St. Hugo's Catholic Church
and Temple Beth El
plan a major music festival
for next month.
SUZANNE CHESSLER
SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
Miriam Fried:
One of the headliners.
emple Beth El and St. Hugo of the Hills Catholic
Church are getting ready to make beautiful mu-
sic together.
Teaming up with the Chamber Music Society
of Detroit-, Detroit-Chamber Winds and guest
artists of international acclaim, the religious in-
stitutions will sponsor a series of six different
concerts as part of the Great Lakes Chamber
Music Festival.
Scheduled June 11-18 and divided between
the temple and the church, the programs will
feature a variety of non-religious music and will
be open to the community. A free, outdoor con-
cert has been designed with younger and fami-
ly audiences in mind.
The presentations build on the relationship
of the two institutions' leaders — Rabbi Daniel
Polish and Monsignor Anthony Tocco — as well
as their family ties to professional performers.
Pianist James Tocco, asked to be artistic di-
rector of the festival by his brother, will perform
as will Cantor Gail Hirschenfang, wife of Rabbi
Polish.
Among the other performers Mr. Tocco has
invited are violinist Miriam Fried, cellist
Nathaniel Rosen and the Amernet String Quar-
tet.
`The festival evolved from discussions between
Monsignor Tocco and Rabbi Polish," explained
Maury Okun, executive director of the week-long
concert series. "Both were interested in pre-
senting an arts event that could include the two
congregations, and they formed an advisory
board representing both religious groups.
"Although it took several years before an ad-
visory committee was formed, it only took six
months to put the concerts together after seri-
ous discussions began."
Chairing the festival committee are Kathleen
and Joseph Antonini and Aviva and Dean Fried-
man.
The two religious leaders, whose friendship
developed as they worked on ecumenical activ-
ities including shared Thanksgiving services,
are pleased with the support they have encoun-
tered among their congregants.
"Historically, great culture has grown out of
religious communities, and our goal is to cre-
ate a festival that offers residents of this area a
chance to experience great music and work to-
gether," Rabbi Polish said.
"It's very exciting for me personally because
it's an unusual program and very different from
what I normally do. I've also enjoyed getting to
know the members of St. Hugo as we've worked
together."
One of Rabbi Polish's favorite working-to-
gether experiences has to do with hospitality
arrangements. To keep expenses down, all the
visiting artists will be staying in the homes of
committee members.
"It was a member of the church that remind-
ed us to check the dietary practices of the Jew-
ish guest artists as we house them so I think we
are developing a real sensitivity to one another,"
Rabbi Polish said.
Monsignor Tocco, who believes institutions in
addition to those with religious orientations
should sponsor cultural events, has looked be-
yond this year in thinking through the program.
"The festival has been designed to create an
annual event that celebrates the spirit, diver-
sity and character of the people of our area, and
I'm hoping we can make a change in the way
young people view music," he said. [1
Concert Schedule
June 11-8 p.m.—Temple
Beth El
Detroit Chamber Winds
James Tocco, piano
"Dukas Fanfare" from La Peri
"Mozart Suite" from Don Gio-
vanni
Stravinsky Concerto for piano
and wind instruments
Barber's Summer Music
Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue
June 12-2 p.m.—St. Hugo
of the Hills
Detroit Chamber Winds
Selections to be announced for
a free, outdoor performance
June 12-7 pan.—St. Hugo
of the Hills
Nathaniel Rosen, cello
Amernet String Quartet
Bach's Suite No. 1 for unac-
companied cello
Berg's String Quartet, Op. 3
Schubert's Cello Quintet in C
major
June 14-8 p.m.—Temple
Beth El
James Tocco, piano
Nathaniel Rosen, cello
Gail Hirschenfang, soprano
Amernet String Quartet
Milhaud's La Creation du
Monde
Respighfsll Tramonto
Beethoven's Sonata No. 5 in
D major
Ravel's String Quartet in F
major
June 16-8 p.m.—Temple
Beth El
Miriam Fried, violin
Paul Biss, violin and viola
Jonathan Bias, piano
James Tocco, piano
Dvorak's Sonatina for violin
an d piano, Op. 100
Mozart's Duo for violin and
viola
Ravel's Jai= dTau (1901)'
Chopin' s Ballade #1 in G mi
nor, Op. 23
Francles Sonata in A major
for violin and piano
June 18-8 p.m.--St. Hugo
of the Hills
Miriam Fried, violin
Paul Biss, viola
Nathaniel Rosen, cello
Stephen Molina, double bass
James Tocco, piano
Gail Hirschenfang, soprano
Laurence Liberson, clarinet
Selections by Schubert