Satie Gymnopedie No. 1, for clarinet and harp Remy Le Boeuf Vignette Nos. 20 & 21 Mendelssohn Cello Sonata No. 2 in D major, Op. 58 Overton/Dover/Thurber/Lark Original Compositions Dvořák String Sextet in A major, Op. 48 33Season
Dear Friends, The number three has held a profound significance for humankind’s entire history. It is considered the perfect number, representing a balance that satisfies both our intellectual curiosities and understanding the wonders of the natural world, and it’s a number that is within the DNA of virtually all musical masterpieces. Imagine, then, the magic that is bound to grace our ideal concert space that is the First Congregational church of Old Lyme in this year of not one but TWO threes: our 33rd season of Musical Masterworks. It so happens there seem to be three key components that contribute to the success of the past three decades of MM’s programming: the new, the familiar, and the extraordinary. This season we have a wealth of artists new to Musical Masterworks, making music heard nowhere else but here. The October and February concerts alone account for the debuts of eight Masterworks newcomers, including world premieres of works written specifically for their inimitable gifts. For example: one of history’s greatest trumpeters, Caleb Hudson, who happens to be my childhood friend from Kentucky, will be featured in February in works for a rarely heard ensemble of instruments, played by equally astounding artists: cellist Michael Nicolas of Brooklyn Rider; flautist and vocalist Emi Ferguson; and clarinetist Gabriel Campos Zamora. Familiar and beloved masterworks and artists will also bless our souls throughout the season. Grand works by Bach, Dvořák, Mendelssohn, Schubert and Schumann are present throughout the year; harpist Charles Overton returns to close out the season after his rousing debut last season; and we will reunite with MM’s nearest and dearest, AD Emeritus Edward Arron and Jeewon Park, in March for a glorious weekend of piano trios. From the Artistic Director
The final component—the extraordinary—is certainly most important in Musical Masterworks’ history of presenting one incredible weekend of music making after another. Familiar or new, it just has to be “real darn good,” as we’d say down South. For an extraordinary musical experience, however, we find yet again another set of 3 key components: the music; the artists; and you, the audience. A concert experience is ultimately determined by the energy within the room, and the majority of that energy is generated by the crowd. Having now performed in Old Lyme for 10 years, I’ve experienced time and again the extraordinary energy you bring to these magical weekends, and YOU are the “secret sauce” that makes Musical Masterworks the extraordinary experience we’ve revelled in the past 32 years. Welcome, welcome, welcome to Season 33, and thank you for making it extraordinary. Sincerely, Tessa Lark Artistic Director Musical Masterworks At the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, on the corner of Lyme Street and Ferry Road. For tickets call 860.434.2252 or order online at musicalmasterworks.org
Concerts Oct 14 & 15 Saturday, Oct 14, 2023 at 5pm | Sunday, Oct 15, 2023 at 3pm Amy Yang, Piano Alexi Kenney, Violin Tessa Lark, Violin Melissa Reardon, Viola Alice Yoo, Cello Rameau, La joyeuse Lark, The Gemini Rameau, Le Rappel des oiseaux Lark, The Poet Rameau, Les cyclopes Dvořák, Silent Woods for Cello and Piano, Op. 68/5 Mozkowski, Suite for Two Violins, Op. 71 Clara Schumann, 3 Romances, Op. 11 (arr. for viola and piano) Schumann, Piano Quintet in E-flat major Dec 2 & 3 Saturday, Dec 2, 2023 at 5pm | Sunday, Dec 3, 2023 at 3pm Carmit Zori, Violin Scott St. John, Violin/Viola Tessa Lark, Violin/Viola Robert Rinehart, Viola Julia Lichten, Cello Tony Rymer, Cello Michael Thurber, Double Bass Dvořák, String Sextet in A major, Op. 48 Bach, Selections from Two-Part Inventions Thurber/Lark, Original Works Bach, (arr. R. Rinehart), Concerto a 7 for strings in D major, BWV 1061 (from Concerto for two harpsichords in C major) 1 2
