assez vif, très rythmé

III. Très lent

IV. Vif et agité

Artists: Spektral Quartet: Doyle Armbrust, viola; Mauve Feinberg, violin; Clara Lyon, violin; and Russell Rolen, cello.

Tonight’s event has been made possible by the generosity of a donor who wishes to remain anonymous.

Spektral Quartet actively pursues a vivid conversation between exhilarating works of the traditional canon and those written this decade, this year, or this week. Tonight, we will pursue a vivid conversation with each member of the quartet.

What’s it like working so closely with the same three colleagues every day? Any annoying habits we should know about? We’ll find out who thinks what about whom within the quartet while we delight in a program of various works for violin, viola and cello by Bach, Tartini, Mario Lavista and David Reminick. Will this be the end of Spektral Quartet?

No.

It is only the beginning…

Artists: Spektral Quartet: Doyle Armbrust, viola; Mauve Fein, violin; Clara Lyon, violin; and Russell Rolen, cello.

Tonight’s performance has been made possible by the generosity of Iain and Stephanida Christie. The Steinway grand piano has been generously provided by the Walla Walla Piano Group.

James Stephenson (b. 1969)

LAST CHANTS (2015) FOR PIANO, VIOLIN, VIOLA, CELLO AND CLARINET

Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival Commission

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

VIER ERNSTE GESÄNGE, OP. 121

arr. Barnaby Kerekes

I. Denn es gehet dem Menschen

II. Ich wandte mich und sahe an alle

III. O Tod, wie bitter bist du

IV. Wenn ich mit Menschen und mit Engelszungen redete

INTERMISSION

Joaquín Turina (1882-1949)

LA ORACIÓN DEL TORERO (1925) FOR STRING QUARTET

Bohuslav Martinů (1890-1959)

LA REVÛE DE CUISINE (1927)

Jazz Suite and Ballet for clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, violin, cello & piano

I. Prologue

II. Tango

III. Charleston

IV. Finale

Artists: Timothy Christie, viola; Billy Ray Hunter, trumpet; Peter Kolkay, bassoon; Norbert Lewandowski, cello; Anna Maberry, Violin; Philip Payton, violin; Maria Sampen, violin; Kevin Schempf, clarinet; Weston Sprott, trombone; and Anna Stoytcheva, piano.

Tonight’s performance has been made possible by the generosity of Sonia Schmitt.

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)

L’HISTOIRE DU SOLDAT (1918)

I. The soldier’s march

II. Soldier at the brook

III. Pastorale

IV. The royal march

V. The little concert

VI. Three dances: Tango, Waltz, Ragtime

VII. The devil’s dance

VIII. The little chorale

IX. The devil’s song

X. Grand chorale

XI. Triumphal march of the devil

Artists: Timothy Christie, narrator; Gunnar Folsom, percussion; Billy Ray Hunter, trumpet, Peter Kolkay, bassoon, Maria Sampen, violin; Kevin Schempf, clarinet; Steve Schermer, double bass; and Weston Sprott, trombone.

Tonight’s performance has been made possible by the generosity of Ben and Landra Macy. The Steinway grand piano has been provided by the Walla Walla Piano Group.

A native of Austin, Texas, Billy Ray Hunter is currently Principal Trumpet with the Metropolitan Opera in New York and Assistant Principal Trumpet with the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra in Chicago. Tonight, joined by his wife and pianist, Anna Stoytcheva, Billy moves from the back row of the orchestra to center stage.

It is written in an ancient text that trumpets knocked down the walls of Jericho. However, there is no need to be squeamish about sitting in the front row. Billy has been asked to restrain himself from any sonic demolition. The Walls Vineyards will remain very much intact with music by Bozza, Hovhaness and Enesco.

Artists: Billy Ray Hunter, trumpet; and Anna Stoytcheva, piano.

Tonight’s performance has been made possible by the generosity of Darcie Furlan. The Steinway piano has been generously provided by the Walla Walla Piano Group.

WWCMF returns to the bucolic retreat of Abeja winery for its annual Collage performance. Like the many waters from which Walla Walla takes its name, music will flow through and around the audience in a continuous ribbon of sound. Sometimes at a trickle, other times in torrents, Collage will flood your senses with glorious music. You will need neither a floatation device nor Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus, but you will want to arrive early.

The grounds open at 6:30pm. The dam breaks at 8pm.

Artists: Sarah Brady, flute; Winston Choi, piano; Timothy Christie, viola; Billy Ray Hunter, trumpet; ; Norbert Lewandowski, cello; Amy Ley, harp; Christina McGann, violin; Stephen Miahky, violin; Philip Payton, violin; Maria Sampen, violin; Kevin Schempf, clarinet; Anna Stoytcheva, piano: and MingHuan Xu, violin.

Lighting Design: Patty Matthieu and Kurt Walls

Tonight’s performance has been made possible by the generosity of Mary and David Meeker. The Steinway grand piano has been provided by the Walla Walla Piano Group.

The Impromptus of Franz Schubert represent some of the most lyrical and intimate works in the solo piano repertoire. Numbering eight in all, the Impromptus mark an important moment in time between the prevailing absolute music of “The Sonata” (Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven), and the more personified music of the character piece (Mendelssohn, Chopin, Liszt and beyond).

