Close Encounters With Music

Cello Master Class with Jeffrey Zeigler
2023-07-24 14:00 - 15:30 (America/New_York) | Berkshire School, 245 N Undermountain Rd, Sheffield, MA, 01201, United States
This Berkshire High Peaks Festival Cello Master Class on Monday, July 24 at 2:00pm is presented by Jeffrey Zeigler of Frost School of Music. Read full biography here.

Berkshire High Peaks Festival master classes, talks, and Moonlight Sonatas concerts are free and open to the public and take place at Berkshire School in Sheffield, Massachusetts (unless otherwise noted).
At the core of the festival are 50 international students of exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment who gather for intensive study, are coached as part of performing ensembles, and enjoy discussions and workshops by prominent composers, renowned pedagogues, and notable figures in the music world as they prepare for professional lives.
This year’s theme is “Pathways.” At a time when the music business is fraught with uncertainties and career paths aren’t as prescribed and predictable as previously, faculty will give a series of presentations about how they found their individual places in the music world. All concerts, master classes, and talks will be open and free to the public. Central to the festival’s mission are performance opportunities for young artists on the cusp of their careers.
The intimate scale and highest level of talent make possible an invigorating ten days of discovery, exploration, bonding, and growth. The festival has an all-inclusive atmosphere, fostering camaraderie and cross-cultural exchange and understanding. The faculty is similarly international.

Master Class: "The Acting Singer" with Jay Lesenger
2023-07-24 16:00 - 17:30 | Berkshire School, 245 N Undermountain Rd, Sheffield, MA, 01201, United States
This Berkshire High Peaks Festival opera master class, “The Acting Singer” is on Monday, July 24 at 4pm is presented by Jay Lesenger, former artistic director of the Chautauqua Opera Company. Witness brilliant musical and psychological insight into operatic roles as he works with vocalists. Read biography here.

Berkshire High Peaks Festival master classes, talks, and Moonlight Sonatas concerts are free and open to the public and take place at Berkshire School in Sheffield, Massachusetts (unless otherwise noted).
At the core of the festival are 50 international students of exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment who gather for intensive study, are coached as part of performing ensembles, and enjoy discussions and workshops by prominent composers, renowned pedagogues, and notable figures in the music world as they prepare for professional lives.
This year’s theme is “Pathways.” At a time when the music business is fraught with uncertainties and career paths aren’t as prescribed and predictable as previously, faculty will give a series of presentations about how they found their individual places in the music world. All concerts, master classes, and talks will be open and free to the public. Central to the festival’s mission are performance opportunities for young artists on the cusp of their careers.
The intimate scale and highest level of talent make possible an invigorating ten days of discovery, exploration, bonding, and growth. The festival has an all-inclusive atmosphere, fostering camaraderie and cross-cultural exchange and understanding. The faculty is similarly international.

Moonlight Sonatas Concert
2023-07-24 19:30 - 21:00 | Berkshire School, 245 N Undermountain Rd, Sheffield, MA, 01201, United States
This Berkshire High Peaks Festival Moonlight Sonatas concert on Monday, July 24 at 7:30pm is at Berkshire School in Sheffield, Massachusetts. The concert features performances by BHPF students.

Berkshire High Peaks Festival master classes, talks, and Moonlight Sonatas concerts are free and open to the public and take place at Berkshire School in Sheffield, Massachusetts (unless otherwise noted).
At the core of the festival are 50 international students of exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment who gather for intensive study, are coached as part of performing ensembles, and enjoy discussions and workshops by prominent composers, renowned pedagogues, and notable figures in the music world as they prepare for professional lives.
This year’s theme is “Pathways.” At a time when the music business is fraught with uncertainties and career paths aren’t as prescribed and predictable as previously, faculty will give a series of presentations about how they found their individual places in the music world. All concerts, master classes, and talks will be open and free to the public. Central to the festival’s mission are performance opportunities for young artists on the cusp of their careers.
The intimate scale and highest level of talent make possible an invigorating ten days of discovery, exploration, bonding, and growth. The festival has an all-inclusive atmosphere, fostering camaraderie and cross-cultural exchange and understanding. The faculty is similarly international.

Piano Master Class with Alexander Shtarkman
2023-07-25 14:00 - 15:30 | Berkshire School, 245 N Undermountain Rd, Sheffield, MA, 01201, United States
This Berkshire High Peaks Festival Master Class on Sunday, July 25 at 2:00pm is presented by Alexander Shtarkman of Peabody Conservatory. Read full biography here.

Berkshire High Peaks Festival master classes, talks, and Moonlight Sonatas concerts are free and open to the public and take place at Berkshire School in Sheffield, Massachusetts (unless otherwise noted).
At the core of the festival are 50 international students of exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment who gather for intensive study, are coached as part of performing ensembles, and enjoy discussions and workshops by prominent composers, renowned pedagogues, and notable figures in the music world as they prepare for professional lives.
This year’s theme is “Pathways.” At a time when the music business is fraught with uncertainties and career paths aren’t as prescribed and predictable as previously, faculty will give a series of presentations about how they found their individual places in the music world. All concerts, master classes, and talks will be open and free to the public. Central to the festival’s mission are performance opportunities for young artists on the cusp of their careers.
The intimate scale and highest level of talent make possible an invigorating ten days of discovery, exploration, bonding, and growth. The festival has an all-inclusive atmosphere, fostering camaraderie and cross-cultural exchange and understanding. The faculty is similarly international.

