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Astoria Music Festival
announces 2016 lineup
Festival features
17 events in 16 days
Sergey
Antonov
The Astoria Music Festival celebrates its
14th anniversary from June 17 to July 3.
More than 100 performers and young
artists will gather for 17 performances of
symphonic and chamber music, educational
events, and two operas.
Music Festival Board of Directors Presi-
dent Dwight Caswell says, “We are excited
to present one of the biggest and most chal-
lenging festivals in our short14-year history.
Our Artistic Director Keith Clark has
assembled a remarkable roster of interna-
tional artists and varied repertoire, and we
invite music lovers to visit our historic town
to experience our motto: ‘Big City Music –
Small Town Prices – Victorian Charm.’”
Vocal highlights include appearances by
acclaimed American soprano Angela Meade
as Leonora in Verdi’s “Il Trovatore,”repris-
ing her role that caused a recent sensation at
the Metropolitan Opera. She will be joined
by three Met veterans, tenor Cameron
Schutza as Manrico, mezzo-soprano Mary-
Ann McCormick as Azucena and Portland’s
own Richard Zeller as Count di Luna.
Instrumental highlights include the
northwest premiere of Philip Glass’ expan-
sive Symphony No. 4, based on music of
David Bowie’s recording “Heroes.”
Elizabeth
Pitcairn
The festival orchestra will perform three
symphonic programs in addition to “Il
Trovatore.” The orchestra is comprised of
musicians from major American ensembles,
including the Los Angeles Philharmonic,
New York Philharmonic, San Francisco
Opera and Ballet Orchestras, as well as
leading members of the Oregon Symphony
and Portland Opera and Ballet Orchestras.
In addition to Clark, conductors include
Olivia Tsui, music director of the Los An-
geles Virtuosi and Silicon Beach Sympho-
ny, Christopher Fecteau, artistic director of
New York’s Dell’Arte Opera Ensemble, and
Oregon composer-conductor John Paul.
Guest ensembles
Angela
Meade
Ilya
Kazantsev
Portland’s popular quintet 3 Leg Torso
will make its festival debut with an eclectic
program of chamber music, tango, Klezmer,
Latin, and Roma (Gypsy) music. Guest
ensembles will include the North Coast
Chorale, members of the Maddox Dance
Studio Little Ballet Theatre and the Astoria
School of Ballet.
Apprenticeship programs
Soloists
Instrumental soloists and chamber
musicians returning to the festival include
American violinist Elizabeth Pitcairn,
San Diego Symphony Concertmaster Jeff
Thayer, San Francisco Ballet Concertmaster
Roy Malan, Detroit Symphony associate
principal violist James van Valkenburg, and
Atlanta Symphony associate principal horn
Susan Welty. Tchaikovsky Competition
gold medal cellist Sergey Antonov returns
as concerto soloist and chamber music
artist. Returning pianists include Astoria
Music Festival Chamber Music Director
(and Portland’s busiest pianist) Cary Lewis
and Chopin Competition gold medalist Ilya
Kazantsev.
Orchestra and conductors
MaryAnn
McCormick
Cameron
Schutza
SUBMITTED PHOTOS
MORE INFO
For the full schedule and to purchase tickets, visit astoriamusicfestival.org
Along with professional activities, the
Astoria Music Festival sponsors three train-
ing programs.
Apprentice vocal artists participate in
a 20-day program of vocal training and
coaching, acting, intensive foreign lan-
guage instruction, and weekly recitals and
operatic performance under the leadership
of Fecteau, director of musical studies, , Se-
attle Opera Assistant Conductor and Coach
Phillip Kelsey, and the Met’s McCormick..
Fellowship for instrumental artists are
directed by conductor-violinist Tsui, and
mentored by San Francisco Ballet Con-
certmaster Malan and festival artists, and
participate in chamber music, orchestral
and operatic performances.
The Collaborative Pianist Appren-
ticeship program offers opportunities for
hands-on training in vocal and instrumental
coaching and chamber music under leader-
ship of festival keyboard artists and vocal
coaches.