Each June, the Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival presents over 30 events around the Walla Walla Valley. The third Festival Series Concert will take place at Gesa Power House Theatre on Saturday, June 23 at 7:30 p.m.
Tonight we feature music by Amy Beach, Joan Tower, Marion Bauer and Gustav Mahler.
Gustav Mahler is known as the composer of ten-ish unwieldy Symphonies, numerous song cycles, and as one of the most polarizing musical figures of the late 19th century. Noticeably absent from his compositional output are any substantive chamber works. There is one exception, however, that of a single movement for piano quartet in A minor. We pair Mahler’s single movement with music by three American composers, Amy Beach, Marion Bauer and Joan Tower.
Originally hailing from Walla Walla (woo-hoo!), Marion Bauer made her mark in New York City as a composer, author and professor, influencing such luminaries as Aaron Copland and Milton Babbitt. She was also the first in a long line of Americans to study with Nadia Boulanger in Paris. Her three-movement Sonata for Viola and Piano, Op. 22, is required listening for any self-respecting music-loving resident or visitor to the Walla Walla Valley.
Rounding out the program are two works for flute and string quartet, the Theme and Variations, Op. 80, by Amy Beach and Rising, by Joan Tower (2009).
Doors open at 6:30 PM.
General Admission: $20; Family Ticket: $45 (admits two adults and up to four children); Student Ticket: $8 (under 22 with valid student ID). For more information and tickets, visit www.wwcmf.org.
About the Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival:
Founded in 2007 by Artistic Director Timothy Christie, the Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival (WWCMF) is a non-profit organization committed to making chamber music accessible to all. In addition to tickets events, WWCMF presents extensive free children’s programming, targeted outreach events, and daily free open rehearsals throughout the Walla Walla community.
