For the Media

According to the New York Times, the self-conducted string orchestra A Far Cry brims with personality or, better, personalities, many and varied. The group is a tightly knit collective of 17 young professional musicians. Leadership rotatesboth on stage and behind the scenes. By expanding the boundaries of orchestral repertoire and experimenting with the ways music is prepared, performed, and experienced, A Far Cry has made a name for itself throughout the world. It has given well over two hundred performances, recorded four albums, and developed a powerful presence on the Internet. In 2012, A Far Cry completed its first European tour to great acclaim. The Criers call Boston home. They serve as Chamber Orchestra in Residence at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Through an educational partnership with the New England Conservatory, A Far Cry works with local students to pass on the spirit of collaboratively-empowered music.

Learn more at www.afarcry.org.

Performing:
Wednesday, August 28
Thursday, August 29
Friday, August 30
Saturday, August 31

Renowned for their unearthly vocal blend and virtuosic ensemble singing, the four women of Anonymous 4 combine historical scholarship with contemporary performance intuition to create their magical sound. Their programs have included music from the year 1000; the ecstatic music and poetry of the 12th-century abbess and mystic, Hildegard of Bingen; 13th-century chant and polyphony from England, France, and Spain; American folksongs, shape note tunes, and gospel songs; and works newly written for the group. Composers who have written for Anonymous 4 include David Lang, Richard Einhorn, John Tavener, Peter Maxwell Davies, and Steve Reich. For 25 years, Anonymous 4 has performed for sold-out audiences throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Its 19 best-selling recordings for harmonia mundi usa have won multiple awards and have sold more than two million copies. Anonymous 4 has twice been voted one of Billboards top classical artists.

Learn more at www.anonymous4.com.

Performing:
Saturday, August 10

Donal Fox is internationally acclaimed as composer, pianist, and improviser in both jazz and classical music. His numerous awards include a Guggenheim fellowship in music composition and a fellowship from the Bogliasco Foundation. He served as the first African-American composer-in-residence with the St. Louis Symphony. Donal premiered his Monk and Bach Project at Jazz at Lincoln Center, his Scarlatti Jazz Suite Project at Tanglewood; and his piano concerto Peace Out at Carnegie Hall. His innovative "Jazz Duet Series" has included collaborations with Oliver Lake, John Stubblefield, Billy Pierce, David Murray, Elliott Sharp, Regina Carter, George Mraz, Al Foster, Stefon Harris, Andrew Cyrille, Christian Scott, Terri Lyne Carrington, Gary Burton, Lewis Nash, John Patitucci, and poet Quincy Troupe. Donal was awarded the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Letters Academy Award in Music, and he recently served as a Martin Luther King, Jr. Visiting Scholar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Performing:
Saturday, August 17

The Grammy-Award winning Ying Quartet occupies a position of unique prominence in the classical music world, combining brilliantly communicative performances with a fearlessly imaginative view of chamber music in today's world. Now in its second decade as a quartet, the Ying has established itself as one of the most outstanding chamber ensembles. Their performances regularly take place in the world's most important concert halls, from Carnegie Hall to the Sydney Opera House. At the same time, the Quartet's belief that concert music can also be a meaningful part of everyday life has also drawn the foursome to perform in settings as diverse as the workplace, schools, juvenile prisons, and the White House. In fact, the Ying Quartet's constant quest to explore the creative possibilities of the string quartet has led it to an unusually diverse array of musical projects and interests.

As quartet-in-residence at the Eastman School of Music, the Ying Quartet teaches in the string department and leads a rigorous, sequentially designed chamber music program. One cornerstone of chamber music activity at Eastman is the noted Music for All program, in which all students have the opportunity to perform in community settings beyond the concert hall.

Learn more at www.ying4.com.

Performing:
Thursday, August 8
Friday, August 9

Violist Rebecca Albers has performed throughout North America, Asia, and Western Europe. She enjoys a varied career as an orchestral and chamber musician, soloist, and teacher. As a winner of the Juilliard Schools viola competition, she made her New York solo debut with the Juilliard Orchestra in Alice Tully Hall, where she performed the New York premiere of Samuel Adlers Viola Concerto. An avid chamber musician, Rebecca tours extensively with the Albers Trio, a string trio formed with her two sisters, and with Musicians from Marlboro, the touring extension of the Marlboro Music Festival. She is the newly appointed Assistant Principal violist of the Minnesota Orchestra. Dedicated to the growth and education of young musicians, Rebecca has been teaching since she was 12 years old. She studied with Heidi Castleman and Hsin-Yun Huang at the Juilliard School; her past teachers include Ellie Albers LeRoux and James Maure.

