Now approaching its 39th season, the Colorado College Summer Music Festival is an intensive three-week program for 54 advanced student musicians, including violin, viola, cello, bass, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, and piano.

Festival participants work closely with the faculty, who spend many hours coaching small ensembles, private lessons, and master classes. In addition, the faculty teach sessions that are particularly valuable for pre-professional students, including courses that discuss strategies for practice, improvisation, and how to perform and relate to colleagues in chamber ensembles and orchestra. Mock auditions are also part of the curriculum, which includes information on how to prepare for orchestral auditions. Participation in the festival, both in chamber ensembles and the orchestra, offers each student the opportunity to learn and perform the best of the standard repertoire.

All students participate in a concert series including formal and informal chamber music concerts, five orchestra performances, including a free children's concert, and several off-campus outreach concerts. Six to eight students are chosen by audition for concerto readings with the orchestra in performances that are open to the public. Chamber music performances are held in Packard Hall, a modern, acoustically superb, 300-seat concert hall. The Festival Orchestra concerts are held in the Edith Kinney Gaylord Cornerstone Arts Center Richard F. Celeste Theater, a 450-seat cutting-edge "tuned" room with the latest acoustical and amplification capabilities. The Cornerstone Arts Center was built in 2008 and is a state-of-the-art multidisciplinary space designed by acclaimed architect Antoine Predock.

Five Festival Artists Concerts   

Two Festival Orchestra Concerts 

Seven Chamber Music At Midday Concerts

Children’s Orchestra Concert with Peter and the Wolf Extravaganza   

Outreach Concerts

2023 SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL CONCERT PROGRAMS

FESTIVAL ARTIST CONCERTS - all concerts at 7:30 pm in Packard Hall

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7 – FESTIVAL ARTISTS CONCERT

PACKARD HALL - 7:30PM

Canzon primi toni a 8 Giovanni Gabrieli

O Magnum mysterium (1553-1690)

Canzon septimi toni

Stefan Hersh, violin; Laura Frautschi, violin; Virginia Barron, viola; David Ying, cello

Kevin Cobb, trumpet; festival fellow, trumpet; Michael Thornton, horn; John Rojak, bass trombone

Quiet in the Land Kenneth Fuchs

(b. 1956)

Alice Dade, flute; Jon Manasse, clarinet; Robert Walters, English horn

Toby Appel, viola; David Ying, cello

Mozart: En Route (Or, a Little Traveling Music) Aaron Jay Kernis

(b. 1960)

Mark Fewer, violin; Phillip Ying, viola; David Ying, cello

Jupiter from The Planets arr. for woodwind quintet Gustav Holst

(1874-1934)

Alice Dade, flute; Robert Walters, oboe; Jon Manasse, clarinet

Michael Kroth, bassoon; Michael Thornton, horn

Piano Quintet No. 1 in C minor, Op. 1 Ernö Dohnányi

Allegro (1874-1934)

Scherzo: Allegro vivace

Adagio, quasi andante

Finale: Allegro animato

Steven Beck, piano; Laura Frautschi, violin; Mark Fewer, violin

Phillip Ying, viola; David Ying, cello

SATURDAY, JUNE 10 – FESTIVAL ARTISTS CONCERT

PACKARD HALL – 7:30PM

Trio for trumpet, horn, and piano William Lovelock

Prelude (1899-1986)

Romanza

Finale: Fugato

Kevin Cobb, trumpet; Michael Thornton, horn; Susan Grace, piano

Fantasia (Fantasie Quartet) in E minor for 4 violas, Op. 41, No. 1 York Bowen

(1884-1961)

Toby Appel, Phillip Ying, Virginia Barron, *Daniel Moore, violas

Gemini Variations for violin, flute and piano four hands, Op. 73 Benjamin Britten

(1913-1976)

Laura Frautschi, violin; Alice Dade, flute; Steven Beck and Susan Grace, piano 4-hands

