Unbound Chamber Music Fest gears up for lucky 13

Musicians may well be the ultimate multi-taskers, especially those who participate in the myriad summer festivals that accent beautiful locations around the world.

They perform, they teach, they coach, all the while reveling in the music and the surroundings. Mammoth Lakes provides a breathtaking setting and appreciative audiences for the Unbound Chamber Music Festival.

“This festival is truly magical,” says festival supporter Kate Page. “Amazing professional musicians come to Mammoth and joyfully entertain us, and they get great pleasure from playing together. We’re the lucky recipients of their talent and passion.”

This summer marks the 13th festival since its organizers, Rebecca Hang and Brian Schuldt brought the Felici Piano Trio to town as its ensemble-in- esidence.

“How amazed I am every summer to see musicians in Mammoth of this incredible caliber. I feel profoundly lucky to be able to hear and see these performances without having to travel for 5 or 10 hours,” said festival patron Julie Yost.

This summer the festival sets sail on a musical cruise that visits a variety of musical ports and times—traveling the world without packing a single suitcase, as Rebecca called it.

Of the 24 works to be performed between July 22 and Aug. 7, 14 of them are new to the festival. Concerts are held Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights at 7:30 at Cerro Coso College.

Each concert hits a different compass point, starting with “All Aboard!” featuring African-American composer William Grant Still’s lighthearted and exotic work “Danzas de Panama” before venturing to Europe for music by Schubert and Fauré.

Friday, July 24, it’s “The Russia House,” a wave-rolling evening of Sharposhnikov, Shostakovich and Gliere’s musical perspectives.

“Coming to America” lands on these shores (July 27) with Dvorak’s “American Quartet,” a wild selection of cello ensemble music and living composer John Harbison’s deeply inspired Piano Quintet.

A “Passport to Paris” (July 29) offers music by Ibert, Debussy and Dubois, and the chance to hear exquisite instrumental coloring.

The mystery of “Nordic Lights” brings illuminating works by Norwegian Christian Sinding and Finnish composers Crusell and Sibelius (July 31).

The whimsical spirit of the “Romantic Rhine” comes alive with works by Schumann, Brahams and Scharwenka (Aug. 3), and then basks “Under the Tuscan Sun” (Aug. 5) with Handel, Boccherini, Locatelli and Tchaikovsky.

The final concert of the 2015 summer festival season is “So Long, Farewell” on Aug. 7. It’s a real celebration of the chamber music repertoire, with Mozart’s Sonata for Piano and Violin K. 454, Dvorak’s Slavonic Dances for Piano Four Hands, and the monumental Octet for Strings by Mendelssohn.

In addition to the concerts are the Unbound Summer Music Courses—Sierra Academy of music, an intensive two-week academy for string players and pianists aged 14-26; SAM’s Prep Program, a musical day camp for young musicians 12-16; and Sierra Chamber Ensemble Workshop for adult amateur musicians.

In her signature ebullience Rebecca Hang champions the 35 students who are coming to this year’s academy. Students come from China, France, Canada and Puerto Rico and are taught by festival guest artists. These academy musicians perform in two free Saturday concerts: July 25 and July 31 at 10 a.m.

For those who enjoy a more intimate look at classical music and wonder how it’s practiced and refined, daily masterclasses feature students performing a rehearsed piece and receive coaching from faculty artists. Masterclasses are Monday through Thursday, July 20-30 at 3:30 p.m. at Cerro Coso.

Mammoth audiences flock to festival concerts to see and hear their favorite artists, a family of musicians that include the consummate violinist Corey Cerovsek. He is joined by violinists Lina Bahn, Tereza Stanslav, Guillaume Sutre and Nokuthula Ngwenyama. Violists Robert Brophy and Amadi Azikiwe, and cellists Mark Kosower, Thomas Loewenheim and Emilio Colon round out the strings. The Felici Trio’s pianist Steven Vanhauwaert is one of five pianists including Jee-Won Oh and Ming Tsu. Special guests are the oboist Rong-Huey Liu and harpist Kyunghee Kim-Sutre.

These are just a few of the exceptional artists who participate in the Unbound Chamer Music Festival. Check out the rest, see the repertoire, read the bios and buy tickets at  chambermusicunbound.org. Tickets are also available at the Booky Joint and at the door concert nights after 6:45.