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X-WR-CALNAME:Close Encounters With Music
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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Close Encounters With Music
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260614T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260614T180000
DTSTAMP:20260614T180500
CREATED:20250827T183737Z
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SUMMARY:Romance of the Romani!—Ravel\, Bartok\, Liszt\, Haydn and Brahms Piano Quartet
DESCRIPTION:The season closes with the irresistible fire and passion of music shaped by Roma traditions\, which left an indelible mark on European composers. The romance\, longing\, and sense of freedom in these melodies found their way into some of the most beloved works of the repertoire. Haydn’s Piano Trio No. 39\, with its famous “Gypsy” Rondo\, dazzles in Hungarian style\, while Brahms unleashes unbridled intensity in the torrential finale of his Piano Quartet No. 1. Ravel (Tzigane)\, Bartók (Romanian Dances)\, and Liszt (Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2) add their voices to this vibrant tradition. After the performance\, join us for a festive reception—complete with a fortune teller to offer a lighthearted glimpse into your future. Our prediction: a brilliant season finale filled with inspired music and extraordinary performers. \n Max Levinson\, piano; Hye-Jin Kim\, violin; Helena Baillie\, viola\, Yehuda Hanani\, cello; Laura Melnicoff\, cello. \nSPECIAL OFFER AS OF JUNE 9\, 2026!\n50% off per ticket for one pair of Mezzanine seats! Ticket Limit: 2. Discount Code: ROMANI2\n*Discount code is valid online (enter at checkout) or through the Mahaiwe box office. \n**Offer excludes Orchestra\, Opera Box\, and Upper Balcony seating. Offer is not applicable to previously purchased tickets. \n \n  \n  \n  \nIndividual Tickets via The Mahaiwe \nBalcony: $35\nOrchestra/Mezzanine: $60: (Discount Code ROMANI2 for 2 tickets Mezzanine only)\nAges 18 – 35: $25\nStudent tickets are available at the door: $15 \nVirtual tickets are $30 for each concert via cewm.org \nWe hold our annual gala dinner post-concert at a location in Lenox. Please scroll down for ticket packages. Thank you!\nGala Ticket Options:\nPost-concert Gala tickets: $175 \nPremium Concert Seating + Gala: $225 \nSponsorship Options:\nGold Sponsorship: $3\,000 \n\nConcert premium seating and gala tickets for 8\nFull page ad in gala playbill\n2 tickets reserved for April and May concerts\n\nSilver Sponsorship: $2\,000 \n\nConcert seating and Gala tickets for 6\n1/2-page ad in gala playbill\n\nBronze Sponsorship: $1\,500 \n\nConcert seating for 4\n1/4 page ad in gala playbill\n\nQuestions: Contact Caitlin Marsden McNeill at caitlin@cewm.org or call 800.843.0778. \n 
URL:https://cewm.org/event/romance-of-the-romani-ravel-bartok-liszt-haydn-and-brahms-piano-quartet/
LOCATION:Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center\, 14 Castle Street\, Great Barrington\, MA\, 01230\, United States
CATEGORIES:home-page,Season 2025 2026
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261101T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261101T180000
DTSTAMP:20260614T180500
CREATED:20260614T200115Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260611T185321Z
UID:10000287-1793548800-1793556000@cewm.org
SUMMARY:Saluting the Clarinet—Mozart\, Beethoven\, Bartók and Gershwin
DESCRIPTION:It can come on brash and it can come on sensuous. In the orchestra\, it steps forward in “Peter and the Wolf” and “Rhapsody in Blue”; in opera it’s a-near protagonist in “The Magic Flute\,” “La Traviata” and “The Barber of Seville” as composers delineate atmosphere and character motifs. It can sing and it can swing. We are referring of course to the clarinet\, which stars in a program that features Bartók’s “Contrasts\,” written for clarinet legend Benny Goodman and violinist Joseph Szigeti (with Bartók himself playing the piano at the world premiere!); Beethoven’s Trio in B-flat major\, opus 11; Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet\, and some down-home Gershwin. The program abounds in Hungarian country fiddling and dance melodies\, rich folk fare and jazz\, as well as clarinet and violin pyrotechnics. The remarkable clarinetist Alexander Fiterstein will leave us all breathless! He is joined by pianist Michael Chertock\, violinist Xiao-Dong Wang and cellist and artistic director Yehuda Hanani. \n\nTickets on sale in early September.