Adagio from The Limpid Stream for piano and bass trombone Dmitry Shostakovich

(1906-1975)

John Rojak, bass trombone; Steven Beck, piano

Café Music Paul

Schoenfield

Allegro con Fuoco (b. 1947)

Andante Moderato

Presto

Steven Beck, piano; Mark Fewer, violin; David Ying, cello      

THURSDAY, JUNE 15 – FESTIVAL ARTISTS CONCERT

PACKARD HALL– 7:30PM        

Andante et Rondo, Op. 25 for 2 flutes and piano Franz Doppler

(1821-1883)

Elizabeth Mann, flute; Alice Dade, flute; Susan Grace, piano

Serenade in D minor, Op. 44 Antonín Dvo?ák

Moderato quasi marcia (1841-1904)

Minuetto: Tempo di minuetto

Andante con moto

Finale: Allegro molto

Robert Walters, oboe; festival fellow, oboe; Jon Manasse, clarinet; festival fellow, clarinet

Michael Kroth, and 2 festival fellows, bassoon and contrabassoon;

Michael Thornton, horn; 2 festival fellows, horn; Mark Kosower, cello; Susan Cahill, bass

Quartet for the End of Time Olivier Messiaen

I. Liturgy of the Crystal: Very moderate, in harmonious, sparkling clouds (1908-1992)

II. Vocalise, for the angel who announces the end of time: Robust, moderate

III. Abyss of the birds: Very slow, expressive and sad

IV. Interlude: Determined, moderate, a little lively

V. Praise to the eternity of Jesus: Infinitely slow, ecstatic

VI. Dance of fury, for seven trumpets: Deliberate, vigorous, granite-like, a little lively

VII. Jumble of the rainbow, for the angel who announces the end of time: Dreamy, almost slow

VIII. Praise to the immortality of Jesus: Extremely slow and tender, ecstatic

Ayano Ninomiya, violin; Jon Manasse, clarinet; Mark Kosower, cello; William Wolfram, piano

MONDAY, JUNE 19 – FESTIVAL ARTISTS CONCERT

PACKARD HALL - 7:30PM

Virtuosity Rag William Bolcom

(b. 1938)

Kevin Cobb, trumpet; *Terri Rauschenbach, trumpet; Michael Thornton, horn; *Theo Swanson, horn

John Rojak, bass trombone

Á Tour d’Anches, Op. 97 Florent Schmitt

A courre (1870-1958)

Sur un thème prévu

Nocturne – Sarabande

Quasimodo

Robert Walters, oboe; Laura Ardan, clarinet; Michael Kroth, bassoon; John Novacek, piano

Impresiones de la Puna Alberto Ginastera

Quena; Canción; Danza (1916-1983)

Elizabeth Mann, flute; Stefan Hersh, violin; Steven Rose, violin

Virginia Barron, viola; Bion Tsang, cello

Five Pieces for string quartet Ervin Schulhoff

I. Alla Valse Viennese: allegro (1894-1942)

II. Alla Serenata: allegretto con moto

III. Alla Czeca: molto allegro

IV. Alla Tango milonga: andante

V. Alla Tarantella: prestissimo con fuoco

Andrew Wan, violin; Stephen Rose, violin; Toby Appel, viola; Bion Tsang, cello

Piano Quintet in C minor Ralph Vaughan Williams

Allegro con fuoco (1872-1958)

Andante

Fantasia (quasi variazioni): Moderato

John Novacek, piano; Steven Copes, violin; Toby Appel, viola

Bion Tsang, cello; Susan Cahill, bass

THURSDAY, JUNE 22 – FACULTY ARTISTS CONCERT

PACKARD HALL -7:30PM

Prélude, Récitatif et Variations, Op. 3 Maurice Duruflé

(1890-1974)

Elizabeth Mann, flute; Toby Appel, viola; John Novacek, piano

be still and know Carlos Simon

(b. 1986)

