MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 SAVANNAHMUSICFESTIVAL.ORG
Welcome to the 2020 Savannah Music Festival! In this 31st festival program, we are celebrating the notion that the annual Savannah Music Festival (SMF) “has become a magnet for those of us who like to have our listening borders stretched” (Toronto Star). With all programming, the team at SMF endeavors to create and reinforce community by staging accessible, diverse experiences with live music that entertain, educate, spark curiosity and facilitate discovery. SMF is an artist-driven festival. In 2020, we welcome the return of Associate Artistic Directors Marcus Roberts and Mike Marshall, both of whom run nationally-recognized workshop programs for aspiring young musicians at our festival (Swing Central Jazz and Acoustic Music Seminar, page 57). In addition to their mentorship work, Marcus Roberts is Music Director for an original program at the 2020 Swing Central Jazz Finale entitled New Orleans Swing Time (page 28). Mike Marshall is Music Director for a special presentation of the Ger Mandolin Orchestra project (page 26), a project conceived by Israeli-American Avner Yonai, whose search for his family’s roots led him to a tattered photograph of his grandfather and other relatives playing in a pre-WWII Jewish mandolin orchestra in the Polish town of Gora Kalwaria (“Ger” in Yiddish). The return of festival veteran and violist Philip Dukes comes with a new role in 2020 (page 18), as he steps into the Artistic Advisor chair in our chamber music series. Joining returning chamber musicians with several new members, Dukes leads an eight-concert chamber series with a rich repertoire, elaborating on the foundation laid by his longtime friend and musical colleague, Daniel Hope. During these 17 days, artists from far and wide make Savannah’s historic district a hotbed of music and creativity, hailing from across our country and Cuba, Canada, Portugal, Chile, Brazil, India, Czech Republic, Venezuela, United Kingdom, Sweden, Spain, Trinidad, France and Ireland. Three distinctly different classical programs celebrate the 250th anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven’s birth: the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra performing his Seventh Symphony and the beloved Piano Concerto No. 5 (“Emperor”) with esteemed soloist André Watts (page 15), Mike Marshall and Caterina Lichtenberg performing a concert constructed around Beethoven’s Sonatinas for Mandolin (page 27), and a powerful closing concert of Philip
Dukes’ debut chamber series featuring Beethoven’s C Major String Quintet (known as the “Storm Quintet”), the Piano Sonata No. 17 (“Tempest”), and the majestic “Archduke” Piano Trio (page 34). Three years since their SMF debut, Troy Schumacher’s innovative company BalletCollective returns with a stunning program of three ballets (page 21), one of which was choreographed by Savannah native Gabrielle Lamb, and the other two by Schumacher. All of them are set to live performances of original scores including members of the Dover and Escher Quartets. Throughout this brochure, you will find 39 festival debuts, original productions and unique artistic collaborations, including a first-time trio performance of fiddlers Martin Hayes and Jeremy Kittel with guitarist Roger Tallroth (page 41), a program born out of the musical legacy of Doc Watson with acclaimed flatpickers Bryan Sutton and Jack Lawrence and bassist T. Michael Coleman (page 38), a celebration of the string traditions of fado, flamenco and their offshoots with Portuguese