URL:https://cewm.org/event/saluting-the-clarinet-mozart-beethoven-bartok-and-gershwin/
LOCATION:Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center\, 14 Castle Street\, Great Barrington\, MA\, 01230\, United States
CATEGORIES:Season 2026 2027
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261213T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261213T180000
DTSTAMP:20260614T180500
CREATED:20260614T200140Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260611T185101Z
UID:10000288-1797177600-1797184800@cewm.org
SUMMARY:Come to the Cabaret! Paris and Weimar Berlin
DESCRIPTION:With this extraordinary program\, the internationally celebrated performer Yael Rasooly\, known for her magnetic stage presence\, powerful vocals\, and virtuoso puppetry\, makes her CEWM debut\, masterfully weaving together the bold\, satirical songs of the Weimar era and Edith Piaf’s Paris. In moving tributes to legendary artists Piaf and Marlene Dietrich\, singer-actress-director Rasooly and pianist Daniel Rein evoke the richly decadent world of 1920s-30s Berlin and Paris through their distinctive\, theatrical approach to a varied repertoire of Berlin cabaret songs (think Kurt Weill!) and poetic French chansons. The program intertwines music and visual storytelling as Rasooly channels these legendary women of song through mime\, elaborate costumes\, and specially created life-size puppets\, transporting us to a bygone era while illuminating timeless themes.  Her storytelling combines a unique perspective of song\, humor and puppetry that audiences will not soon forget. \n\nTickets on sale in early September.
URL:https://cewm.org/event/come-to-the-cabaret-paris-and-weimar-berlin/
LOCATION:Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center\, 14 Castle Street\, Great Barrington\, MA\, 01230\, United States
CATEGORIES:Season 2026 2027
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270221T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270221T180000
DTSTAMP:20260614T180500
CREATED:20260614T200125Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260611T184933Z
UID:10000289-1803225600-1803232800@cewm.org
SUMMARY:Bach and Handel with Simone Dinnerstein\, Yehuda Hanani and Hannah Sohn
DESCRIPTION:Called “a unique voice in the forest of Bach interpretation” (New York Times)\, pianist Simone Dinnerstein joins Yehuda Hanani in a program that addresses cultural twins of the Baroque\, born less than one month and 125 kilometers apart—Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel.  While Bach was the great master of the polyphonic form\, a fugal genius\, Handel was a melodist of enormous power and sensitivity.  Distinctly different composers\, both achieved universal acclaim.  Bach’s 15 Sinfonias and the joyful Gamba Sonata No. 2 alongside Handel’s Violin Sonata in F Major on cello and the sonata for two cellos and keyboard will handily illustrate their unique cosmic voices.  A century later\, Beethoven spun a set of variations on Handel’s theme from the oratorio “Judas Maccabeus.”  Dinnerstein and Hanani (“The sonatas came bounding to life in vital interpretations rich in imaginative detail and virile strength. Mr. Hanani was rightly rewarded with cheers from the audience.” — New York Times) are well matched to ascend the heights of these celestial works. \n\nTickets on sale in early September.
URL:https://cewm.org/event/bach-and-handel-with-simone-dinnerstein-yehuda-hanani-and-hannah-sohn/
LOCATION:Saint James Place\, 352 Main Street\, Great Barrington\, MA\, 01230\, United States
CATEGORIES:Season 2026 2027
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270314T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270314T180000
DTSTAMP:20260614T180500
CREATED:20260614T200129Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260611T184813Z
UID:10000290-1805040000-1805047200@cewm.org
SUMMARY:Skylark Vocal Ensemble\, Matthew Guard\, Artistic Director
DESCRIPTION:Britten’s radiant Flower Songs and Benedict Sheehan’s mellifluous Songbird Antiphons  anchor a program of music inspired by gardens\, birdsong\, and the living world. Recognized as one of the world’s leading vocal ensembles\, four-time GRAMMY nominee Skylark blends some of America’s most virtuosic voices into an emotionally impactful and cohesive whole. Through innovative\, imaginative\, and interdisciplinary programming\, Skylark aims to redefine the choral experience for artists and audiences alike. From its home base in Boston to premier venues like the Met Cloisters\, Spivey Hall\, and the Morgan Library\, Skylark is setting a global standard in the choral arts with unexpected themes\, surprising connections\, and imaginative collaborations. Performances have been called “exquisite…thrilling…stunning” by Gramophone Magazine and “gripping” by The Times of London. \n\nTickets on sale in early September.
