The 2016 Red Rocks Music Festival brings preeminent global chamber music to Phoenix and Sedona for a series of concerts from Aug. 26 – Sept. 4. The festival, founded in 2001 under the direction of Israeli-born violinist Moshe Bukshpan, is a collaboration of internationally renowned musicians and leading Arizona artists.
Three performances will be held in Phoenix at the Cutler-Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center and repeated in Sedona at the Sedona Creative Life Center.
In Phoenix on Aug. 26 and Sedona on Aug. 27, Grammy-nominated concert violinist (and former Metropolitan Opera concertmaster) Elmira Darvarova and New York Philharmonic hornist Howard Wall perform “Music from Five Centuries.” The program features masterpieces from baroque to contemporary. It includes Bach, Handel, Mozart, a U.S. premiere by Stephen Brown, four Arizona premiers and more.
On Sept. 1 in Phoenix and Sept. 4 in Sedona, “Dvořák’s Masterworks” includes String Quintet No.3 in E flat major, Op. 97 and Piano Quintet No.2 in A Major, Op. 81. These works by the Czech composer will be performed by violinists David Ehrlich (Virginia Tech) and Katherine McLin (Arizona State University), Nokuthula Ngwenyama and Katharina Kang on viola, Phoenix Symphony assistant principal cellist Jan Simiz and Teresa Ehrlich on piano.
“Romantic Journey” on Sept. 2 in Phoenix and Sept. 3 in Sedona features legendary violinist Shmuel Ashkenasi with David Ehrlich on violin, violist Katharina Kang, cellist Thomas Landschoot (ASU faculty) and pianist Teresa Ehrlich performing Anton Dvořák’s cycle of Four Romantic pieces, Op. 75 and E.v. Dohnányi’s Piano Quintet, Op.1. The Arizona premiere of “Sonoran Storm” for solo viola, by Nokuthula Ngweyama, will be performed by the composer.
The Cutler-Plotkin Heritage Center is located at 122 E Culver St., Phoenix. The Sedona Creative Life Center is located at 333 Schnebly Hill Road, Sedona. All concerts begin at 7:30 pm, except for Sept. 4 at 3 pm. Tickets are $28 each, or $75 for all three. For information and tickets, visit redrocksmusicfestival.com.