guitarist Marta Pereira da Costa and Canary Island timple virtuoso Germán López (page 14), and a gathering of leading-edge Cuban musicians with Harold López-Nussa and the formidable piano/percussion duo of Alfredo Rodriguez & Pedrito Martinez (page 49), among others. Other programs in classical, jazz and a variety of American and international roots music styles comprise the 2020 festival season, spotlighting both emerging artists and master practitioners in intimate venues across Savannah’s Historic District in the glorious springtime. Whether this is the first festival season you’ve attended or your 31st, we welcome you and thank you for supporting live music in Savannah! Ryan McMaken, Artistic Director David Pratt, Executive Director
S A V A N N A H M U S I C F E S T I V A L MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 | savannahmusicfestival.org | box office 912.525.5050
Table of Contents Sponsors & Supporters....................................... 4 Festival at a Glance...............................................6 The Festival........................................................... 8 Concert Venues.................................................. 52 Area Map.............................................................. 53 Ticketing Info...................................................... 54 Support Us........................................................... 55 Education Programs.......................................... 56
SPONSORS & SUPPORTERS CORPOR ATE & GOVERNMENT SUPPORTERS
Corporate & Government Supporters FOUNDER savannahga.gov
DIAMOND
PLATINUM
HunterMaclean A T T O R N E Y S
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GOLD
SILVER
BRONZE
& KH Kaufman-Heinz LLC
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FESTIVAL SOCIETY
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Abshire PR / BankSouth / E. Shaver, booksellers / First Chatham Bank / Great Dane / JCB / John Davis Florist
S A V A N N A H M U S I C F E S T I V A L MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 | savannahmusicfestival.org | box office 912.525.5050
FOUNDER
Anonymous Bob Faircloth Ron & Susan Whitaker DIAMOND
Laura Devendorf & Meredith D. Belford Dr. Bill Dickinson & Dr. Joe Ann Brandt Charles & Rosalie Morris Thomas V. & Susan G. Reilly PLATINUM
David & Linda Bush Dorothea & Tim Coy Charles A. Frueauff Foundation Marla & Morris Geffen
Dayle & Aaron Levy Tom & Ruth McMullin Wilson & Linda Fisk Morris Dave & Sylvaine Neises
The Savannah Orchestral Music Fund c/o The Savannah Community Foundation Shelby G. Schavoir Pamela & Peter Voss Anne P. West
GOLD
Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation David & Caroline Johnson J C Lewis Foundation
Mr. & Mrs. Jerry McElreath Jackie & Stephen Rabinowitz Stephanie & Michael Reardon
Robin & Sandy Stuart Foundation Doug & Lamar Webb Gail & Paul Wickes
SILVER Jan & Gus Bell Mr. Henry R. & Mrs. Leslie Lauer Berghoef Byck-Rothschild Foundation, Inc. Walter G. Canipe Foundation
The Chatham Foundation The Hodge Foundation George & Ann Hubbs Joan & Jim Hunter Mr. & Mrs. Robert S. Jepson, Jr.
Josh & Kelley Keller Karen & Ted Kleisner Dave Lake & Linda Wright Robert M. & Diane v.S. Levy Tom & Diane Oxnard
Larry Pike Regina & Rick Roney The Solomons Family Mr. & Mrs. John L. Tucker
The Marjorie E. & B.H. Levy, Jr. Charitable Fund Ann Lytle Tim & Kathleen Mercier Jim & Bunny Montag Ellen O’Bannon Roger & Rachel Page Elizabeth C. Peeples
Donald Powell Karen & Don Ringsby Barbara Ruddy Dr. & Mrs. Andrew T. Sheils, Jr. Jacqueline & Ken Sirlin Marti & Austin Sullivan The Sussman Family Adrienne Tietz
