Laticrs!

GAT Iviruszcv.

"I love the melodies and the way everything fits
together. It has a dark and moody sweetness."
Rosen, a frequent performer for the GLCMF also look-
ing forward to playing the music of Robert Schumann in
here will be two milestones to celebrate at
the opening concerts, knows Detroit well after being a
this year's Great Lakes Chamber Music
soloist with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, giving
Festival: the eighth year of the concert pro-
recitals and appearing with other chamber music. groups.
gram and the 300th birthday of Detroit.
"I'm a religious Jew and play Kol"Nidre every
To make the most of both, the list of featured musi-
year
at my temple," Rosen says about his away-
cians includes more than the usual number of Detroit-
from-work
performances. "My wife plays the
bred performers, many brought up in Jewish homes.
viola,
but
not
professionally, and we perform
Composer-in-residence Paul Schoenfield and con-
together at parties."
ductor Philip Greenberg will be spotlighted along
Seymour Lipkin, a pianist and conductor who grew
with returning and premiering instrumentalists.
up
in Detroit, is debuting with the Great Lakes festival,
Scheduled June 16 July 1 at 10 venues, the festival
building
on his experiences as artistic director of the
is sponsored by Temple Beth El, St. Hugo of the Hills.
Kneisel
Hall
Chamber Music Festival in Blue Hill,
Catholic Church, Kirk in the Hills and the Detroit
Maine.
Chamber Winds & Strings as a secular cultural event.
"We run seven weeks and have a smaller group of
The Shouse Institute, an educational experience for
artists,"
Lipkin says. "We only play two concerts a
emerging professional ensembles from around the
week,
but
we have a full-scale coaching program. I've
world, provides performance opportunities and
been director for 14 years and enjoy it very much, so
coaching by the acclaimed entertainers.
I know I'm going to enjoy being part of the Great
"We've really outdone ourselves this year," says
Lakes program."
Sandi Reitelman, one of the -festival chairs who was
Lipkin, who will be performing a concerto by
in the festival audience during the early years before
Mozart
June 19 and 20 at St. Hugo's Chapel and
becoming one of the planners. "Our roster of artists
one
by
Bach
June 23 at Seligman Performing Arts
is unparalleled, and as always, the programming
Center,
began
getting professional notice as a young-
has been artfully crafted by our artistic director
ster
more
than
50 years ago. He played for Jewish
and pianist James Tocco."
audiences, although his family did not participate in
Nathaniel Rosen, the first
organized religion. His mother belonged to the
American cellist ever to win the
Music Study Club of Metropolitan Detroit, and he
Gold Medal at the Tchaikovsky
established a scholarship in her honor.
International Competition, returns
"This is like old home week for me," says Lipkin,
to the festival for the opening con-
who
has been assistant conductor of the New York
certs, June 16 at Kirk in the Hills
Philharmonic
and music director of the Long Island
and June 17 at Grosse Pointe
Memorial Church. He'll participate in Symphony and the Joffrey Ballet. "Joe Silverstein, Ruth
Laredo and I have been friends all through the years."
three additional performances as well.
Other returning artists include Henry Meyer and
"I'm practicing very hard to play six
Paul
Katz, who work closely with musicians attend-
pieces for British Folk Songs by my
ing
the
Shouse Institute.
friend Paul Schoenfield, who's a
"The
Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival plans
wonderful American composer,"
to
present
concerts in northern Michigan, Florida
Rosen says of a June 25 concert
and
New
York
City," says Reitelman, who points out
at Temple Beth El. "He uses
that
the
festival
offers recordings.
wonderful rhythmic material
"In recent years, there were performances at the
with deep feeling and emotion."
Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., and on
Rosen plans on bringing some
. National Public Radio."
innovation to a sonata by Cesar
Franck June 24 in a concert at the
The Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival runs
Detroit Institute of Arts.
June
16-July 1 at 10 venues in the metro area.
"It was originally written for the
Prices
range from $7 for family concerts to
violin, but I love to play it on the
$130
for
seven series tickets. For tickets and
cello," he explains. "Mostly, I play it
information, call (248) 559-2097, or go to the
one octave lower than the violin, and
Web site at: www.greatlakeschambermusic.corn.
occasionally, I change a few things to
make them more cellistic.

SUZANNE CHESSLER
Special to the Jewish News

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