Cello Master Class with Diego Fainguersch
2023-07-25 16:00 - 17:30 | Berkshire School, 245 N Undermountain Rd, Sheffield, MA, 01201, United States
This Berkshire High Peaks Festival Cello Master Class on Sunday, July 25 at 4:00pm is presented by Diego Fainguersch of the Institute of Art at the Teatro Colon. Read full biography here.
Berkshire High Peaks Festival master classes, talks, and Moonlight Sonatas concerts are free and open to the public and take place at Berkshire School in Sheffield, Massachusetts (unless otherwise noted).
At the core of the festival are 50 international students of exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment who gather for intensive study, are coached as part of performing ensembles, and enjoy discussions and workshops by prominent composers, renowned pedagogues, and notable figures in the music world as they prepare for professional lives.
This year’s theme is “Pathways.” At a time when the music business is fraught with uncertainties and career paths aren’t as prescribed and predictable as previously, faculty will give a series of presentations about how they found their individual places in the music world. All concerts, master classes, and talks will be open and free to the public. Central to the festival’s mission are performance opportunities for young artists on the cusp of their careers.
The intimate scale and highest level of talent make possible an invigorating ten days of discovery, exploration, bonding, and growth. The festival has an all-inclusive atmosphere, fostering camaraderie and cross-cultural exchange and understanding. The faculty is similarly international.

Moonlight Sonatas Faculty Concert
2023-07-25 19:30 - 21:00 | Berkshire School, 245 N Undermountain Rd, Sheffield, MA, 01201, United States
This Berkshire High Peaks Festival Moonlight Sonatas concert on Tuesday, July 25 at 7:30pm is at Berkshire School in Sheffield, Massachusetts features BHPF faculty. See faculty bios here.
The concert showcases the brilliant guest artists who share their experience and inspire a new generation of performers during the eleven-day festival. Pianists Alexander Shtarkman performs works by Ravel and Debussy; Gila Goldstein presents Chopin’s Prelude in C sharp minor, op. 45 and Polonaise-Fantasy in A flat major, Op. 61; and Ching-Yi Lin plays Bach/Rachmaninoff’s Partita No. 3 BWV1006. Artistic director Yehuda Hanani will play Dvorak’s Rondo for cello and piano. Soprano Danielle Talamantes and baritone Kerry Wilkerson present arias from Mozart operas and gems from the American Songbook. The program culminates with 9 festival cellists joining Ms. Talamantes in the rapturous Bachianas Brasileiras by Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos.
“We are committed to bringing the very best artists and leading pedagogues to continue this musical tradition, here in the breathtaking environment that inspired generations of writers, artists and musicians,” says Hanani.
Guest faculty and performers include violinists Peter Zazofsky, first prize winner of the Queen Elizabeth of Belgium Competition and Hye-Jin Kim, first prize winner at the Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition at the age of nineteen; Metropolitan Opera soprano Danielle Talamantes, George Mason University baritone Kerry Wilkerson and opera director and conductor Jay Lesenger (who directed John Corigliano’s Ghosts of Versailles at Glimmerglass Opera in Cooperstown); pianists Alexander Shtarkman, a Van Cliburn Competition winner and Gila Goldstein, director of piano studies at Brown University; cellists Jeffrey Zeigler (former member of the renowned Kronos Quartet), Diego Fainguersch, first cellist of the Buenos Aires Philharmonic, Ross Harbaugh, member of the Bergonzi String Quartet, and Yehuda Hanani.
Berkshire High Peaks Festival master classes, talks, and Moonlight Sonatas concerts are free and open to the public and take place at Berkshire School in Sheffield, Massachusetts (unless otherwise noted).
At the core of the festival are 50 international students of exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment who gather for intensive study, are coached as part of performing ensembles and enjoy discussions and workshops by prominent composers, renowned pedagogues, and notable figures in the music world as they prepare for professional lives.
This year’s theme is “Pathways.” At a time when the music business is fraught with uncertainties and career paths aren’t as prescribed and predictable as previously, faculty will give a series of talks about how they found their individual places in the music world. All concerts, master classes, and talks will be open and free to the public. Central to the festival’s mission are performance opportunities for young artists on the cusp of their careers.
The Berkshire High Peaks Festival is a performing and teaching summer institute that brings together renowned musicians, pedagogues, and exceptionally gifted international students, normally held in the cultural hub of the southern Berkshires. The intimate scale and highest level of talent make possible an invigorating ten days of discovery, exploration, bonding, and growth. The festival has an all-inclusive atmosphere, fostering camaraderie and cross-cultural exchange and understanding. The faculty is similarly international.
See the full schedule here.

Cello Master Class with Ross Harbaugh
2023-07-26 14:00 - 15:30 | Berkshire School, 245 N Undermountain Rd, Sheffield, MA, 01201, United States
This Berkshire High Peaks Festival Cello Master Class on Wednesday, July 26 at 2:00pm is presented by Ross Harbaugh of the Frost School of Music. Read full biography here.
Berkshire High Peaks Festival master classes, talks, and Moonlight Sonatas concerts are free and open to the public and take place at Berkshire School in Sheffield, Massachusetts (unless otherwise noted).
At the core of the festival are 50 international students of exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment who gather for intensive study, are coached as part of performing ensembles and enjoy discussions and workshops by prominent composers, renowned pedagogues, and notable figures in the music world as they prepare for professional lives.
This year’s theme is “Pathways.” At a time when the music business is fraught with uncertainties and career paths aren’t as prescribed and predictable as previously, faculty will give a series of talks about how they found their individual places in the music world. All concerts, master classes, and talks will be open and free to the public. Central to the festival’s mission are performance opportunities for young artists on the cusp of their careers.
The Berkshire High Peaks Festival is a performing and teaching summer institute that brings together renowned musicians, pedagogues, and exceptionally gifted international students, normally held in the cultural hub of the southern Berkshires. The intimate scale and highest level of talent make possible an invigorating ten days of discovery, exploration, bonding, and growth. The festival has an all-inclusive atmosphere, fostering camaraderie and cross-cultural exchange and understanding. The faculty is similarly international.

