It may only be autumn, but it feels a little bit like spring is already here with the Savannah Music Festival presenting a series of wonderful off-season concerts this month from Oct. 19-24.
“These concerts are unique from our spring festival in many ways,” explained SMF Artistic Director Ryan McMaken. “For one, there are no other SMF concerts coinciding or happening on the same days. They're also part of a response to previous cancellations, to ensure that our organization can connect world renowned artists and Savannah audiences as soon as possible. We also hope to announce three December concerts at the Johnny Mercer Theatre soon, pending the anticipated reopening of that facility to the public.”
The series begins with British violist and Mr. & Mrs. Thomas V. & Susan G. Reilly Associate Artistic Director Philip Dukes joining the acclaimed Escher String Quartet for four concerts over three days. The first two programs feature two quintets by Mozart, as well as quartets by Haydn, Mendelssohn and George Walker.
Credit: Courtesy of Savannah Music Festival
Credit: Courtesy of Savannah Music Festival
On Oct. 21, Dukes and the Escher Quartet will join the Savannah Philharmonic for a program that includes Edward Elgar’s Introduction and Allegro, as well as Delights & Dances by Oscar-nominated composer Michael Abels.
“Philip Dukes is an incredible violist, conductor, educator and programmer from the UK, and has been SMF's Associate Artistic Director for chamber music since late 2019,” said McMaken. “He's been a regular contributor to our chamber music programs since 2005, as both a musician and conductor. The Escher String Quartet is one of our country's leading string quartets, having toured the world over and collaborated with a 'who's-who' of artists, both within and outside of classical music. We have been trying to present them in Savannah for some time, and these engagements represent the Escher Quartet's SMF debut.”
On Oct. 23, the SMF Jazz Academy, an after-school program that instructs students from grades 5 to 12, will present a mid-semester concert for students and families. Everyone is encouraged to bring a picnic and a blanket to enjoy performances by student combos and faculty.
Credit: Courtesy of the artist
Credit: Courtesy of the artist
Finally, on Oct. 24, SMF in Unison will present a free bluegrass concert featuring some highly acclaimed, award-winning artists. Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper recently won the 2020 Best Bluegrass Album Grammy Award. Cleveland is a fleet-fingered fiddle virtuoso who is the IBMA’s most awarded Fiddle Player of the Year with 12 wins, has won Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year six times, and fronts their 6-Time Instrumental Group of the Year.
The duo Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley are no slouches either. Halsey made his Grand Ole Opry debut when he was eleven years old, sharing the stage with Earl Scruggs. You would think that everything after that experience would be anti-climatic.
“Through that I’ve got to work with a lot of folks, but the first Opry experience was pretty amazing,’ said Hensley. “Rob and I have been playing the Opry pretty often and it’s been really great. That place feels like home, and every time back feels like that high point.”
Credit: Courtesy of Savannah Music Festival
Credit: Courtesy of Savannah Music Festival
Rob Ickes, who was a co-founder of the highly influential bluegrass group Blue Highway in the ‘90s, is one of the best dobro players in music having won 15 IBMA Awards for Dobro Player of the Year. Ickes and Hensley formed a duo in 2015 and earned a Grammy nomination for their debut album, “Before the Sun Goes Down.”
“We’ll have a lot of ‘ [blank] of the years’ on the stage,” Ickes said jokingly about the free Savannah Riverfront concert. “Michael is an amazing player. A lot of guys and gals are good fiddle players, but when you hear him, you hear Bluegrass. He knows that vocabulary almost better than almost anybody.”
Ickes and Hensley, on the other hand, have an eclectic approach to Americana that includes elements of country, blues, western swing, and string band music, particularly on their 2019 album, “World Full of Blues.”
“I think it came naturally,” said Hensley of their broad styles. “We’re both interested in lots of different music, with bluegrass being the foundation of it all. Being on the road, it stemmed from what were we listening to, what were our influences.”
Ickes and Hensley have a new album due for release in a few months, so fans can expect to hear some new material.
Credit: Courtesy of the artist
Credit: Courtesy of the artist
“All of these musicians have been heroes of mine for a long time, and it will be great to see them perform on a co-bill in Savannah,” said McMaken. “This free concert is a celebration of the generosity of individuals who contributed to our SMF In Unison campaign through donations of ticket purchases to cancelled shows in 2020, and in an outdoor setting, we thought an uplifting bluegrass concert with some of the genre's leading artists would make for a fitting tribute.”
With music festivals struggling to reach audiences over the last few years because of COVID-19, SMF’s off-season performances are a great way for music lovers to get an incredible taste of what the festival has to offer this Spring.
“Community outreach and engagement are growing aspects of our organization's strategic direction, and strengthen our mission to present adventurous productions that stimulate arts education, foster economic growth, and connect artists and audiences in Savannah,” said McMaken. “As the organization grows into its fourth decade of existence, we continue to gain momentum and inspiration through partnerships and collaborations, and we are working to broaden the reach of and access to SMF programs.”
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah Music Festival presents October concert series featuring chamber music, bluegrass
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