Performing:
Wednesday, August 21
Thursday, August 22
Friday, August 23

American soprano Jennifer Aylmer has developed a sterling reputation for her beautiful voice, compelling stage portrayals, and impeccable musicianship. She is noted both for her significant opera performances and for her diverse concert appearances. Highlights of her varied career include her Metropolitan Opera debut as Bella in the world premiere of Tobias Pickers An American Tragedy, her performance as Papagena in Julie Taymors production of The Magic Flute for the Metropolitan Opera, and her creation of the role of Amy in the premiere of Mark Adamos Little Women for the Houston Grand Opera. Her concert work ranges from Mozart and Handel to Lukas Foss and The Great American Songbook.

Jennifer made her New York recital debut as winner of an Alice Tully Hall Vocal Arts Debut Recital from the Juilliard School. She joined the voice faculty at Carnegie Mellon Universitys School of Music in the fall of 2012.

Learn more at www.jenniferaylmer.com.

Performing:
Thursday, August 8
Friday, August 9

Bart Feller is Principal Flute of the New Jersey Symphony, the New York City Opera, and the Santa Fe Opera Orchestras. Bart has soloed with the Philadelphia Orchestra, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and the Jupiter Symphony. He has also performed with the New York Philharmonic, the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Bargemusic, and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Among the summer festivals he has participated in are the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, Music in the Vineyards, Marlboro Music Festival, OK Mozart International Festival, and the Grand Teton Music Festival. Bart is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music where he studied with Julius Baker and John Krell. He attended the Pre-College Division of The Juilliard School, and is now a faculty member there. He is also on the faculty of Rutgers University/Mason Gross School of the Arts. Bart has released three CDs.

Learn more at www.bartfeller.net.

Performing:
Wednesday, August 21
Thursday, August 22
Friday, August 23
Saturday, August 24

Donal Fox is internationally acclaimed as composer, pianist, and improviser in both jazz and classical music. His numerous awards include a Guggenheim fellowship in music composition and a fellowship from the Bogliasco Foundation. He served as the first African-American composer-in-residence with the St. Louis Symphony. Donal premiered his Monk and Bach Project at Jazz at Lincoln Center, his Scarlatti Jazz Suite Project at Tanglewood; and his piano concerto Peace Out at Carnegie Hall. His innovative "Jazz Duet Series" has included collaborations with Oliver Lake, John Stubblefield, Billy Pierce, David Murray, Elliott Sharp, Regina Carter, George Mraz, Al Foster, Stefon Harris, Andrew Cyrille, Christian Scott, Terri Lyne Carrington, Gary Burton, Lewis Nash, John Patitucci, and poet Quincy Troupe. Donal was awarded the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Letters Academy Award in Music, and he recently served as a Martin Luther King, Jr. Visiting Scholar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Performing:
Thursday, August 15

Pianist Elinor Freer has built a versatile career as chamber musician and soloist, performing across the United States, Europe, and China. Highlights include performances at The Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Valery Gergiev Festival in Rotterdam, the International Musicians Seminar in Prussia Cove, England, and at the Akademie Muizicky Chumeni in Prague. She has also made successive recordings for Dutch radio and performed at the Gnessin Institute in Moscow. Ms. Freer is also one of two American pianists selected to perform extensively throughout China in tours designed to promote cultural relations. A featured soloist with numerous orchestras, Ms. Freer also frequently performs at festivals such as Summer Music in Harrisburg, PA, the Festival de Música de Cámera in Mexico, Music in the Vineyards, and the Bowdoin Music Festival.

Ms. Freer has been a prizewinner and laureate in many competitions such as the Joanna Hodges and the American Pianists Association, and she has held fellowships at the Steans Institute/Ravinia Festival and the Tanglewood Music Center. She is currently on the faculty of the Eastman School of Music and the Bowdoin International Music Festival. Committed to bringing classical music to new audiences, she continues to present a multitude of educational and community performances across the country in settings ranging from inner city schools to psychiatric hospitals.

Performing:
Friday, August 9
Wednesday, August 14
Thursday, August 22

Long-time Festival Favorite, violinist Hilary Hahn is a two-time Grammy Award winner and was recently named Gramophone magazine's Artist of the Year.

