Albuquerque, NM

New Mexico Woodwind Quintet to perform at October 18 Artists’ Circle

Musical guests at the upcoming October 18th Artists’ Circle event this fall will be the New Mexico Woodwind Quintet.
Founded as a non-for-profit organization in 1983 and begun by participating in the 1984 Rome (Italy) Music Festival, the New Mexico Woodwind Quintet (NMWQ) has performed extensively throughout New Mexico and the Southwest in an attempt to promote classical chamber music and support local artists, organizations, and composers.
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The New Mexico Woodwind Quintet’s programming encompasses a wide variety of musical styles, with emphasis on literature of the Twentieth Century. The New Mexico Woodwind Quintet will perform Piece Quintet en forme de Choros by Heitor Villa-Lobos during the 2009 Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival.

The October 18th Artists’ Circle event is one of four special annual events for donors who generously contribute $1,000 or more to the Festival. To learn more about becoming an Artists’ Circle member and attending this lovely event, please call Kristen Tidwell, Development & Outreach Director of the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, at 505.983.2075 ext. 108 or e-mail her at kristen@sfcmf.org.

Neikrug’s Through Roses featured at the Museum of Jewish Heritage

Festival artistic director Marc Neikrug’s acclaimed music-theatre work, Through Roses, one of the works of the 2008 summer season, will be the culminating work on the Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust’s five day event, “Music in Exile-Emigre Composers of the 1930s”. The event runs from November 9, the 70th anniversary of Kristallnacht, through November 13th, ending with Marc’s piece.

“Music in Exile- Emigre Composers of the 1930s”
November 9 - 13, 2008
Museum Museum of Jewish Heritage -
A Living Memorial
Edmond J. Safra Hall, 36 Battery Place, New York City

Thursday, November 13, 2008

6:00 pm Pre-concert talk:
Bret Werb, musicologist of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, “We Will Never Die”

7:00 pm “American Exile”
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Ballate dell-esilio (Guido Cavalcanti)
Hanns Eisler, Three Songs (Berthold Brecht)
An den kleinen Radioapparat; Hotelzimmer;
Uber den Selbstmord
Walter Arlen, The Poet in Exile (Czeslaw Milosz)

Marc Neikrug, Through Roses
Music-drama for an actor and eight solo instruments
Saul Rubinek, actor/director
Marc Neikrug, conductor
Daniel Phillips, violinist
Anne-Marie McDermott, pianist; Tara Helen O’Connor, flutist; Steve Tenenbom, violist; Timothy Eddy, cellist; Alan Kay, clarinetist; Steve Taylor, oboist; Jonathan Hass, percussionist.

Through Roses has received worldwide acclaim in the 27 years since it was written. It has been performed hundreds of times throughout the world, and has been translated into 11 languages. It has not been performed in New York since its premiere 27 years ago, when the New York Times praised it as “an extraordinary achievement.”

Through Roses features the noted theater, film and television actor Saul Rubinek as violinist Carl Stern, tormented by his horrific memories of Auschwitz, where through the rose hedges of the camp commandant’s garden, he witnessed the arrival of his fellow prisoners of war, the selection process and their inevitable journey to the gas chambers. England’s Channel 4 and Germany’s WDR co-produced the Christopher Nupen documentary film of Through Roses. It won the prize for Best Music at the Besancon Festival in France and a Golden Bear at the New York Television Film Festival. A motion picture version was produced by Cinecentrum (Germany) and directed by Jergen Flimm, with Academy Award winners Meximilian Schell and Cinematographer David Watkin (Out of Africa).

Koch is releasing a new recording of Through Roses this November 2008. It was recorded in Santa Fe after a performance on August 24th at the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival. Several of the musicians on the recording will be performing in New York. Should you be planning a trip to New York during mid-November, don’t miss this incredible performance!

Spotlight on Festival Supporters

The Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival wishes to thank all of the businesses and individuals whose support have made the 2008 Festival possible. In this portion of the newsletter, we’ll be acknowledging our supporters each month. Should you have the opportunity to avail yourself of their services, please do so.
The Festival thanks Omaha Steaks for its generosity and support of the 2008 season.

Omaha Steaks, founded in 1917, is an Omaha, Nebraska-based, fifth-generation, family-owned company that markets and distributes a wide variety of the finest quality USDA-approved, grain fed beef and other gourmet foods including pork, poultry, seafood, side dishes, appetizers and desserts. Today, Omaha Steaks is recognized as the nation’s largest direct response marketer of premium beef, available to customers by calling 1-800-228-9055, online at http://www.omahasteaks.com or at more than 80 retail stores nationwide.

Staff Profile:
Julie Rodriguez

Julie Rodriguez, Associate Artistic Administrator for the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, has been a member of the Festival staff for 12 years. In addition to her duties in the Artistic Administration Department, she is also Managing Editor of the yearly Program Book, and Marketing and PR Associate. When not working, Julie’s hobbies include attending concerts in other music genres, such as rock and local music. Originally from New York, Julie studied piano at The Juilliard School of Music. Full of energy and with a friendly smile always present, she is just one of the hardworking members of the Festival staff. SFCMF Newsletter sat down with Julie at the end of the 2008 season for a quick chat with her:

You’ve been with SFCMF for over 12 years. Where did you work prior to joining the Festival?
“Prior to joining the Festival, I held a variety of positions, all in the arts/advertising/communications fields, including running my own public relations company in New York.”

You also worked in theatre for a bit, didn’t you?
“Yes, for about a year and a half. I served as Yul Brenner’s personal assistant during the London Paladium production of ‘The King and I.’ It was a wonderful experience all the way around, from working closely with such a talented actor to living in London.”

How long have you lived in New Mexico?
“I’ve been a New Mexico resident for over 18 years. My husband, Rudy, and I live here in Santa Fe. It’s not only a great town for music and culture but it’s a great place to live as well!”

Who are some of your favorite composers that the Festival has commissioned over the years?
” Mark O’Connor’s String Quartet (Bluegrass); Roberto Sierra’s Concierto de Camara from this past season, and also Kaija Saariaho’s Serenatas.”

Did you have a favorite performance from the 2008 season?
“There were so many wonderful performances, but I’d have to say my favorite was the Dohnanyi Piano Quintet No. 2 on August 14th at the Lensic performed by violinists Daniel Phillips and Benny Kim, violist Steven Tenenbom, cellist Eric Kim and pianist Jon Nakamatsu.”

What three words would you use to describe the Festival?
“Three words! - I’ve had too many wonderful experiences with the Festival to describe it in only three words.”