Non Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit #44 Moab, Utah 84532 58 East 300 South Moab, UT 84532 (435) 259-7003 fax:(435) 259-7044 16th Season Aug 28 -Sep 13 Michael Barrett, Music Director Leslie Tomkins, Artistic Director Enjoy the Festival Video Online at www.moabmusicfest.org Volume 11, Number 2, Fall 2007 Moab Music Festival Newsletter Festival Honored By Utah Governor On Wednesday, September 19, the Festival received a Utah E-mail Governor’s Mansion Artist Award. Three times each year, Governor Jon and First Lady Mary Kaye Huntsman honor a performing artist or group, or Snail Mail? together with a visual artist and a culinary artist, taking the opportunity to celebrate Utah’s diversity of artistic expression and the beautiful restoration The Festival is in the process of the Kearns Mansion. Violinist Tim Fain joined Michael Barrett and Leslie of updating our database. Tomkins to entertain guests with Zimmerli’s A stream than all more strong If you prefer to receive for solo violin, Elgar’s Salut D’amour for viola and piano and Allegro from future newsletters and other Mozart’s Duo for communications via e-mail, violin and viola K. please let us know at: 423, in G-Major. One of Utah’s [email protected] “first daughters,” pianist Mary Ann Huntsman, Extra Space joined Michael in a performance Artistic Director Leslie Tomkins receives the MMF’s Governor’s in Moab? of Brazileira, Mansion Artist Award from First Lady Mary Kaye Huntsman as from Milhaud’s Music Director Michael Barrett and Governor Jon Huntsman Mary Ann Huntsman and Michael Barrett heat up the Ballroom Scaramouche for look on. Please consider opening your with Darius Milhaud’s Scaramouche. home or condo for visiting art- two pianos. ists and their families between students, who clapped, shouted and joined in on maracas, were th the dates of August 26 and Artist-in-Residence & encouraged to bring their families to the free Sonidos Latinos th September 14 , 2008. E-mail Family Concert in Swanny Park on September 8. the Festival office or call (435) Assembly Program Touches Middle and High School students enjoyed assemblies 259-7003 for more info. with the PhilharMoab- a 20-piece chamber orchestra-as-football- Entire Community team. “Coach” Michael Barrett (joined by two students as “sub” conductors), demonstrated how leadership and teamwork results The Festival’s Artist-in- in a “winning” performance. Residence and School Assembly Artist-in-Residence Christopher Layer also had a programs remained in full swing in busy schedule this Photo Credits the second half of 2007. Beginning summer. Arriving early in August, the Festival brought in Moab on August new artists to Moab and with them 9, he rehearsed the new opportunities for members of our Page 1: Utah Governor’s Moab Community Community, young and old, to enjoy Award-Bart Olsen; Program Dance Band for and learn about music. Touches Entire Community- their appearance at Jamie Bernstein joined Marco Andrew Yarosh, Erik Jorgensen. the Rocky Mountain Granados and his group of outstanding Page 2: Neal Herbert. Page 3: Power Family Picnic Latin jazz musicians to share Sonidos Neal Herbert. Elena Pinderhughes and Labor Day concert Latinos, music from Latin America, to Jackeline Rago jam center in Old City Park, as assemblies at Red Rock Elementary Christopher Layer charms students and teachers at stage at the free Swanny the Moab Charter School with his flute. well as at a contra Park Sonidos Latinos and Helen M. Knight Schools. The continued on page 4 Music Director’s Minute Our 15th Festival was so gratifying as Leslie and I America. Paquito calls it “Chamber Jazz”, but I think it is better enjoyed all the different events and reveled in the growing sense described as “classical-folk-Afro-Cuban, patrician, boom-boom of community, both local and imported. Looking ahead to next chamber jazz”. In other words, you never know what to expect, year, we have exciting things to announce now, with many, many but the music will be soulful, rhythmic, danceable and stunningly more to share with you as they performed. become definite; so, check our We look forward to website www.moabmusicfest.org performing in the renovated (and regularly for the latest news. air conditioned) Star Hall, and William Bolcom, one plan to continue our signature of America’s most important Colorado River Benefit Concerts, living composers, will be our our tent concerts at Red Cliffs Composer-in-Residence. Opera Adventure Lodge, Sorrell River lovers know Bolcom from his Ranch, and other striking settings operas, which have been heard in the landscape. In addition, at the Chicago Lyric and the we are working with one of our Metropolitan Operas. Bill and sponsors to present an amazing his amazing wife, the mezzo- opening “extravaganza”. So stay soprano Joan Morris, have tuned, and make your plans now been the primary exponents of to be in Moab next summer! American popular song over the We are also hard at work past three decades. Composers Over 460 music lovers enjoyed the Pavilion at Sorrell River Ranch during planning our Colorado Highland Hootenanny. Derek Bermel and John Musto, River Musical Adventure disciples of Bolcom, will also join for June 15-19, 2008. So, us as both composers and performers for a Festival chock-full of if you’ve never experienced this unique blend of river, the best in American chamber music. landscape and music, consider joining us for this We hope to have Paquito D’Rivera back with his special unforgettable experience next year. blend of music which ranges from Cuba through all of Latin Memory Sketches from the Moab Music Festival Pencil Pushers The Moab Music Festival 15th Anniversary was special in to witness music which doesn’t immediately so many ways. Festival veterans had the opportunity to re-connect bring to mind some other music, when you with our unique blend of music in concert with the landscape, but cannot directly discern the lineage or tradition the Festival was entirely new for the Staff. Andrew E. Yarosh, it is born from, when the music seems to be an Executive Director; Briana Ratterman, Administrative/Box amalgamation of the history of ideas, a summit not yet explored Office Manager; and Erik Jorgensen, Festival Assistant were by art. This was the pervading feeling I had listening to 2 Foot all “newbies” who had never been to even one concert before Yard. These three musicians, all eclectic as their music, brought this August. Thanks to the great foundations that were built sounds from a violin, cello, and drum kit that I previously thought before their arrival, these three new additions were able to join impossible. Balancing the poetic and the political, it was far Director of Operations, Rex Holman and a dedicated cadre of beyond any existing “ism.” If the music seemed at times difficult experienced Festival “family” to keep things running, while being to listen to, this only adds to the sublimity of it, like a mountain able to stop and breathe just enough to take in the remarkable that is both terrifying and beautiful. Sometimes I try to imagine moments around them. opening night of Le Sacre, half the audience in bliss, half in a Here are some favorite memories from these Festival rage. It’s the type of concert you think isn’t possible anymore, newcomers: and yet there was an element of this awakening that night when 2 Foot Yard played on September 7th. It was music evoking not Andrew : Brahms’ Op. 40 Trio for violin, French Horn and piano just a passive listening experience, but a real reaction, almost has always been one of my favorite compositions of Romantic visceral, definitely palpable, as music should always be heard, as Festival Staff chamber music. Having experienced the unique acoustics of art should always be made. the Grotto on the 2007 Colorado River Musical Adventure Raft Trip, I knew that the August 30 performance of the Horn Trio Briana: Being immersed in music and landscape for weeks, Michael Barrett with Jennifer Frautschi, Erik Ruske and Eric Zivian would be a conjured a longing that provoked me to step outside the norm, Music Director special experience. The first two movements were delightful, but to be altered in some way. This inspired me to realize my own what transpired as Eric Zivian began the third movement was a music in the landscape. Joining a percussionist and a violinist Leslie Tomkins moment of musical transcendence. Eric, with stunning courage, to play accordion in the wetlands preserve until two a.m. took Artistic Director that longing from a murmur to an absolute buzz. And then at Onion Creek’s From Russia with Love concert, the buzz became Andrew E. Yarosh electrifying when I was struck by what was flowing from within Executive Director the tent. Backstage, with the Fisher Towers as my backdrop, I peeked through the tent flap to see Ilya Poletaev alone on the Rex Holman stage with the piano. The heartfelt melody he was playing was Operations Director mesmerizing, uniting whim with rare simplicity that triggered a barrage of emotions and images just barely held together by my Briana Ratterman stillness. I had no idea what it was—being a surprise addition in Administrative Manager the program—but I understood it, or maybe it understood me. Ilya later told me what he had played—Nicolai Medtner’s Skaski, Erik Jorgensen or Fairy Tales. Our wetlands preserve trio was stirred again to Festival Assistant play that night. Sometimes something is shaken in us, and we lose track of time and language, and music becomes the only thing that makes sense.