Stefan Hersh, violin; Bion Tsang, cello; Susan Grace, piano

Seaweed Song, Op. 12C Ruth Gibbs

Threnody, Op. 74 (1921-1999)

Robert Walters, English horn; Susan Grace, piano

Octet in F Major, Op. 166 Franz Anton Schubert

Adagio: Allegro (1797-1828)

Adagio

Scherzo: Allegro vivace

Andante; 7 Variations

Menuetto: Allegretto

Andante; Allegro

(1768-1827)

Stephen Rose, violin; Steven Copes, violin; Toby Appel, viola; Bion Tsang, cello; Susan Cahill, bass

Laura Ardan, clarinet; Michael Kroth, bassoon; Michael Thornton, horn

FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA CONCERTS - all concerts at 7:30 pm in the Celeste Theatre, CAC

TUESDAY, JUNE 13, 7:30PM

Leonore Overture III, Op. 72 Ludwig van Beethoven

(1770-1827)

Concerto for flute and orchestra Carl August Nielsen

Allegro moderato (1865-1931)

Allegretto, un poco

Alice Dade, flute

Symphony No. 4 in E minor, op. 98 Johannes Brahms

Allegro non troppo (1833-1897)

Andante moderato

Allegro giocoso

Allegro energico e passionato

John Novacek, piano    

FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 7:30P.M.

Symphony No. 2 in C minor, Op. 17 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Andante sostenuto – Allegro vivo (1840-1893)

Andantino marziole, quasi moderato

Scherzo. Allegro molto vivace

Finale. Moderato assai – Allegro vivo

Totentanz (Dance of the Dead) Franz Liszt

(1811-1886)

John Novacek, piano

Rhapsody in Blue George Gershwin

(1898-1937)

PRE-CONCERT RECITALS - all recitals at 6:15 pm in Packard Hall

THURSDAY, JUNE 15

Camille Claudel: Into the Fire Jake Heggie

Rodin (b. 1961)

La Valse

Shakuntala

La petite châtelaine

The Gossips

L’age mur

Epilogue: Jessie Lipscomb visits Camille Claudel, Montdevergues Asylum, 1929

Jennifer DeDominici, mezzo-soprano

Andrew Wan, violin; Stefan Hersh, violin; Phillip Ying, viola; David Ying, cello       

THURSDAY, JUNE 22

Brass Extravaganza!

With Kevin Cobb, Michael Thornton and John Rojak

CHILDREN'S ORCHESTRA CONCERT - Peter and the Wolf  

The Summer Music Festival is excited to present Peter and the Wolf, featuring the SMF Festival Orchestra, with artwork created by students from the Bemis School of Art!

Please note that while tickets for this event are free, they are required.

Thursday, June 15  *  9 am and 11 am  *  Celeste Theatre, Cornerstone Arts Center 

Peter and the Wolf, written by Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev in 1936, tells the story of a young boy named Peter who lives with his grandfather in a forest clearing, and the various animals he encounters there.

The story begins with Peter playing outside when he is warned by his grandfather to be careful of the wolf that is prowling around. Peter pays no attention and goes out into the forest anyway. Along the way, he encounters various animals and decides to catch the wolf himself. 

*Elias Miller, conducting

Peter and the Wolf

Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953)

Virginia Barron, narrating

Associate Director of the Summer Music Festival

*Festival Fellow

MUSIC AT MIDDAY - all concerts at 12:15 pm  * Packard Hall

Monday, June 12;   Wednesday, June 14;   Friday, June 16;   Monday, June 19;    Wednesday, June 21;   Thursday, June 22;   Friday, June 23 

Festival Date: June 4 - 23, 2023

Location:

Packard Hall - 5 W Cache La Poudre St Colorado Springs, CO 80903

Celeste Theatre Cornerstone Arts Center - 825 North Cascade Avenue Colorado Springs, CO 80946 

Tickets

FULL SEASON (7) Concerts

ALL FESTIVAL ARTIST CONCERTS (5)

ALL FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA CONCERTS (2)

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