SEWANEE SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL: HIKE TO A CONCERT
Sewanee, TN: On July 6, 2012, an entire chamber orchestra group of Sewanee Summer Music Festival students hiked a quarter mile into the woods from Morgan’s Steep and performed an hour of classical music directly below a natural rock formation. Director Lehman articulated the situation perfectly when she welcomed the crowd of over 130 people by saying, “Welcome to the most interesting concert you have ever been to.” This concert, a joint effort with the Office of Marketing & Communications of the University of the South, the Sewanee Outing Program, and the Sewanee Summer Music Festival staff, turned out to be one of the highlights of the SSMF season. Conductor Yaniv Dinur led the group in Schubert’s 5th Symphony and Respighi’s Ancient Airs and Dances. The concert was opened by the Phoenix Brass Quintet who performed while patrons hiked down the mountain to the seating area. Over 20 volunteers, staff members of all the abovementioned organizations, and even Jason Seber, Cumberland Orchestra Conductor, helped move chairs, stands, instruments, and equipment down the hike trail which consisted of climbing down steep stairs, down a rock path, and finally settling on the rocky terrain below the bluff. The result was a historic concert that combined the beauty of the music along with the breathtaking views and nature of Morgan’s Steep.
The SSMF will present a number of other concerts in Week 3. On July 14th, students will perform a chamber music concert at 4 p.m. and the Faculty Artist Series concert titled, “Between the Wars” featuring a special presentation of Stravinsky’s Dumbarton Oaks conducted by Courtney Lewis at 7:30 p.m.. On Sunday, conductors Courtney Lewis and Jason Seber will lead the two student orchestras in an afternoon of story tales and romance. Pieces include The Firebird Suite, Swan Lake, Sibelius Symphony No. 2, Suite from Henry V, and Romeo et Juliette. This symphony Sunday will be the accumulation of the students’ work of three weeks and will be one of their best concerts to date.
www.sewaneemusicfestival.org
