The Crescent City Chamber Music Festival (CCCMF) will be celebrating its eighth anniversary with seven free public concerts throughout New Orleans from October 12 to the 22.
This season of CCCMF presents "Songs of the Earth," which will feature some of classical music's most enticing works of chamber music, the most intimate and collaborative form of music.
Crescent City Chamber Music Festival
This season is headlined by Ensembles-in-Residence, the renowned Manhattan Chamber Players, which is a group of New York-based musicians who have delivered performances of the greatest chamber masterworks year after year at CCCMF. Ensembles-in-Residence will be joined by local classical artists from the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, international soloist and piano virtuoso David Fung and the two vocalists, Faylotte Joy Crayton and Daniel Moody. Each artist and group will be performing alongside their spouses in different chamber music arrangements.
"We are excited to present our eighth season of extraordinary chamber music making in some of New Orleans' most acoustically and aesthetically stellar venues, all free and open to the public," says Festival Director, faculty member of the University of New Orleans School of the Arts and native New Orleanian, Luke Fleming
Community outreach is a pivotal part of CCCMF's mission. In addition to CCCMF's seven free public concerts, festival artists will give over 30 outreach performances at schools, elderly care/retirement communities, missions and helping organizations throughout the New Orleans area. Artists will also be mentoring and coaching local student chamber music groups.
Opening night will be on Thursday, October 12 at 7:30 p.m. with "The Four Seasons," at Trinity Episcopal Church. The opening will feature four violin soloists from Ensemble-in-Residence the Manhattan Chamber Players, and will be sharing the stage with local New Orleans musicians. The groups will share the stage in performing Antonio Vivaldi's Four Seasons, and Astor Piazzolla's masterful Four Seasons of Buenos Aires.
On Friday, October 13 at 7:30 p.m. Manhattan Chamber Players and Faylotte Crayton will perform "Music Without End" at Tulane's Dixon Concert Hall. The music of Ernest Chausson is featured on this program, with a rendition of his heartbreaking Chanson Perpétuelle ("Endless Song"). As well as his sprawling, ecstatic masterpiece, the Concerto for Violin, Piano and String Quartet. The acoustics of Dixon Concert Hall at Tulane University will make for an evening of glorious music-making.
On Sunday, October 15 at 5:30 p.m. at Felicity Church, Ensemble-in-Residence Manhattan Chamber Players will be joined by Faylotte Crayton in performing "The Sunset." This concert will be filled with contemplative music by Richard Strauss and Chris Rogerson. The concert will close with Ottorino Respighi's "Il Tramonto." This beautiful program will be set against the backdrop of the sunset in the historic Felicity Church.
On Monday, October 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Saint Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church, CCCMF Ensemble-in-Residence the Manhattan Chamber Players headlines this mid-festival program with "Quelled Longing." This performance will be centered around some of the most unabashedly Romantic music of Johannes Brahms, with two songs performed by Faylotte Crayton, as well as his darkly dramatic Clarinet Quintet. These music pieces will be performed in the beautiful sanctuary of Saint Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church.
On Wednesday, October 18 at 6 p.m. at Urban South Brewery, CCCMF Festival Artists will perform selections you won't hear on any of our other programs. This informal, fan-favorite concert has been on CCCMF's lineup since the very first season. One-evening-only beer flights will be available for purchase from one of New Orleans' finest breweries, paired with Classical music in the atmosphere of Urban South Brewery's tasting room. Enjoy tasty brews with the artists after the concert. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Crescent City Chamber Music Festival.
On Friday, October 20 at 7:30 p.m. at the UNO Performing Arts Center Recital Hall, David Fung and Daniel Moody will be headlining with a recital of Baroque, Classical and contemporary arias and songs. UNO Performing Arts Center is one of New Orleans' best-kept secrets. The UNO Performing Arts Center's chamber acoustics will frame this program on UNO's beautiful Steinway D. Also, there will be solo piano showpieces joined by members of the Manhattan Chamber Players. This intimate and moving music will take your breath away.
CCCMF's Season Finale Concert will be on Sunday, October 22, at 4 p.m. at Rayne Memorial United Methodist Church. Piano virtuoso David Fung will be joined by CCCMF Founding Artistic Director Luke Fleming, LPO double bassist Paul Macres and members of the Manhattan Chamber Players for two of Franz Schubert's most celebrated works. These works are "Arpeggione" Sonata, and the celebrated "Trout" Quintet. In the historic sanctuary of Rayne Memorial United Methodist Church, there will be an opportunity to meet the artists at the reception that follows.
Crescent City Chamber Music Festival
Doors to the festival will be opening one hour prior to the start of each performance. An informal pre-concert talk and Q&A will begin 30 minutes before each concert, and there will be no pre-concert talk at the Urban South Brewery concert.
