The Jacobs School of Music kicks off its Summer Music series Wednesday, June 13 with a jazz faculty concert, "Birth of the Cool." For the following six weeks, the summer series offers concerts, recitals and workshops nearly every single day. The summer music program is one of the most active collegiate programs in the country, which means that the fun doesn't stop just because the school year has ended.
Festival Orchestra
The summer orchestra features distinguished faculty members and guest musicians from orchestras around the US alongside students of the Jacobs School of Music. The virtuosic ensemble will welcome three guest conductors this summer; Matthias Pintscher, Roberto Abbado, Carlos Kalmar. Having three conductors provides three concerts with different interpretive flavor and programmatic qualities. Pintscher conducts the orchestra Friday, June 15. The program includes Stravinsky's Petrushka and Beethoven's fifth Symphony - both monumental pieces of the classical repertoire. Abbado, conducting on June 29th, leads the Festival in Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra and Rachmaninoff's energetic Symphonic Dances. Kalmar's program on July 13 will include Brahm's Symphony no. 2 and pieces by Dvorak and Rossini.
Four visiting quartets present complete Beethoven string quartets
Fans of chamber music can look forward to the interesting offering of all sixteen of Beethoven's string quartets offered in six concerts by visiting quartets; the Shanghai Quartet, Cecilia Quartet, Penderecki Quartet, and the Afiari Quartet. Each concert will include quartets from different periods in Beethoven's career, meaning that concertgoers will have the opportunity to hear side by side the styles of a younger Beethoven demonstrating his mastery of the genre, and the older Beethoven taking risks and developing in his music a romantic language.
Summer Band
Taking advantage of summer nights, the department of bands presents the popular summer band concerts on the lawn of the Musical Arts Center. The programs include popular favorites, marches, and excerpts from the classics.