Harold & Peggy Yellin
BRONZE Anonymous Joan & Gary Capen Mr. & Mrs. William J. Donahue Dr. M. M. Finn Friends of Savannah Music Festival Georgia Music Foundation Willard & Jean Holland
Media Sponsors
Mrs. Toby W. Hollenberg The Hunter Foundation Ms. Jill Kammermeyer & Mr. Robert Hochstetler Bill & Becky Keightley Betsy Lancaster Richard K. Lane Mrs. Robert O. Levitt
SPONSORS & SUPPORTERS
CONCERT CIRLE & MEDIA SPONSORS
Concert Circle Contributors
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AT A GLANCE
T H U R S D AY, M A R C H 2 6 12:30 PM Amythyst Kiah
T U E S D AY, M A R C H 3 1 $27 CMC / 1 hr 15 mins
5/ 8 PM
True Blues: Corey Harris, Cedric Watson & Alvin Youngblood Hart / Amythyst Kiah
$42 CMC / 2 hrs
5 PM
Celebrating Bach: Bridget Kibbey and Dover Quartet
$47, 57 (Reserved*) TUMC / 1 hr 45 min
8 PM
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
$37, 47, 70, 85, 100 (Gold) JMT / 1 hr 30 mins
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Tara Helen O'Connor, flute
12:30 PM Emmet Cohen Trio
F R I D AY, M A R C H 2 7 12:30 PM Foghorn Stringband
11 AM
$37, 47 (Reserved*) TUMC / 1 hr 15 mins $27 CMC / 1 hr 15 mins
Performance Today’s Piano Puzzler with Bruce Adolphe and Fred Child
$47, 57 (Reserved*) TUMC / 2 hrs
5/ 8 PM
Melissa Aldana Quartet: Visions / André Mehmari Trio
$42 CMC / 2 hrs 15 mins
7 PM
BalletCollective: Translation
$37, 47, 57, 67 LT / 2 hrs
4 PM
$27 CMC / 1 hr 15 mins
W E D N E S D AY, A P R I L 1
5 PM
Dover Quartet
$47, 57 (Reserved*) TUMC / 2 hrs
12:30 PM André Mehmari, piano
$27 CMC / 1 hr 15 mins
5:30 / 8:30 PM
Foghorn Stringband / Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves
$42 CMC / 2 hrs
5 PM
Chamber II: From Prussia with Love
5:30 / 8:30 PM
George Porter Jr. and Runnin’ Pardners / Rebirth Brass Band
$42 SOS / 2 hrs 15 mins
5/ 8 PM
Veronica Swift with Emmet Cohen Trio / Vilray
8 PM
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
$37, 50, 70, 80, 100 (Gold) JMT / 1 hr 45 mins
7:30 PM
Rodney Crowell
$42 SOS / 1 hr 50 mins
8 PM
Mandolin Orange
$37, 47, 57, 67, 80 (Gold) LT / 1 hr 30 mins
$47, 57 (Reserved*) TUMC / 2 hrs $42 CMC / 2 hrs
S AT U R D AY, M A R C H 2 8 12:30 PM Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves
T H U R S D AY, A P R I L 2 $27 CMC / 1 hr 15 mins
11 AM
Ana-Maria Vera, piano
$37, 47 (Reserved*) TUMC / 1 hr 15 mins
4/ 8 PM
Ruthie Foster / Marcia Ball
$42 SOS / 2 hrs 20 mins
4 PM
Swing Central Jazz: Jazz on the River
Free Rousakis Plaza / 3 hrs
5:30 / 8:30 PM
Marta Pereira da Costa / Germán López
$42 CMC / 2 hrs
6/ 8:30 PM
Kenny Barron and Dave Holland with Johnathan Blake
$45 CMC / 1 hr 30 mins
7 PM
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra with André Watts
$37, 53, 70, 80 LT / 1 hr 45 mins
6 PM
Ger Mandolin Orchestra
$47 TMI / 2 hrs
F R I D AY, A P R I L 3
S U N D AY, M A R C H 2 9 2 PM
Dover Quartet with Escher String Quartet
$47, 57 (Reserved*) TUMC / 2 hrs
5 PM
Christian Sands Presents Three Piano Erroll Garner Summit
$42 LT / 1 hr 45 mins
Swing Central Jazz: The Competition
12:30 PM Caterina Lichtenberg & Mike Marshall: Beethoven and the Mandolin
Free LT / 7 hrs
$37 UU / 1 hr 15 mins
4 PM
Chamber III: Futility of Conflict
$47, 57 (Reserved*) TUMC / 2 hrs
$27 CMC / 1 hr 15 mins
6:30 PM
Swing Central Jazz Finale: New Orleans Swing Time
$37, 47, 57, 67, 80 (Gold) LT / 2 hrs 45 mins
M O N D AY, M A R C H 3 0 12:30 PM Christian Sands, piano
8:30 AM
5/ 8 PM
Wycliffe Gordon & His International All-Stars / Christian Sands Trio
$42 CMC / 2 hrs 15 mins
7:30 PM