Violin Master Class with Hye-Jin Kim
2023-07-26 16:00 - 17:30 | Berkshire School, 245 N Undermountain Rd, Sheffield, MA, 01201, United States
This Berkshire High Peaks Festival Violin Master Class on Wednesday, July 26 at 4:00pm is presented by Hye-Jin Kim of East Carolina University School of Music. Read full biography here.

Berkshire High Peaks Festival master classes, talks, and Moonlight Sonatas concerts are free and open to the public and take place at Berkshire School in Sheffield, Massachusetts (unless otherwise noted).
At the core of the festival are 50 international students of exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment who gather for intensive study, are coached as part of performing ensembles, and enjoy discussions and workshops by prominent composers, renowned pedagogues, and notable figures in the music world as they prepare for professional lives.
This year’s theme is “Pathways.” At a time when the music business is fraught with uncertainties and career paths aren’t as prescribed and predictable as previously, faculty will give a series of presentations about how they found their individual places in the music world. All concerts, master classes, and talks will be open and free to the public. Central to the festival’s mission are performance opportunities for young artists on the cusp of their careers.
The intimate scale and highest level of talent make possible an invigorating ten days of discovery, exploration, bonding, and growth. The festival has an all-inclusive atmosphere, fostering camaraderie and cross-cultural exchange and understanding. The faculty is similarly international.

Moonlight Sonatas Concert IV
2023-07-26 19:30 - 21:00 | Berkshire School, 245 N Undermountain Rd, Sheffield, MA, 01201, United States
This Berkshire High Peaks Festival Moonlight Sonatas concert on Wednesday, July 26 at 7:30pm is at Berkshire School in Sheffield, Massachusetts. The concert features performances by BHPF students.

Berkshire High Peaks Festival master classes, talks, and Moonlight Sonatas concerts are free and open to the public and take place at Berkshire School in Sheffield, Massachusetts (unless otherwise noted).
At the core of the festival are 50 international students of exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment who gather for intensive study, are coached as part of performing ensembles, and enjoy discussions and workshops by prominent composers, renowned pedagogues, and notable figures in the music world as they prepare for professional lives.
This year’s theme is “Pathways.” At a time when the music business is fraught with uncertainties and career paths aren’t as prescribed and predictable as previously, faculty will give a series of presentations about how they found their individual places in the music world. All concerts, master classes, and talks will be open and free to the public. Central to the festival’s mission are performance opportunities for young artists on the cusp of their careers.
The intimate scale and highest level of talent make possible an invigorating ten days of discovery, exploration, bonding, and growth. The festival has an all-inclusive atmosphere, fostering camaraderie and cross-cultural exchange and understanding. The faculty is similarly international.

Piano Master Class with Ching-Yi Lin
2023-07-27 14:00 - 15:30 | Berkshire School, 245 N Undermountain Rd, Sheffield, MA, 01201, United States
This Berkshire High Peaks Festival Piano Master Class on Thursday, July 27 at 2:00pm is presented by Ching-Yi Lin . Read full biography here.

Berkshire High Peaks Festival master classes, talks, and Moonlight Sonatas concerts are free and open to the public and take place at Berkshire School in Sheffield, Massachusetts (unless otherwise noted).
At the core of the festival are 50 international students of exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment who gather for intensive study, are coached as part of performing ensembles, and enjoy discussions and workshops by prominent composers, renowned pedagogues, and notable figures in the music world as they prepare for professional lives.
This year’s theme is “Pathways.” At a time when the music business is fraught with uncertainties and career paths aren’t as prescribed and predictable as previously, faculty will give a series of presentations about how they found their individual places in the music world. All concerts, master classes, and talks will be open and free to the public. Central to the festival’s mission are performance opportunities for young artists on the cusp of their careers.
The intimate scale and highest level of talent make possible an invigorating ten days of discovery, exploration, bonding, and growth. The festival has an all-inclusive atmosphere, fostering camaraderie and cross-cultural exchange and understanding. The faculty is similarly international.

Master Class: "The Acting Singer II" with Jay Lesenger
2023-07-27 16:00 - 17:30 | Berkshire School, 245 N Undermountain Rd, Sheffield, MA, 01201, United States
This Berkshire High Peaks Festival opera master class, “The Acting Singer” is on Thursday, July 27 at 4pm is presented by Jay Lesenger, former artistic director of the Chautauqua Opera Company. Witness brilliant musical and psychological insight into operatic roles as he works with vocalists.
Read faculty biography here.

Berkshire High Peaks Festival master classes, talks, and Moonlight Sonatas concerts are free and open to the public and take place at Berkshire School in Sheffield, Massachusetts (unless otherwise noted).
At the core of the festival are 50 international students of exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment who gather for intensive study, are coached as part of performing ensembles, and enjoy discussions and workshops by prominent composers, renowned pedagogues, and notable figures in the music world as they prepare for professional lives.
This year’s theme is “Pathways.” At a time when the music business is fraught with uncertainties and career paths aren’t as prescribed and predictable as previously, faculty will give a series of presentations about how they found their individual places in the music world. All concerts, master classes, and talks will be open and free to the public. Central to the festival’s mission are performance opportunities for young artists on the cusp of their careers.
The intimate scale and highest level of talent make possible an invigorating ten days of discovery, exploration, bonding, and growth. The festival has an all-inclusive atmosphere, fostering camaraderie and cross-cultural exchange and understanding. The faculty is similarly international.