Triumphs of large scale musical form like the Sonata in B flat, D. 960, the Cello Quintet in C, D. 956 and the “Great” C Major Symphony, D. 944 tend to dominate reflections on Schubert’s final year. The Impromptus, however, offer a different sort of prism— eight little gems set amid the crown of Schubert’s greatest achievements. The Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival is thrilled to return to Foundry Vineyards for this special performance, and to welcome back virtuoso pianist, Winston Choi.

Franz Schubert (1797-1828)

FOUR IMPROMPTUS, OP. 90 (D. 899)

No. 1 in C minor, Allegro molto moderato

No. 2 in E flat, Allegro

No. 3 in G flat, Andante

No. 4 in A flat, Allegretto

INTERMISSION

FOUR IMPROMPTUS, OP. 142 (D. 935)

No. 1 in F minor, Allegro moderato

No. 2 in A flat, Allegretto

No. 3 in B flat, Theme (Andante) with variations

No. 4 in F minor, Allegro scherzando

Artist: Winston Choi, piano

John David Earnest (b. 1940)

COMMEDIA GALLERY (2011) FOR FLUTE, HARP AND VIOLA

Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival Commission

I. Arlecchino

II. Pierrot

III. Scaramouche

Andrew Norman (b. 1979)

LIGHT SCREENS (2002) FOR FLUTE, VIOLIN, VIOLA AND CELLO

INTERMISSION

Arnold Bax (1883-1953)

HARP QUINTET (1919)

I. Tempo moderato —

II. Tranquillo —

III. Tempo primo

Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953)

SONATA IN D, OP. 94 FOR FLUTE AND PIANO

I. Moderato

II. Scherzo

III. Andante

IV. Allegro con brio

Artists: Sarah Brady, flute; Winston Choi, piano; Timothy Christie, viola; Katri Ervamaa, cello; Andrew Jennings, violin; Norbert Lewandowski, cello; Amy Ley, harp; Christina McGann, violin; Stephen Miahky, violin; and MingHuan Xu, violin.

Tonight’s performance has been made possible by the generosity of Mike and Sue Gillespie.

Arnold Bax (1883-1953)

HARP QUINTET (1919)

I. Tempo moderato —

II. Tranquillo —

III. Tempo primo

Artists: Timothy Christie, viola; Norbert Lewandowski, cello; Amy Ley, harp; Christina McGann, violin; and Stephen Miahky, violin.

Tonight’s performance has been made possible by the generosity of Jim Johnson. The Steinway grand piano has been provided by the Walla Walla Piano Group.

Violinist MingHuan Xu is a multi-faceted performer with unique communicative abilities. She has delighted audiences with her passion, incredible technique, sensitivity and charisma, and tonight will be no exception. With her husband and pianist, Winston Choi, MingHuan unleashes a program of violin masterpieces by Pärt, Kreisler, and William Grant Still, among others. The rolling hills and expansive vineyards of Pepper Bridge Winery afford the perfect setting.

Artists: Winston Choi, piano; MingHaun Xu, violin

Tonight’s performance has been made possible by the generosity of the Dos Rios Fund of the Blue Mountain Community Foundation. The Steinway grand piano has been generously provided by the Walla Walla Piano Group.

Ching-chu Hu (b. 1969)

SPHERES OF INFLUENCE (2013) FOR STRING SEXTET

Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival Commission

Karol Szymanowski (1882-1937)

MYTHES, TROIS POÈMES, OP. 30

I. La Fontaine d’Arethuse

II. Narcisse

III. Dryades et Pan

INTERMISSION

Franz Schubert (1797-1828)

STRING QUINTET IN C MAJOR, D. 956

I. Allegro ma non troppo

II. Adagio

III. Scherzo. Presto. Trio. Andante sostenuto

IV. Allegretto - Più allegro

Artists: Heather Bentley, Viola; Winston Choi, piano; Timothy Christie, viola; Katri Ervamaa, cello; Andrew Jennings, violin; Norbert Lewandowski, cello; Christina McGann, violin; Stephen Miahky, violin; and MingHuan Xu, violin.

Tonight’s performance has been made possible by the generosity of Kenneth Goldsmith and Jo Anne Ritacca.

Franz Schubert (1797-1828)

STRING QUINTET IN C MAJOR, D. 956

I. Allegro ma non troppo

II. Adagio

III. Scherzo. Presto. Trio. Andante sostenuto

IV. Allegretto - Più allegro

Artists: Timothy Christie, viola; Katri Ervamaa, cello; Norbert Lewandowski, cello; Christina McGann, violin; and Stephen Miahky, violin.

Tonight’s performance has been made possible by the generosity of Al Marshall. The Steinway grand piano has been generously provided by the Walla Walla Piano Group.

Finnish-born cellist Katri Ervamaa, DMA, is a versatile performer, who specializes in chamber music, new music and creative improvisation. She has performed and given master classes throughout North America, Europe and Taiwan. Her festival appearances include the Orlando, Kuhmo, Bowdoin, Lyckå and Norrtäjle Chamber Music Festivals (with the Finnish Owla String Quartet) as well as the Denison University Tutti! New Music Festival, Poison City Music Festival and Finnfest, among others.

Katri is a musician who is deeply influenced by her inherent love for the cello, pride in her native Finland and her close network of musical friends. Tonight’s program reflects those influences in works by Bach, Sibelius and Gabriela Lena Frank.

We’ll also take a few moments to explore the always tricky Finnish language. HYVÄÄ PÄIVÄNJATKOA! (Have a nice day!)

Artists: Katri Ervamaa, cello; and Jan Roberts, piano.