By Peter Bilotta | Executive Director
Chamber Music Northwest held its inaugural Winter Festival from January 22-26, 2014. We had four concerts of great music inspired by the seasons, from Schubert’s Winterreise song cycle to Piazzolla’s “The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires.”
One of the most exciting moments of our Winter Festival was our Saturday morning Family Open Rehearsal of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. It was the first family-friendly performance we’ve done in years, and nearly 100 children and parents joined us for an interactive rehearsal with Ida Kavafian, Portland’s own Becky Anderson, the Amphion Quartet and other artists.
The kids were enrapt. They clapped at “inappropriate” times. Some danced. Others asked questions like “Do you enjoy playing your violin like I do mine?” And, many expressed bitter disappointment that at the end of the hour that we had only gotten as far as “Autumn.” Can you imagine – children disappointed that they didn’t get to hear all four of Vivaldi’s seasons?
It’s moments like this that really capture why we love chamber music so much. Its intimacy, energy, variety, and infinite range have an enduring ability to move us, whether we are old or young.
Our inaugural Winter Festival served over 1,200 patrons at the four performances, and 236 additional people at the various free education events, including the Family Open Rehearsal. Thank you so much for investing in Chamber Music Northwest as a partner in creating great chamber music in our community. And, thank you for sharing your love of chamber music with more than 60,000 people throughout the year – young and old – through your gift.
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