Moonlight Sonatas Concert V
2023-07-28 19:30 - 21:00 | Berkshire School, 245 N Undermountain Rd, Sheffield, MA, 01201, United States
This Berkshire High Peaks Festival Moonlight Sonatas concert on Friday, July 28 at 7:30pm is at Berkshire School in Sheffield, Massachusetts. The concert features performances by BHPF students.
Berkshire High Peaks Festival master classes, talks, and Moonlight Sonatas concerts are free and open to the public and take place at Berkshire School in Sheffield, Massachusetts (unless otherwise noted).

At the core of the festival are 50 international students of exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment who gather for intensive study, are coached as part of performing ensembles, and enjoy discussions and workshops by prominent composers, renowned pedagogues, and notable figures in the music world as they prepare for professional lives.
This year’s theme is “Pathways.” At a time when the music business is fraught with uncertainties and career paths aren’t as prescribed and predictable as previously, faculty will give a series of presentations about how they found their individual places in the music world. All concerts, master classes, and talks will be open and free to the public. Central to the festival’s mission are performance opportunities for young artists on the cusp of their careers.
The intimate scale and highest level of talent make possible an invigorating ten days of discovery, exploration, bonding, and growth. The festival has an all-inclusive atmosphere, fostering camaraderie and cross-cultural exchange and understanding. The faculty is similarly international.

Violin Master Class with Peter Zazofsky
2023-07-29 14:00 - 15:30 | Berkshire School, 245 N Undermountain Rd, Sheffield, MA, 01201, United States
This Berkshire High Peaks Festival Violin Master Class on Saturday, July 29 at 2:00pm is presented by Peter Zazofsky of Boston University. Read full biography here.

Berkshire High Peaks Festival master classes, talks, and Moonlight Sonatas concerts are free and open to the public and take place at Berkshire School in Sheffield, Massachusetts (unless otherwise noted).
At the core of the festival are 50 international students of exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment who gather for intensive study, are coached as part of performing ensembles, and enjoy discussions and workshops by prominent composers, renowned pedagogues, and notable figures in the music world as they prepare for professional lives.
This year’s theme is “Pathways.” At a time when the music business is fraught with uncertainties and career paths aren’t as prescribed and predictable as previously, faculty will give a series of presentations about how they found their individual places in the music world. All concerts, master classes, and talks will be open and free to the public. Central to the festival’s mission are performance opportunities for young artists on the cusp of their careers.
The intimate scale and highest level of talent make possible an invigorating ten days of discovery, exploration, bonding, and growth. The festival has an all-inclusive atmosphere, fostering camaraderie and cross-cultural exchange and understanding. The faculty is similarly international.

Master Class: Unleashing Your Inner Improviser II!
2023-07-30 11:00 - 12:30 | Berkshire School, 245 N Undermountain Rd, Sheffield, MA, 01201, United States
This Berkshire High Peaks Festival Master Class on Sunday, July 30 at 11:00am is presented by John Esposito of Bard College Conservatory. Read full biography here.

Berkshire High Peaks Festival master classes, talks, and Moonlight Sonatas concerts are free and open to the public and take place at Berkshire School in Sheffield, Massachusetts (unless otherwise noted).
At the core of the festival are 50 international students of exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment who gather for intensive study, are coached as part of performing ensembles, and enjoy discussions and workshops by prominent composers, renowned pedagogues, and notable figures in the music world as they prepare for professional lives.
This year’s theme is “Pathways.” At a time when the music business is fraught with uncertainties and career paths aren’t as prescribed and predictable as previously, faculty will give a series of presentations about how they found their individual places in the music world. All concerts, master classes, and talks will be open and free to the public. Central to the festival’s mission are performance opportunities for young artists on the cusp of their careers.
The intimate scale and highest level of talent make possible an invigorating ten days of discovery, exploration, bonding, and growth. The festival has an all-inclusive atmosphere, fostering camaraderie and cross-cultural exchange and understanding. The faculty is similarly international.
The Berkshire High Peaks Festival is a performing and teaching summer institute that brings together renowned musicians, pedagogues, and exceptionally gifted international students, normally held in the cultural hub of the southern Berkshires. The intimate scale and highest level of talent make possible an invigorating ten days of discovery, exploration, bonding, and growth. The festival has an all-inclusive atmosphere, fostering camaraderie and cross-cultural exchange and understanding. The faculty is similarly international.

Moonlight Sonatas Farewell Concert
2023-07-30 19:30 - 21:00 | Berkshire School, 245 N Undermountain Rd, Sheffield, MA, 01201, United States
Our last Berkshire High Peaks Festival Moonlight Sonatas concert! Come celebrate our students and faculty. Join us on Sunday, July 30 at 7:30pm is at Berkshire School in Sheffield, Massachusetts for our Farewell Concert.

Berkshire High Peaks Festival master classes, talks, and Moonlight Sonatas concerts are free and open to the public and take place at Berkshire School in Sheffield, Massachusetts (unless otherwise noted).
At the core of the festival are 50 international students of exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment who gather for intensive study, are coached as part of performing ensembles, and enjoy discussions and workshops by prominent composers, renowned pedagogues, and notable figures in the music world as they prepare for professional lives.
This year’s theme is “Pathways.” At a time when the music business is fraught with uncertainties and career paths aren’t as prescribed and predictable as previously, faculty will give a series of presentations about how they found their individual places in the music world. All concerts, master classes, and talks will be open and free to the public. Central to the festival’s mission are performance opportunities for young artists on the cusp of their careers.
The intimate scale and highest level of talent make possible an invigorating ten days of discovery, exploration, bonding, and growth. The festival has an all-inclusive atmosphere, fostering camaraderie and cross-cultural exchange and understanding. The faculty is similarly international.