Feb 3 & 4 Saturday, Feb 3, 2024 at 5pm | Sunday, Feb 4, 2024 at 3pm Caleb Hudson, Trumpet/Piccolo Trumpet Emi Ferguson, Flute Gabriel Campos Zamora, Clarinet/Bass Clarinet Michael Nicolas, Cello Tessa Lark, Violin Telemann Bach Original Compositions Corelli, (arr. Hudson), Sonata No. 8 Op. 5 Caleb Hudson, Built on Nothing Less Kyle Athayde, Caleb’s Piece Remy Le Boeuf, Vignette Nos. 20 & 21 Mar 16 & 17 Saturday, Mar 16, 2024 at 5pm | Sunday, Mar 17, 2024 at 3pm Jeewon Park, Piano Edward Arron, Cello Tessa Lark, Violin Mendelssohn, Cello Sonata No. 2 in D major, Op. 58 Babadjanian, Piano Trio in F-sharp minor Schubert, Nocturne in E-flat Schubert, Piano Trio in B-flat Apr 27 & 28 Saturday, April 27, 2024 at 5pm | Sunday, April 28, 2024 at 3pm Charles Overton, Harp Mark Dover, Clarinet Michael Thurber, Bass Tessa Lark, Violin Schumann, Fantasiestucke Op.73 (arr. for clarinet and harp) Jean Cras, Suite en Duo Eccles, Double Bass Sonata Satie Nico Muhly Overton/Dover/Thurber/Lark, Original Compositions 4 5 3
Help sustain our programs that mean so much to our community. Ticket sales cover less than half of our expenses. Your gift is essential to our success and enables us to produce fine chamber music and educational programming. Please see our sponsor and donor benefits outlined below. Visit musicalmasterworks.org “Support” to contribute and learn about our Business Sponsorships, or call us at 860.434.2252 for more information. *If donation received by September 16, 2023 DONOR Impresario: $1,500 – $2,499 Maestro: $750 – $1,499 Benefactor: $250 – $749 Friend: $50 – $249 SPONSOR Musicians’ Circle: $2,500 – $4,999 Benefits: • 2 complimentary tickets to one performance each concert weekend • Invitation to one post-concert Saturday evening dinner with the artists • Acknowledged in program* • Acknowledged in program* • Impresario level receives invitation to one post-concert Saturday evening dinner with the artists All Musical Masterworks Main Series performances this season take place at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, on the corner of Lyme Street and Ferry Road. Benefits: Become a Sponsor or Donor Sponsor and Donor Benefits Health and Safety Guidelines We will be in touch via email prior to each concert to share any attendance guidelines that may be in place for you to safely enjoy our performances. Concert Sponsor: $5,000 – $7,499 Composer’s Circle: $7,500 – $9,999 Premier Sponsor: $10,000 and up Benefits: Benefits above Plus: • Acknowledged in the program as a sponsor of one concert • Four additional complimentary tickets to the sponsored concert • Preferred seating at each concert • Invited to Evening with Tessa Lark event in June
Main Series—Saturday concerts at 5pm or Sunday concerts at 3pm Main Series Subscribers receive 5 concerts for $175 Mini-Series Select any three Main Series concerts for $115 Individual Tickets Tickets to any individual Saturday or Sunday concert are $45 each Student Tickets Individual tickets to any concert for students 23 and under are $5 We are thrilled to announce our 33rd season and welcome Tessa Lark back for her second season as our Artistic Director. Please join us for the wonderful programs she has designed for us. Ticket Information* MM Community Engagement Program Last season we offered our inaugural Community Engagement Program in partnership with Decoda, Inc, an affiliate ensemble of Carnegie Hall. Their engaging programs and workshops were so well received and made such a difference to participants that we have expanded the program to two weeks this season. In November, Decoda will return to work again with shoreline nonprofits, students at area schools and residents of communities in need. We will conclude our Community Engagement Program by hosting free concerts to celebrate and share Decoda's gifts with the Old Lyme community. Learn more about Decoda’s creative community projects by visting www.decodamusic.org. Save the Date for MMModern! Mark your calendars for March 1, 2024 when we will again be featuring a contemporary chamber music concert that includes a pre-concert reception. We are busy putting together the details. It’s easy to order online at musicalmasterworks.org If you prefer to order by phone, call 860.434.2252. To pay by check, please use enclosed envelope order form. *Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable between concert weekends. Ticket changes ..from Saturday to Sunday of the same weekend can be accommodated by contacting the box office. Community Engagement and MMModern
Musical Masterworks, Inc. Post Office Box 684 Old Lyme, Connecticut 06371 NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID OLD SAYBROOK, CT PERMIT #24 SUBSCRIBE TODAY! ONLINE musicalmasterworks.org 860.434.2252