Hilary appears regularly with the world's elite orchestras and on the most prestigious recital series in Europe, Asia, and North and South America. In the 2009-10 season, she toured the United States, New Zealand, Japan, Germany, England, France, Austria, Luxembourg, Serbia, and Iceland, and performed as a guest soloist with, among others, the Boston, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Dallas and Nashville symphonies, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

In a special project this season, Hilary joined baritone Matthias Goerne, soprano Christine Schäfer and the Munich Chamber Orchestra for a series of European concerts featuring arias from their album Bach: Violin and Voice.

In the dozen years since she began recording, she has released eleven solo albums on the Deutsche Grammophon and Sony labels, in addition to three DVDs, an Oscar-nominated movie soundtrack, an award-winning children's record, and various compilations. All have spent weeks on Billboard's Classical Top Ten list.

An entertaining and enthusiastic writer, Hahn keeps a journal of her professional travels on her website (www.hilaryhahn.com), maintains a presence on Twitter (www.twitter.com/violincase), and produces a YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/hilaryhahnvideos). She also serves as guest interviewer for the contemporary classical music blog Sequenza21.

Learn more at www.hilaryhahn.com.

Performing:
Friday, August 16
Saturday, August 17

Harpist June Han performs extensively in Korea, France, and New York City with Ensemble Sospeso, Sequitur Ensemble, Ensemble 21, and Manhattan Sinfonietta. She has collaborated with the Chamber Music Society Two Program, Sea Cliff Chamber Players, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Cygnus Ensemble, and Speculum Musicae, and she regularly performs with Music from Japan, the Group for Contemporary Music, Azure Ensemble, Jupiter Chamber Players, and Bronx Art Ensemble. Her frequent performances with the New York Philharmonic have included tours in Europe and Asia.
June has recorded music of many living and modern composers and has premiered works by Charles Wuorinen, Samuel Adler, Lei Liang, Hyo-Shin Na, and Young-Ja Lee. She holds a Premier Prix for harp and chamber music from Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, MM and AD degrees from the Yale School of Music, and a DMA degree from the Juilliard School. June studied with Marie-Claire Jamet and Nancy Allen.

Performing:
Wednesday, August 21
Thursday, August 22
Friday, August 23
Saturday, August 24

Violinist Bella Hristova is known both for her extensive work as a soloist with orchestras and for her performances at festivals and in recitals and chamber music concerts. She won first prize at the Young Concert Artists International Auditions where she was the first recipient of the Helen Armstrong Violin Fellowship and was honored with five other awards and prizes. Bella has performed with Pinchas Zukerman and the Orchestra of St. Lukes at Lincoln Center and with Jaime Laredo and the New York String Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. She was awarded a career grant from the Salon de Virtuosi in New York, has appeared on Garrison Keillors A Prairie Home Companion on National Public Radio, and has recorded a CD of solo violin works for the Naxos label.
Bella studied with Ida Kavafian and Steven Tenenbom at the Curtis Institute and with Jaime Laredo at Indiana University.

Learn more at www.bellahristova.com.

Performing:
Thursday, August 22
Friday, August 23
Saturday, August 24

Kurt Muroki began his musical studies on the violin and went on to study the double bass at the Juilliard School of Music. Kurt has performed with the Jupiter Chamber Players, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the New York City Ballet, the 92nd Street Y, and Bargemusic. He is an artist member of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and has appeared at the Marlboro Music Festival, Festival L'Autonne at IRCAM, and the Aspen Music Festival. He can be heard on movie soundtracks for "The Departed," Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close," "Julie and Julia, and "Moonrise Kingdom." Kurt has recorded with The Who, Sting, Peter Gabriel, and Itzhak Perlman. In addition to concerto tours throughout Asia and the United States, he has worked with the Guarneri, Juilliard, and Tokyo string quartets.

He is undoubtedly one of the best bass players I have ever heard. - David Soyer, Guarneri Quartet

Learn more at www.muroki.com.

