North Country Chamber Players,
White Mountains Music Festival
Recognized as one of New England’s finest musical ensembles for four decades, the North Country Chamber Players combines the talents of principal players from internationally renowned orchestras and chamber groups. Their world-class performances of old and new classics in relaxed and comfortable settings have made the Chamber Players a fixture of northern New Hampshire’s cultural scene.
“One of the outstanding cultural resources
in the state of New Hampshire”
– NH State Council on the Arts
“A sophisticated group of experienced, passionate,
focused, and obviously talented musicians”
– Boston Musical Intelligencer
Artist Members: Ronnie Bauch and Miki-Sophia Cloud, violins; Ah Ling Neu, viola; Chris Finckel, cello; Donald Palma, double bass; Susan Palma-Nidel, flute; Allen Blustine, clarinet; Bernard Rose, piano; Joel Timm, lecturer; Kemp Jernigan, oboe; Bernhard Scully, horn.
WEEK 1 - VIRTUOSO BACH
GUEST ARTIST: Miho Saegusa
One of the world’s most beloved composers, J. S. Bach left us with over 1100 works, but only 28 of these can be called “concertos”. These special pieces are masterful examples where virtuosity, power and beauty are both balanced and in full force. Award-winning violinist Miho Saegusa will join the Chamber Players in the Concerto for Violin and Oboe, Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 and other masterpieces.
July 13 7:30 pm
Sugar Hill Meetinghouse
Sugar Hill, NH
July 14 4:00 pm
Mountain View Grand Resort
Whitefield, NH
WEEK 2 - AMERICAN DREAMERS
FROM BARBER TO BLUEGRASS
A festive program of extraordinary works by American Masters from Samuel Barber’s graceful and evocative Summer Music, to John Corigliano’s poignant and sensual Voyage for flute and strings, and Mark O’Connor’s rollicking fiddle tune, F.C.’s Jig, among others.
July 20 7:30 pm
Sugar Hill Meetinghouse
Sugar Hill, NH
July 21 4:00 pm
Mountain View Grand Resort
Whitefield, NH
WEEK 3 - BRANFORD MARSALIS
THE AGE OF GERSHWIN
One of the most revered instrumentalists of our time, Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Branford Marsalis will make his triumphant return to the North Country to collaborate with the Chamber Players in selections from George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, Jacques Ibert’s jazz-influenced Concertino for saxophone and other popular works made famous on the stages of Paris and New York in the 1930’s.
July 27 7:30 pm
Medallion Opera House
Gorham, NH
July 28 4:00 pm
Maplewood Resort
Bethlehem, NH
BENEFIT AUCTION CONCERT AND FEAST
An evening of great food by the Littleton Co-op, must-have live auction items, including trips, fine art, collectible wines, in-home concerts and much more, plus music by surprise musical guests, to benefit the outreach and artistic programs of the North Country Chamber Players, all in the spectacular setting of the Inn at Sunset Hill.
August 1 5:30pm
The Inn at Sunset Hill
Sugar Hill, NH
WEEK 4 - REVOLUTION!
THE MIGHTY FIVE
Led by Mily Balakirev, the Mighty Five were mid-19th century composers who sought to bring Russian music to the fore, who refused to present works by Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, Bach, Handel, et al, and who paved the way for 20th century revolutionary giants like Dmitri Shostakovich, and all the Russian composers in between, including Tchaikovsky, Glazunov and Rachmaninov. Balakirev’s drama-infused Octet for strings, winds and piano, and Shostakovich’s haunting and powerful Piano Quintet serve as the centerpieces of this compelling program.
August 3 7:30 pm
Sugar Hill Meeting House
Sugar Hill, NH
August 4 4:00 pm
Mountain View Grand Resort
Whitefield, NH
WEEK 5 - FAMILY OF GENIUS
FANNY AND FELIX MENDELSSOHN
GUEST ARTIST: AYANO NINOMIYA
Musical talent often runs in families, but rarely have two siblings demonstrated the brilliance of Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn. Felix is recognized universally as one of history’s greatest composers, but Fanny, a strong-willed pianist who worried about her worth as a composer, has been neglected. As Felix’s career soared and Fanny struggled to publish her compositions, they still remained remarkably close, bordering on soul mates. Renowned violinist Ayano Ninomiya will join the Chamber Players to perform Fanny’s sensitive and imaginative String Quartet in Eb and Felix’s youthful Piano Quartet in B minor, side by side.
August 10 7:30 pm
Sugar Hill Meeting House
Sugar Hill, NH
August 11 4:00 pm
Mountain View Grand Resort
Whitefield, NH
WEEK 6 - METAMORPHOSIS
SOLERA QUARTET Described by critics as “top-notch, intense, stylish, and with an abundance of flare and talent” and “one of the foremost young string quartets,” the Solera Quartet, featuring Chamber Player violinist Miki Sophia-Cloud, returns to the North Country on the heels of the release of their acclaimed new album, “Every Moment Present.” Performances of Richard Strauss’ transcendent Metamorphosis and Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir di Florence mark this as a not-to-be missed event.
August 17 7:30 pm
Sugar Hill Meeting House
Sugar Hill, NH
August 18 4:00 pm
Mountain View Grand Resort
Whitefield, NH
SPONSORS OF THE 2019 NCCP SEASON
The North Country Chamber Players sincerely thank the following:
SUPPORT NCCP
Your support has continued to allow us to offer music lessons, public school residency programs, and so much more.
FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
No matter how many concerts I have been involved in over the years, I continue to be inspired by the extraordinary power of music to transport us, seemingly instantaneously, through centuries, across oceans and continents, and to emotional places and imaginary fantasies that are difficult, if not impossible, to reach by any other means.
I am happy to report that this Summer’s programs read like a ‘bucket list’ of desirable destinations. On any given weekend, our listeners will find themselves enjoying the sunny cafes of Lisbon and Madrid, visiting a Venetian Palace in the Piazza San Marco, attending a musical at the Mendelssohn family’s parlor in Leipzig, reveling at a dance festival in a rustic Carpathian Mountains village, or marveling at the astonishing imaginings of geniuses like William Shakespeare, Walt Disney, or Alfred Hitchcock.
As musicians, we are constantly trying to improve our abilities to illuminate and facilitate these adventures, often calling upon colleagues, near and far away, to help us with this process. This summer, we also remember and celebrate one such colleague, Kendall Betts, with whom we shared so many past journeys, familiar and exotic, physical and spiritual, whose passion for music and life were nothing short of extraordinary.
– Ronnie Bauch