Virtue and Virtuosity
2023-11-05 16:00 - 18:00 | Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA, 01230, United States
The words are intricately related but diverge. Virtuosity: music that glorifies the possibilities of the instrument and the prowess of the performer—that titillates and stuns the audience in the Romantic tradition of Paganini. It’s the violinist tight-rope walking on the strings, performing impossible feats, stretching the capabilities of the instrument, creating pacts with the Devil.
Saint Saëns will dazzle (his gorgeous Rondo Capriccioso, a minefield for the violinist, will be performed on the cello, exponentially more challenging!). And introducing Russian/Ukrainian composer Nikolai Kapustin, whose Preludes offer a “Red and Hot” fusion of jazz and classical forms.
Pyrotechnics and acrobatics? Mastery of content and form? Craft plus magic as the ideal… According to Rodin, the greatest virtuosity is when you don’t notice it. The program touches on some of the most fundamental questions about the nature of art and culminates with the emotionally compelling and ineffably beautiful Brahms Piano Trio Op. 8.
Adam Golka, piano; Giora Schmidt, violin; Yehuda Hanani, cello; Philip Thompson, cello

Virtual Ticket: You will receive an email with a link to a private video one week after the performance.

Nocturne — Night and Dreams
2023-12-03 16:00 - 18:00 | Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA, 01230, United States
Nuances of the night are explored in this multi-faceted program. Release from the brightness of daylight, from consciousness into sleep and dreaminess, the night’s seductive, mysterious potion-like allure has fascinated artists throughout the ages. Lullabies celebrate repose, the restful charm; serenades celebrate love. Other works mark the fear of darkness, the unseen and what may lurk beneath the veil of night.
Composers from Mozart and Schubert to Borodin and Bernstein have been transfixed, lulled, soothed and aroused. Beethoven evokes the enchantment of the moon in his iconic “Moonlight” Sonata; Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik is a perennial favorite and will be performed in its original scoring. Lieder by Schumann, Debussy, Fauré, arias from Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet and selections from favorite musicals (West Side Story and Man of La Mancha) demonstrate the universality of the theme.
To paraphrase Walt Whitman, only the darkness of the night reveals all the stars—in the Heavens and on stage!
Fabio Bidini, piano; John Viscardi, baritone; Kobi Malkin and Grace Park, violin; Luke Fleming, viola; Lizzie Burns, double bass; Yehuda Hanani, cello

Virtual Ticket: You will receive an email with a link to a private video one week after the performance

The Art of the String Quartet — The Avalon
2024-02-11 16:00 - 18:00 | Saint James Place, 352 Main Street, Great Barrington, MA, 01230, United States
The notable Avalon String Quartet returns with another Berkshire premiere, “For Such a Time as This,” a retelling of the biblical Esther story for string quartet and vocalist, from a feminist perspective. Composer Stacy Garrop’s (recent commissions from the Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Louisiana symphony orchestras) intent is to remind us “we each possess agency to make changes happen in our lives, to act upon injustices, and leave the world a better place.” Mendelssohn’s Quartet No. 2 pulsates with young love before landing in fairyland with a shimmering scherzo right out of Midsummer Night’s Dream. Puccini’s verismo-style “Chrysanthemums,” a seldom-performed gem, begins the concert.
Julia Bentley, narrator/mezzo-soprano, Avalon String Quartet: Blaise Magniere, violin; Marie Wang, violin; Anthony Devroye, viola; Cheng-Hou Lee, cello.
“The Avalon—drop-dead gorgeous playing” – Classics Today
Afterglow Reception in Saint James Place’s Great Hall following the concert in the Sanctuary Space. You are invited to meet the artists and enjoy bites and beverages by Authentic Eats by Oleg. Join us!
Tickets are $52 for this performance.

Virtual ticket holders will be emailed one week after the performance with the link to watch.

Pro-Rated Subscription for the remainder of 2024: $185 Regular; $160 Senior.

Options

Pro-Rated Regular $185.00 USD

Pro-Rated Senior $160.00 USD

Questions?

A Bach Family Concert — Celtic Baroque Band Makaris
2024-03-17 16:00 - 18:00 | Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA, 01230, United States
In his dance suites, J. S. Bach ventures into Spanish sarabandes, French bourrées and British gigues. He and family members delighted in arranging Celtic and Scottish folk music. They will be joined by Beethoven and Haydn, who also forayed into Irish folk music with their own arrangements.
Makaris formed in 2018 to explore the broad musical heritage of Scotland and the following year released its first disc, Wisps in the Dell, to critical international acclaim (“Absolutely wonderful…one of the very best releases of 2019” – MusicWeb International). A makar (pl. makaris) was a royal court troubadour of medieval Scotland and the program provides a lush sampling from the ensemble’s collection.
“You can’t help but feel like you’ve suddenly traveled back in time and are enjoying a tankard of old Scottish ale inside a seedy establishment.” – Classical Music Sentinel
Afterglow Reception on the Mahaiwe stage following the concert! You are invited to meet the artists and enjoy bites and beverages by Authentic Eats by Oleg. Join us!

Virtual Ticket: You will receive an email with a link to a private video one week after the performance.

