New Bern things to do

The Carolina Chamber Music Festival has announced details of its seventh annual season, September 10-19, in historic downtown New Bern, N.C. Founded and directed by harpist Anna Reinersman and cellist Jennifer Lucht – the latter a Greenville, N.C., native – the Carolina Chamber Music Festival will present five varied and interactive programs in locations throughout downtown New Bern. The 2009 Carolina Chamber Music Festival features a lineup of world-class musicians who appear internationally as soloists and are affiliated with leading ensembles including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Saint Louis Symphony, and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. The Festival offers a variety of programs aimed at creating an up-close-and-personal concert experience. With something for everyone – from a celebration of French Impressionism to music of Brahms and beyond– Festival concerts are paired with interactive, entertaining functions including post-concert “Meet the Artists” receptions, pre-concert discussions, and informal question-and-answer sessions with the artists. The Festival opens with Classical Lunch (Thursday, September 10), a one-hour noontime event of light classical selections performed by the dynamic Calyx Piano Trio. Audiences are invited to enjoy the event from standard audience seating, or bring a lunch to enjoy at table seating. The Festival continues with Calyx and Friends (Saturday, September 12). Scott Andrews, Principal Clarinetist of the St. Louis Symphony joins the Calyx Piano Trio in an evening of classical masterpieces including Bartok’s Contrasts and Brahms’ Trio in C Major. CCMF is also pleased to feature CCMF artists including North Carolina’s own Chris Nappi, percussionist, performing alongside local student musicians in the Festive Family Concert (Sunday, September 13). The following week, the Festival is thrilled to present newcomer Shea Scruggs, Assistant Principal Oboist of the Baltimore Symphony, alongside returning musicians violinist Catherine French, pianist/violinist Melvin Chen, violist Amadi Akiziwe, cellist Jennifer Lucht, mezzo-soprano Eve Gigliotti, and harpist Anna Reinersman. Faure After Work (Thursday, September 17) celebrates the music of French Impressionist composer Gabriel Faure. The concert begins with a series of short character pieces performed on oboe, voice, and harp, followed by Faure’s celebrated Piano Quartet in C Minor. Host Finley Woolston of Public Radio East will be on hand to provide entertaining insight into the music and life of this colorful French composer. The Carolina Chamber Music Festival concludes with its annual Festival Finale Concert (Saturday, September 19) featuring Mozart’s popular Oboe Quartet, Smetana’s stirring String Quartet “From My Life”, and the world premiere of Ghost Train, a dramatic new work for mezzo-soprano, harp, oboe and strings written especially for the Festival by Composer In Residence Paul Crabtree. TICKET INFORMATION
· Individual tickets for the Carolina Chamber Music Festival’s Calyx and Friends concert on Saturday September 12 and Finale concert on Saturday September 19 are priced at $20 general admission and $15 student/senior. · Tickets for Classical Lunch on Thursday September 10 are $10 general admission · Tickets for the Faure After Work event on Thursday September 17 are general admission at $20 – space is limited for this popular event and advance ticket purchase is recommended. · Admission to the Festive Family Concert on Sunday September 13 is free. · A three-concert Festival Pass covering admission to Calyx and Friends, Faure After Work, and the Festival Finale is available for a reduced price of $50 general admission and $40 student/senior. · The Carolina Chamber Music Festival free Family Audiences Program offers free admission for children (17 and under) and accompanying adults for concerts on Saturday September 12 and Saturday September 19. Look for coupons in the community or contact the Festival for tickets. To order tickets for the seventh annual Carolina Chamber Music Festival, please call 252-626-5419 or visit www.carolinachambermusic.org . Tickets are also available for purchase by cash, check, or credit card in New Bern at the Bank of the Arts. Tickets will also be available (cash or check sale only) on the day of each event at the door. For more information on the Carolina Chamber Music Festival, or to learn more about supporting the Festival through a donation, volunteering, or the Family Patron Program, please contact CCMF at 252-626-5419 or visit CCMF online at www.carolinachambermusic.org .