The NWMF has reached an important milestone: 2016 is the 20th anniversary year of our first concert performance. To commemorate this pivotal achievement, we are pleased to present a special anniversary season of events that we hope that you all will plan to participate in.
We are delighted to have four talented past NWMF conductors joining us to lead a special series of reading sessions this summer: Alexei Girsh, Roupen Shakarian, Adam Stern, and Joseph Pollard White. We have been privileged to have had a long association with each of these individuals, many of whom were with the Festival at its earliest beginnings, and look forward to an exciting series of reading sessions listed below:
- Monday June 20th: Adam Stern (Antheil Symphony #4)
- Wednesday June 22: Alexei Girsh (Rachmaninoff Isle of the Dead)
- Tuesday June 28th : Roupen Shakarian (Rachmaninoff Symphony #3)
- Thursday June 30th: Joseph Pollard White (Vaughan Williams Symphony #2)
All reading sessions will take place from 7-10 PM at Lake City Presbyterian Church.
For the 20th gala anniversary concert in July we are delighted to welcome back longtime NWMF luminary and current Acting Music Director Eric Hanson, will who lead Wagner’s Prelude to Act III of Lohengrin and selections from Mahler’s Das Knaben Wunderhorn, featuring renowned mezzo-soprano and repeat Festival performer Katie Weld as vocal soloist. We also welcome back NWMF’s former Music Director and current Music Director Emeritus Geoffrey Simon, who along with past NWMF Chorus master Gary Cannon, will lead the concert’s finale performance of Mahler’s 3rd Symphony. The 20th anniversary gala concert will take place at 3 PM on Sunday, July 17 at the First Free Methodist Church in Queen Anne, with rehearsals running from July 7-16th.
Over the past 20 years, the NWMF has been a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization open to all qualified participants free of charge. Donations to cover the costs of making this incredible music happen are gratefully accepted.
Reading sessions are open to all interested musicians with no parts assigned and rotation within the wind sections strongly encouraged. For the July gala anniversary concert, parts will be assigned along with appointed principals in all sections. Further information about reading session and concert registration, rehearsal details, directions/maps for reading and concert venues, concert seating policies, auditions for principal concert positions, donations, and more history about the Festival can be found on the newly revised website at www.nwmahlerfestival.org.
We hope that you are as excited as we are for this special anniversary season. In addition to welcoming new musicians to the festival this summer, we’d love to bring back as many as possible of the hundreds of musicians who have participated over the 20 -year history of the Festival to take part in this landmark season.
We look forward to seeing you all this year.