Something Borrowed, Something Blue — Cross-Cultural Synergy
2024-04-14 16:00 - 18:00 | Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA, 01230, United States
The Romans appropriated the entirety of classical Greek culture, and the Renaissance rediscovered and revitalized it. Then came Rodin and Greek Revival in American architectural style. An Egyptomania craze gripped 19th century Europe and found its way into operas (Aida, Samson and Delilah), couture (harem pants as high fashion), architectural idioms, decorative arts, music and dance (arabesques). Culinary arts, fashion (remember Issey Miyake?), painting, furniture design – we are all enriched, stimulated and invigorated by borrowed influences.
An afternoon of Gershwin, Max Bruch (German composer uses synagogue “Kol Nidrei” prayer), Cesar Cui (Russian composer writes “Orientale”), Ravel’s “Habanera,” Haydn Trio (Gypsy movement), Debussy Violin Sonata, and more. When the main stream gets tired, foreign tributaries recharge it!
Michael Chertock, piano; Itamar Zorman, violin; Yehuda Hanani, cello.
Afterglow Reception on the Mahaiwe stage following the concert! You are invited to meet the artists and enjoy bites and beverages by Authentic Eats by Oleg. Join us!

Virtual Tickets: You will receive an email with a link to a private video one week after the performance.

Piano Duo, Four Hands Annual Luncheon Musicale Benefit
2024-05-05 12:00 - 14:00
Experience the elegance of the Gilded Age Salon at a private Berkshires club!
Our Annual Luncheon Musicale Benefit, “Piano Duo, Four Hands,” features pianists Anthony Zerpa-Falcon and Jong-Gyung Park performing Mozart, Brahms, and Liszt.
Celebrate 24 years of CEWM’s Commissioning Program, savor a superb lunch and support Close Encounters With Music. La vie est belle!
SOLD OUT!

Artists
Born in London, Anthony Zerpa-Falcon began playing the piano at the age of seven, studied on a full scholarship at the Guildhall School of Music in London, and captured prize after prize in piano competitions – in the Maria Canals competition in Barcelona, the Making Music Young Artists award, the Countess of Munster Musical Trust and the Dame Myra Hess prize. He furthered his studies at the Piano Foundation in Como, Northern Italy where for two years he received tuition and guidance from luminaries of the piano such as Leon Fleisher, Charles Rosen, Martha Argerich, Karl Schnabel and Alicia de Larrocha. Mr. Falcon performs regularly across the UK, including concerti with the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Oxford Symphony Orchestra as well as recitals at the South Bank Centre, Wigmore Hall and Sheldonian Theatre. His career has also taken him to Portugal and Spain, where he became deeply involved in Contemporary music and was professor of chamber music at the Escuela de Musica Contemporanea in Salamanca.
Jong-Gyung Park made her orchestral debut at the age of thirteen with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and has since appeared with the Israel Philharmonic, Moscow Symphony, Haifa Symphony, Montevideo Symphony, Orquesta Sinfonica de Galicia, Royal Chamber Orchestra of Wallonia, and Belgian National Orchestra. Recent concert activities include solo and chamber music recitals in Solothurn, Switzerland, the Royal Theatre La Monnaie in Brussels, and Sala Verdi in Milan. Born in Korea, where she started studying the piano at age three, her musical journey began at the Preparatory School of the Tokyo Music College in Japan, the Sun-Hwa Music School in Korea, and the New England Conservatory Prep in the U.S. She earned her Bachelor’s degree at NEC in Boston, followed by a residency at “Il Fondazione per Il Pianoforte” in Como, Italy where she was able to interact with eminent figures in the music world. She also earned an Artist Diploma from the Hochschule für Music in Munich. Ms. Park has received numerous international awards including Bronze medals at the Sviatoslav Richter International piano competition, the Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Masters Competition in Israel, the Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition in Italy and the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition in Belgium.

Café Vienna — Nervous Splendor
2024-05-19 16:00 - 18:00 | Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA, 01230, United States
The imperial “City of Song” has played an essential role as a leading European cultural center, hosting major personalities in the development of music, as well as literature, painting, psychiatry and intellectual thought, from the 16th to 20th centuries.
As in the architecture, musical styles that sprang up are a mix of Baroque, Classical, Art Nouveau, Modernist and sleek contemporary. During the 19th century, the café became a meeting place for the creative set in town. Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven, Brahms, Johan Strauss Jr., Mahler, Korngold, all of whom are represented on the program, could be found in their favorite coffee houses, penning compositions while greeting the likes of Gustav Klimt, Arthur Schnitzler, Stefan Zweig, Rilke, Freud, Kafka, Werfel, or Wittgenstein.
This program takes a cross-section of Viennese musical modes—from operetta to waltz, Beethoven’s Piano Trio which spins on a popular song by Weigl, to Schubert’s sublime testament to his beloved métier, “An die Musik.” And of course, the quintessential café music of Fritz Kreisler, “Caprice Viennois.” In charm, verve, and artistic sophistication, Vienna’s past is unsurpassed.
Ieva Jokubaviciute, piano; Xiao-Dong Wang, violin; Emily Marvosh, mezzo-soprano; Yehuda Hanani, cello
Afterglow Reception on the Mahaiwe stage following the concert! You are invited to meet the artists and enjoy bites and beverages by Authentic Eats by Oleg. Join us!

Virtual Tickets: You will receive an email with a link to a private video one week after the performance.

Great Quintets — Dvořák and Brahms
2024-06-09 16:00 - 18:00 | Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA, 01230, United States
Dvořák’s sublime Piano Quintet in A Major occupies a lofty place in the chamber music canon, at the same elevation as Brahms’s Piano Quintet in F minor, op. 34. Simply put, both works are majestic, symphonic in scope, and invite the listener into a lost world of powerful beauty, profundity, and nobility of sentiments, peppered with folk tunes and polkas. Dvořák admired Brahms, Brahms encouraged and mentored Dvořák. The combination of string quartet and piano lends the quintet a sonic grandeur as it joins two self-sufficient forces in an ideal partnership. An all-star ensemble that shares the stage with artistic director Yehuda Hanani includes Max Levinson (“a brilliant American pianist…who touches the listener deeply and often—Los Angeles Times) and violist Jordan Bak (“a bright commanding presence…a rising star”—Boston Musical Intelligencer) making his CEWM debut. So concludes Season 32 of Close Encounters—bookended by the most miraculous output of Johannes Brahms and with Dvořák’s folkloric genius, spontaneity, and vitality. Max Levinson, piano; Ara Gregorian and Hye-Jin Kim, violin; Jordan Bak, viola; Yehuda Hanani, cello.
Tickets, $52 for Orchestra and Mezzanine and $28 for Balcony seats. Click button below to purchase or call 413-528-0100.