Performing:
Thursday, August 22
Friday, August 23
Saturday, August 24

Hailed for his warm and expressive sound, consummate musicianship, and winning way with an audience, baritone Randall Scarlata enjoys an unusually diverse career. He is equally comfortable singing oratorio, opera, the great song cycles, works from Tin Pan Alley, and the newest new music. He has appeared as soloist with many of the worlds finest orchestras, and at international music festivals on five continents. Randall has given world premieres of works by Ned Rorem, Lori Laitman, George Crumb, Daron Hagen, Samuel Adler, Mohammed Fairouz, Paul Moravec, Christopher Theofanidis, Wolfram Wagner and Thea Musgrave. He has won many competitions, including the International Schubert Competition in Vienna, the Joy in Singing Competition, the Brahms Competition, The Young Concert Artists Competition, the Naumburg Competition, and the Alice Tully Debut Recital Award. In addition, he has recorded for the Naxos, Arabesque, Albany, Chandos, CRI, and Gasparo labels. Randall is on the music faculty at West Chester University.

Learn more at www.randallscarlata.com.

Performing:
Thursday, August 8
Friday, August 9

Mark Davis Scatterday is Professor of Conducting and Chair of the Conducting and Ensembles Department at the Eastman School of Music. He leads the famous Eastman Wind Ensemble, with which he has toured Asia and played in Carnegie Hall.

Mark studied conducting with Donald Hunsberger, David Effron, Sidney Hodkinson, Carl St.Clair, H. Robert Reynolds, Gustav Mier, and Richard Jackoboice. Before joining the Eastman faculty, he chaired the music department and taught conducting at Cornell University. While at Cornell, he was one of the principal conductors of the professional new music group Ensemble X.
An advocate of contemporary music, especially the music of Karel Husa and Roberto Sierra, Scatterday has commissioned, recorded, and premiered over 25 works. He conducted the premiere recordings of Roberto Sierras Cancionero Sefardi and Judith Weirs Concerto for Piano and Musicians Wrestling Everywhere. His recording of Barcelonazo with the Eastman Musica Nova was nominated for a Latin Grammy.

Performing:
Saturday, August 24

Pianist Cory Smythe is an improviser, chamber musician, and performer of contemporary classical music. As a member of the International Contemporary Ensemble, he has contributed to numerous premieres, worked with composers Philippe Hurel, Dai Fujikura, Steve Lehman, Magnus Lindberg, Kaija Saariaho, Mathias Pintscher, and Alvin Lucier among many others, and performed in venues across the U.S. and abroad. A forthcoming recording by ICE will feature Cory as the piano soloist in Iannis Xenakiss Palimpsest.
Cory has played with a wide array of artists, including Braxton, the Greg Osby Four, Tyshawn Sorey, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, and violinist Hilary Hahn. In the spring of 2011 he released his debut album, Pluripotent, a collection of original compositions and improvisations for solo piano. He is a graduate of the music schools at Indiana University and the University of Southern California, where his principal teachers were Luba Edlina-Dubinsky and Stewart Gordon

Learn more at www.corysmythe.com.

Performing:
Friday, August 16

As a distinguished collaborative pianist, Laura Ward is known both for her technical ability and for her vast knowledge of repertoire and styles. Concert engagements have taken her to Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Bostons Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the Spoleto Festival (Italy), and in France to the Saint Denis and Colmar International Music Festivals. She has served as vocal coach at Philadelphias Academy of Vocal Arts, Westminster Choir College, Temple University, the Ravinia Festival Steans Institute, Washington Opera, the University of Maryland, the Music Academy of the West, and Clevelands Blossom Festival. She is also the official pianist for the Washington International Competition, the Astral Artists Auditions, and the Marian Anderson Award. Laura is Co-founding Artistic Director of Lyric Fest in Philadelphia.
For Hal Leonard Publishing, Laura has edited accompaniments for 165 songs by Richard Strauss, Fauré, and Brahms and has recorded over 2,000 song accompaniments.

Performing:
Thursday, August 8
Friday, August 9

In addition to his role as the cellist of the Ying Quartet, David Ying performs frequently as solo cellist. He has appeared with such orchestras as the Oakland East-Bay Symphony, the Chicago Civic Orchestra, the String Orchestra of the Rockies, and the Rochester Chamber Orchestra. He has won numerous awards as a solo cellist, including prizes in the Naumburg International Cello Competition, the Washington International Competition, and a diploma at the Tchaikovsky International Cello Competition. A dedicated and active teacher, Mr, Ying has taught at Interlochen, the Brevard Music Center, and Northwestern University. He is currently on the chamber music and cello faculty of the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY.

Performing:
Wednesday, August 14
Thursday, August 22
Friday, August 23
Saturday, August 24