URL:https://cewm.org/event/skylark-vocal-ensemble-matthew-guard-artistic-director/
LOCATION:Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center\, 14 Castle Street\, Great Barrington\, MA\, 01230\, United States
CATEGORIES:Season 2026 2027
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270418T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270418T180000
DTSTAMP:20260614T180500
CREATED:20260614T200147Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260611T185517Z
UID:10000291-1808064000-1808071200@cewm.org
SUMMARY:Dvořák—In The New World and Old World
DESCRIPTION:From humble beginnings to stardom\, Antonin Dvořák straddled two centuries\, two continents\, rural and urban sensibilities and folk styles inspired by Czech and Slavic traditional music as well as by an American sojourn. At home in different worlds\, his sublime String Quartet No. 12  the “American” was composed in Spillville Iowa during a blissful vacation\, and legitimized utilizing folklore\, spirituals\, and vernacular art as material for the next generation of American classical composers. The Piano Quintet\, a masterwork of Romantic-era chamber music\, stands as one of the twin peaks of the repertoire written for piano and string quartet (Brahms’s Quintet being the other!). Brahmsian depth\, Eastern European folk flavor and sheer melodic beauty characterize this joyful work. Also\, a taste of Dvořák’s vocal output with selections from his Biblical Songs\, the Gypsy Songs cycle and others reflecting his abiding affection for Czech and Bohemian culture. \nAnna Polonsky\, piano; Miranda Cuckson and Giora Schmidt\, violins; Helena Baillie\, viola; Yehuda Hanani\, cello; Tyler Duncan\, baritone \n\nTickets on sale in early September.
URL:https://cewm.org/event/dvorak-in-the-new-world-and-old-world/
LOCATION:Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center\, 14 Castle Street\, Great Barrington\, MA\, 01230\, United States
CATEGORIES:Season 2026 2027
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270516T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270516T180000
DTSTAMP:20260614T180500
CREATED:20260614T200148Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260611T185401Z
UID:10000292-1810483200-1810490400@cewm.org
SUMMARY:Vivace Orchestra—The Golden Chain of Classical Music
DESCRIPTION:Western music at its apex—Haydn\,  Mozart and Beethoven in full symphonic  glory with large-scale repertoire never before performed in South County!   Beginning with Papa Haydn\, the  lively  “Surprise” Symphony is his  most beloved and most popular\, providing the model for how a symphony should be composed.  Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante has a lyricism to be found nowhere else in all his oeuvre\, with an inspired viola part he wrote for himself to play.  Beethoven’s First Symphony completes the magic circle.  A masterpiece—iron-fisted control of structure\, with wit\, humor and irresistible charisma\, and as Roman Emperor Francis II\, who attended the premiere\, is reported to have said\, “There is something revolutionary in this music!”  Vivace Orchestra brings together 26 top-tier soloists and chamber musicians in an orchestral setting\, under the direction of conductor Joshua Gerson. \n\n  \nTickets on sale in early September.
URL:https://cewm.org/event/vivace-orchestra-the-golden-chain-of-classical-music/
LOCATION:Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center\, 14 Castle Street\, Great Barrington\, MA\, 01230\, United States
CATEGORIES:Season 2026 2027
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20270613T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20270613T180000
DTSTAMP:20260614T180500
CREATED:20260614T200122Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260611T185340Z
UID:10000293-1812902400-1812909600@cewm.org
SUMMARY:World Premiere—"Metamorphosis: Love"
DESCRIPTION:Jorge Martín\, Tchaikovsky\, Kenji Bunch\, Grieg\, Poulenc \nLoss\, remembrance\, joyous recollection\, metamorphosis and love. These are universal themes and a progression of states of emotion that animate the music and texture of the program. A work of shattering intensity\, Tchaikovsky’s Piano Trio was written in response to the composer’s grief at  losing his beloved teacher\, Nikolai Rubinstein\, and at the same time recollecting the happy moments spent in his company. It is elegiac and cathartic\, as is the newest CEWM commission from Jorge Martin\, Metamorphosis: Love\, that gives the program its name. The Poet/protagonist role is sung by a tenor in dialogue with his Muse\, sung by soprano\, which in the end becomes Music itself. The accompanying ensemble is cello\, piano\, marimba and vibraphone. A companion piece (narrator\, cello and percussion) is a 2015 CEWM commission from Kenji Bunch\, written to a Shakespeare sonnet of desire and longing. Plus art songs from Schubert\, Brahms\, Fauré\, Poulenc and Finzi. It’s all about transcendence and love! \nPerformers: Omar Najmi\, tenor;  Dana Varga\, soprano; Samuel  Solomon and Nancy Zeltsman\, percussion;  Max  Levinson\, piano;  Yehuda Hanani\, cello \n\nTickets on sale in early September.
URL:https://cewm.org/event/world-premiere-metamorphosis-love/
LOCATION:Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center\, 14 Castle Street\, Great Barrington\, MA\, 01230\, United States
CATEGORIES:Season 2026 2027
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