Gala Preferred Patron Package tickets are available for $175 and include Orchestra seats at the Mahaiwe and dinner following.

Virtual Tickets: You will receive an email with a link to a private video one week after the performance.

Master Class with Gila Goldstein, Pianist
2024-07-21 13:30 - 15:30 | Bard College at Simon’s Rock, The Kellogg Center, 84 Alford Road, Great Barrington, 01230, United States
Berkshire High Peaks master classes are free and open to the public! All master classes are at Bard College at Simon’s Rock in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.
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Gila Goldstein
A versatile musician who has captivated audiences around the world with her artistry, pianist Gila Goldstein has performed as a soloist and collaborative pianist throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Korea, the Philippines, Europe and Israel. Notable performances included the Berliner Symphoniker, Israel Symphony Orchestra Rishon LeZion, Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra and Orquesta Da Camera in Mexico City as well as recitals and concerts at Lincoln Center and Merkin Hall in New York City, Progetto Martha Argerich in Lugano, Beijing Concert Hall in China, Seoul National University in Korea, the Purcell Room at the South Bank Center in London, Konzerthaus in Berlin, Musée de Louvre and Cité des Arts in Paris, Kennedy Center in Washington DC, Gardner Museum and Tsai Performing Center in Boston, Dame Myra Hess concert series, Ravinia’s “Rising Stars” Series and Symphony Hall in Chicago, ”Great Performances“ series in St. Louis, Israel’s Henry Crown Hall in Jerusalem and the Tel Aviv Museum, among others. Read full bio here.
Berkshire High Peaks Festival
The Berkshire High Peaks Festival is a performing and teaching summer institute bringing together renowned musicians, pedagogues and exceptionally gifted international students, normally held in the cultural hub of the southern Berkshires. The intimate scale and highest level of talent make possible an invigorating ten days of discovery, exploration, bonding and growth. The festival has an all-inclusive atmosphere, fostering camaraderie and cross-cultural exchange and understanding. The faculty is similarly international. In past summers, in addition to the classical canon, the music has focused on traditions ranging from Latin American tango to Japanese ceremonial drums to the heritage of Jazz and improvisation in addition to the classical canon. Central to the festival’s mission are performance opportunities for young artists on the cusp of their careers. Faculty and guest performers have included the most respected classical musicians and teachers of our time.

Opera Talk with Jay Lesenger
2024-07-22 13:30 - 14:30 | Bard College at Simon’s Rock, The Kellogg Center, 84 Alford Road, Great Barrington, 01230, United States
Join us for a fascinating Opera Talk with opera director/conductor Jay Lesenger. Berkshire High Peaks talks are free and open to the public! All events are at Bard College at Simon’s Rock in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. No registration necessary.
Jay Lesenger
During Jay Lesenger’s more than 45-year career as stage director, administrator andteacher, he has become known for intelligent, honest productions which aredramatically compelling and musically knowledgeable. Mr. Lesenger has produced and directed more than two hundred opera productions for the New York City Opera,Chautauqua Opera Company, Atlanta, Hawaii, Milwaukee, New Orleans (the world premiere of Thea Musgrave’s “Pontalba”), Opera Carolina, Opera Grand Rapids, OperaPacific, Palm Beach, Pittsburgh, San Diego,Virginia and many others. His Europeandebut was with Opera Nordfjord, Norway, and he has directed for Volkstheater Rostockin Germany.
A frequent adjudicator for the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Opera Index and other vocal competitions, heholds a Masters degree from Indiana University and aBachelors of Music & Theater fromHofstra University.His Acting master classes for singers are transformative. See full bio here.

Master Class with Ida Bieler
2024-07-22 15:30 - 17:30 | Bard College at Simon’s Rock, The Kellogg Center, 84 Alford Road, Great Barrington, 01230, United States
Berkshire High Peaks master classes are free and open to the public! All master classes are at Bard College at Simon’s Rock in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.
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Ida Bieler
Described by Fanfare Magazine as “a specialist in everything, from Bach to new-music premieres…” violinist Ida Bieler is renowned as a musician of extraordinary scope. A winner of prestigious competitions on three continents, she has enjoyed an exceptional solo, collaborative and recording career worldwide, and is one of the most sought-after teachers of her generation. Bieler has performed the canon of major violin concertos with over forty orchestras on four continents, including the premiere of Penderecki’s second violin concerto under the direction of the composer. Her groundbreaking achievement as the first American woman appointed concertmaster of a major European orchestra, the Gürzenich Orchestra of Cologne, led to a major ensemble career in Germany’s legendary Melos String Quartet and the acclaimed Xyrion Piano Trio. See full bio here.
Berkshire High Peaks Festival
The Berkshire High Peaks Festival is a performing and teaching summer institute bringing together renowned musicians, pedagogues and exceptionally gifted international students, normally held in the cultural hub of the southern Berkshires. The intimate scale and highest level of talent make possible an invigorating ten days of discovery, exploration, bonding and growth. The festival has an all-inclusive atmosphere, fostering camaraderie and cross-cultural exchange and understanding. The faculty is similarly international. In past summers, in addition to the classical canon, the music has focused on traditions ranging from Latin American tango to Japanese ceremonial drums to the heritage of Jazz and improvisation in addition to the classical canon. Central to the festival’s mission are performance opportunities for young artists on the cusp of their careers. Faculty and guest performers have included the most respected classical musicians and teachers of our time.

