CHAMBERFEST CANANDAIGUA FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 19TH ANNUAL SEASON JULY 15-23 – Symphony in a Tea Cup

FESTIVAL SHOWCASES WORLD-CLASS PERFORMERS, INCLUDING
CELEBRATED PIANIST DONNA KWONG AND VIOLIST JESSICA MEYER AMONG
AN ALL-STAR ENSEMBLE
Tickets available at www.ChamberFestCanandaigua.com starting April 1, 2023
Event organizers proudly announce its nineteenth annual season from July 15 – July 23.
The festival’s artistic directors, cellist Amy Sue Barston and violinist Kevin Kumar, are
passionate about engaging with audiences. Acclaimed musicians themselves, their nontraditional
approach to presenting classical works with entertaining insights and
storytelling brings new life to the genre. Concertgoers are invited to explore a lighter side
of chamber music, prompting the question, “Who would have thought that classical
music could be so down to earth?”
This 19th season will be featuring works of music that have a notable majestic breadth;
they conjure the symphonic colors and qualities of a whole orchestra, but are chamber
works: they use fewer instruments in a more intimate setting. The Beethoven Septet
(Festival Concert 7/21), for instance, often sounds like a symphony, but has only 7
instruments: French horn, bassoon, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, and double bass. It’s like
an ‘up close and personal’ philharmonic! Similarly, the Brahms Clarinet Sonata (also
7/21) is beloved for it’s large scale amorous sweep, but uses only 2 instruments: clarinet
and piano. And our grand finale, Dvorak’s Eb Piano Quartet (Festival Concert 7/23),
features only four instruments but is as grand a work as one could imagine.
This year, the Festival will open with a lively concert event featuring delightful chamber
music and beer tastings at Faircraft Brauhaus in Fairport. Artistic Director Kevin Kumar
says beer music is a musical tasting celebrating our civilization’s fondness for this
ancient fermented beverage.
By popular demand, ChamberFest Canandaigua is partnering with The Lake House on
Canandaigua (rated #2 Resort Hotel in the Continental US). The 4-course meal selected
by their chefs will be accompanied by music that enhances your dining experience.
The following concerts are scheduled:
• Chamber Music & Craft Beer will be held Sunday afternoon, July 16 at Faircraft
Brauhaus in Fairport, NY.
• A Night to Remember will be held Tuesday evening, July 18 at The Lake House
on Canandaigua.
• Classical Blue Jeans will be held on Wednesday evening, July 19, at Casa Larga
Vineyards in Fairport, NY.
• The Free Family Concert will be held on Thursday morning, July 20, at Wood
Library in Canandaigua, NY.
• Symphony in a Teacup will be held on Friday night, July 21, at Cobblestone Arts
Center.
• Festival Finale will be held on Sunday afternoon, July 23, at Cobblestone Arts
Center
Co-Artistic Director Amy Sue Barston
Praised as “passionate and elegant” by The New York Times, cellist Amy Sue
Barston has performed as soloist on stages throughout the world, including Carnegie
Hall, Ravinia, Caramoor, Bargemusic, Haan Hall (Jerusalem), The Power House
(Australia), and Prussia Cove (England).
She has performed Osvaldo Golijov’s Omaramor in twenty international cities, receiving
twenty consecutive standing ovations. Of the world premiere of Ned Rorem’s Aftermath
at Ravinia, The Chicago Sun-Times wrote: “the deep, rich tones of Barston’s cello
haunted the vocal line like a sorrowing vision.” At seventeen she appeared as soloist with
the Chicago Symphony on live television, won Grand Prize in the Society of American
Musicians’ Competition, and has since performed as soloist with dozens of orchestras.
Recently she gave thirty solo recitals and masterclasses, spanning from New York to
New Zealand. Amy is the cellist of The Corigliano Quartet, which was hailed by Strad
Magazine as having “abundant commitment and mastery,” and whose Naxos CD was
named one of the top two recordings of the year by both the NewYorker and Gramophone
Magazine. Amy studied with Eleonore Schoenfeld at USC where she won the “Most
Outstanding Graduate Award,” and Joel Krosnick at Juilliard, where she earned her
Masters Degree. Amy is a devoted teacher, in her home and at Juilliard. Students
commute hundreds of miles for lessons and occasionally come from as far as Alaska and
Japan.
Co-Artistic Director Kevin Kumar
Kevin Kumar has been a violin soloist with orchestras like the Los Angeles
Philharmonic and guest concertmaster of orchestras on the U.S. West Coast and around
Europe. His true love is chamber music, which he has performed around the world. He is
also a studio musician on Hollywood movies, tv shows, and albums.
Kevin’s aim as an artist is to be a springboard for listeners and musicians to jump away
from old patterns and into a universe that vibrates with wonder. He benefited from a
supportive family as well as amazing teachers and colleagues, which led him to
understand that building community is just as important as individual artistic excellence.
For that reason, he co-founded and co-directs a non-profit organization in Los Angeles
called Salastina (salastina.org).
Kevin is a graduate of Stanford and attended USC, Manhattan School of Music, and
Columbia University. During the long time off he took to recover from an injury, he was
a songwriter/producer for major label pop artists in East Asia. He’s based in Southern
California, where he lives with his wife and dotes on his young kids.
Kevin feels grateful for getting to know this wonderful community while being the coartistic
director of ChamberFest Canandaigua these many years.
Tickets go on sale April 1 at www.chamberfestcanandaigua.com.
More details can be found on Facebook under “ChamberFest Canandaigua”. With media
inquiries or for additional information, contact Aimee Ward at
ChamberFest14424@gmail.com.
Founded in 2004, ChamberFest Canandaigua (formerly Canandaigua LakeMusic
Festival) is dedicated to introducing new audiences to classical music through live
concert performances and educational projects###