2011 Summer Festival: American Voices
Barber at Menard Hall – Saturday, May 28, 2011, 7:30 PM
Samuel Barber’s famous song setting of James Agee’s Knoxville Summer 1915 describes a summer evening in a small-town, southern neighborhood. The 1828 Menard House and recently completed Menard Hall are the perfect setting to here Barber’s uniquely American voice. Join us for an opening night celebration, with socializing and and refreshments in shade of the Menard Houses beautiful live oaks and elegant gazebo. Through Barber’s enchanting harmonies and nostalgic melodies, be transported to the lazy, southern summer evenings of turn of the century Galveston. This concert features an incredible ensemble accomplished performers, including international opera star Cynthia Clayton and Restoration Chamber Music Artistic Directors, Brinton Averil Smith and Evelyn Chen.
Gershwin at the Garten Verein - Friday, June 3, 2011, 7:30 PM
In 1928 George Gershwin, the famous American composer of popular songs, requested music lessons from Maurice Ravel, the celebrated French composer of “classical” opera, orchestral tone poems, and chamber music. Ravel joked that he should take lessons from Gershwin instead, knowing how wealthy Gershwin had become, writing music for “Tin-Pan Alley” and the “Follies.” In the first decades of the twentieth century, American popular music captured the imagination of the whole world, including the most sophisticated European composers of “art music.” Join us in historic 1880 Garten Verein dance pavilion for a concert of George Gershwin favorites plus a masterpiece by Maurice Ravel inspired by the “American sound.”
Jazz at the Texas Seaport Museum - Saturday, June 18, 2011, 7:30 PM
The Texas Seaport Museum honors Galveston’s important history as an American coastal gateway. It is the perfect setting to culminate our summer festival with a concert focused on America’s most significant artistic export - Jazz. Jazz is our nation’s truly original and authentic music dialect. With it’s emphasis on free expression and collaboration, jazz reflects America’s cherished ideals, and the African American stars of jazz history are heroes of our nation’s continuing struggle to grant all people equal rights. Come enjoy Restoration Chamber Music’s Juneteenth celebration, with cool gulf breezes, champaign, lemonade, and lively, fun music, presented in the shadow of the famous 1877 tall ship Elissa.
The Galveston Historical Foundation presents:
Restoration Chamber Music, Galveston
Evelyn Chen | Evan Leslie | Brinton Averil Smith, Directors
-
Restoration Chamber Music, an ensemble of many of our region’s most creative and accomplished musicians, offers Galveston a summer chamber music festival to celebrate our city’s inspiring heritage and fascinating history. Restoration Chamber Music concerts always feature an adventurous and eclectic collection of music masterpieces, thoughtfully presented to celebrate the special character and heritage of Galveston’s many nationally renowned historic sites. Our intimate, friendly concerts, each lasting about an hour, allow music and history lovers a rare opportunity to experience world class performances in some of the most inspiring settings Texas has to offer. Join us!
-
Each winter and spring, Restoration Chamber Music presents a series of special concerts, offered exclusively to our strongest supporters. Restoration Camerata visits historic sites too small to host large crowds. Camerata performances are exceptionally intimate, allowing concert goers to visit with musicians and historians up close. Click here to learn more.