Moonlight Sonatas Concert
2024-07-22 19:30 - 21:00 | Bard College at Simon’s Rock, The Kellogg Center, 84 Alford Road, Great Barrington, 01230, United States
This Moonlight Sonatas concert features Berkshire High Peaks Festival Residents on Monday, July 22 at 7:30pm at Bard College at Simon’s Rock in Great Barrington. This performance is free and open to the public. No registration required. For audiences and listeners, High Peaks offers wall-to-wall performances as participants—strings, pianists, vocalists and wind players—showcase their talent at the Kellogg Music Center, often alongside their mentors.
At the core of the Berkshire High Peaks Festival are 50 international students of exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment who gather for intensive study, are coached as part of performing ensembles, and enjoy discussions and workshops by prominent composers, renowned pedagogues, and notable figures in the music world as they prepare for professional lives. These talented, young musicians are tomorrow’s superstars!
Free public concerts
Monday, July 22 @7:30pm — Residents
Tuesday, July 23 @7:30pm — Residents
Thursday, July 25 @7:30pm — Faculty
Sunday, July 28 @7:30pm — Residents
Tuesday, July 30 @7:30pm — Farewell with Residents and Faculty
Please direct questions to info@cewm.org or call 800.843.0778.

"All About Rhythm" with Arti Dixson
2024-07-23 13:30 - 14:30 | Bard College at Simon’s Rock, The Kellogg Center, 84 Alford Road, Great Barrington, 01230, United States
Join us for “All About Rhythm,” a talk with Jazz percussionist, author, clinician Arti Dixson.
Berkshire High Peaks talks are free and open to the public! All events are at Bard College at Simon’s Rock in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. No registration necessary.

Master Class with Danielle Talamantes and Kerry Wilkerson
2024-07-23 15:30 - 17:30 | Bard College at Simon’s Rock, The Kellogg Center, 84 Alford Road, Great Barrington, 01230, United States
Berkshire High Peaks master classes are free and open to the public! All master classes are at Bard College at Simon’s Rock in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.
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Danielle Talamantes
“It’s not often that a fortunate operagoer witnesses the birth of a star!” critics hailed soprano Danielle Talamantes’ role début as Violetta in La Traviata. Recent season found Talamantes performing in La Bohéme with Fairfax Symphony and returning to The Metropolitan Opera to sing Frasquita for their productions of Carmen. She appeared as a soloist in multiple classical masterworks including Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 at Carnegie Hall, Verdi’s Requiem with the National Philharmonic, Fauré’s Requiem and Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music with Eugene Concert Choir, and in the National Philharmonic’s Bernstein Choral Celebration concert. See full bio here.
Kerry Wilkerson
Kerry Wilkerson’s solo career has taken him from coast to coast performing major oratorios and recitals. A singer with unique evenness in register, he has been described by the Washington Post as an “exuberant” performer possessing the “amber tone of a lyric baritone with the imposing weight demanded by Handel’s low-lying writing.” He has enjoyed a celebrated career as a member of the United States Army Chorus, singing and conducting for world leaders, Supreme Court Justices, politicians and dignitaries of many nations during official ceremonies and protocol events. Wilkerson has sung professionally with the US Air Force Singing Sergeants and the critically acclaimed Robert Shaw Festival Singers in many of the most prestigious concert halls throughout the United States and Canada. Read full bio here.
Berkshire High Peaks Festival
The Berkshire High Peaks Festival is a performing and teaching summer institute bringing together renowned musicians, pedagogues and exceptionally gifted international students, normally held in the cultural hub of the southern Berkshires. The intimate scale and highest level of talent make possible an invigorating ten days of discovery, exploration, bonding and growth. The festival has an all-inclusive atmosphere, fostering camaraderie and cross-cultural exchange and understanding. The faculty is similarly international. In past summers, in addition to the classical canon, the music has focused on traditions ranging from Latin American tango to Japanese ceremonial drums to the heritage of Jazz and improvisation in addition to the classical canon. Central to the festival’s mission are performance opportunities for young artists on the cusp of their careers. Faculty and guest performers have included the most respected classical musicians and teachers of our time.

Moonlight Sonatas Concert
2024-07-23 19:30 - 21:00 | Bard College at Simon’s Rock, The Kellogg Center, 84 Alford Road, Great Barrington, 01230, United States
This Moonlight Sonatas concert features Berkshire High Peaks Festival Residents on Tuesday, July 23 at 7:30pm at Bard College at Simon’s Rock in Great Barrington. This performance is free and open to the public. No registration required. For audiences and listeners, High Peaks offers wall-to-wall performances as participants—strings, pianists, vocalists and wind players—showcase their talent at the Kellogg Music Center, often alongside their mentors.
At the core of the Berkshire High Peaks Festival are 50 international students of exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment who gather for intensive study, are coached as part of performing ensembles, and enjoy discussions and workshops by prominent composers, renowned pedagogues, and notable figures in the music world as they prepare for professional lives. These talented, young musicians are tomorrow’s superstars!
Free public concerts
Monday, July 22 @7:30pm — Residents
Tuesday, July 23 @7:30pm — Residents
Thursday, July 25 @7:30pm — Faculty
Sunday, July 28 @7:30pm — Residents
Tuesday, July 30 @7:30pm — Farewell with Residents and Faculty
Please direct questions to info@cewm.org or call 800.843.0778.