Balsam Range / Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
$42 SOS / 3 hrs
5 PM
Chamber I: Tales of the Unexpected
$57 KIW / 2 hrs
10 PM
Late Night Jazz Jam with Emmet Cohen
$42 CMC / 2 hrs
S A V A N N A H M U S I C F E S T I V A L MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 | savannahmusicfestival.org | box office 912.525.5050
11 AM
Giovanni Guzzo, violin & Ana-Maria Vera, piano
12:30 PM Hawktail
T H U R S D AY, A P R I L 9 $37, 47 (Reserved*) TUMC / 1 hr 15 mins
12:30 PM Martin Hayes, Jeremy Kittel & Roger Tallroth
$35 CMC / 1 hr 15 mins
5 PM
Robert McDuffie, violin & Robert Spano, piano
$47, 57 (Reserved*) TUMC / 1 hr 45 mins
5:30 / 8:30 PM
John Jorgenson Quintet / Frank Vignola / Velvet Caravan
$42 CMC / 2 hrs 10 mins
$35 CMC / 1 hr 15 mins
3 PM
Meechot Marrero, soprano
$47, 57 (Reserved*) TUMC / 2 hrs
4/ 8 PM
Cajun Dance Party: Steve Riley & Racines / The Revelers
$39 CMC / 2 hrs 20 mins
8 PM
Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers
$37, 47, 60, 70, 85 (Gold) LT / 2 hrs
7:30 PM
Béla Fleck & The Flecktones
$37, 47, 60, 70, 85 (Gold) LT / 2 hrs
8 PM
Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe
$39 SOS / 2 hrs 30 mins
8:30 PM
Latin Dance Party: Spanish Harlem Orchestra
$39 SOS / 1 hr 50 mins
S U N D AY, A P R I L 5
F R I D AY, A P R I L 1 0 3 PM
Drew Petersen, piano
$37, 47 (Reserved*) TUMC / 1 hr 45 mins
3 PM
Chamber IV: Happy Birthday, Ludwig!
$47, 57 (Reserved*) TUMC / 2 hrs 10 mins
5:30 / 8:30 PM
Etienne Charles & Creole Soul / Brenda Navarrete
$42 CMC / 2 hrs 15 mins
6 PM
Martin Hayes Quartet / Aoife O'Donovan’s Songs and Strings
$37, 47, 60, 70, 85 (Gold) LT / 2 hrs
5:30 / 8:30 PM
Junior Brown / Hot Club of Cowtown
$42 SOS / 2 hrs 15 mins
6 PM
Stringband Spectacular: Acoustic Music Seminar Finale
$30 TT / 1 hr 45 mins
8:30 PM
St. Paul & The Broken Bones
$37, 47, 60, 70, 85 (Gold) LT / 1 hr 40 mins
M O N D AY, A P R I L 6 11 AM
Sebastian Knauer, piano
12:30 PM Martin Hayes Solo
$37, 47 (Reserved*) TUMC / 1 hr 15 mins $35 CMC / 1 hr 15 mins
S AT U R D AY, A P R I L 1 1
7 PM
Zakir Hussain, Kala Ramnath & Jayanthi Kumaresh
$42 SCAC / 2 hrs
3 PM
7:30 PM
Bryan Sutton, Jack Lawrence & T. Michael Coleman / Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley
$42 CMC / 2 hrs
4 / 8 PM Zydeco Dance Party: Jeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys
12:30 PM Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley 5/ 8 PM
Darrell Scott Band Plays Hank Williams / Kaia Kater & Andrew Ryan
5/ 8 PM
Väsen / Kittel & Co.
$47, 57 (Reserved*) TUMC / 1 hr 40 mins
$39 SOS / 1 hr 30 mins
Alfredo Rodriguez & Pedrito Martinez / Harold López-Nussa
$42 CMC / 2 hrs 10 mins
$35 CMC / 1 hr 15 mins
6 PM
Leo Kottke
$42 TT / 1 hr 30 mins
$42 CMC / 1 hr 50 mins
8 PM
Sarah Jarosz / Madison Cunningham
$37, 47, 60, 70, 85 (Gold) LT / 2 hrs
W E D N E S D AY, A P R I L 8 12:30 PM Väsen
Camille Thomas, cello & Julien Brocal, piano
4:30 / 7:30 PM
T U E S D AY, A P R I L 7
VENUE KEY $35 CMC / 1 hr 15 mins $42 CMC / 2 hrs 20 mins
CMC...........................Charles H. Morris Center, 10 East Broad Street JMT............................Johnny Mercer Theatre, 301 West Oglethorpe Avenue KIW............................. Kehoe Iron Works at Trustees’ Garden, 660 East Broughton Street LT..................................Lucas Theatre for the Arts, 32 Abercorn Street
Denotes performances in which patrons are likely to be on their feet and/or dancing. In theaters, those sensitive to this activity are encouraged to purchase early and select balcony/mezzanine seats closer to the front.
SOS............................. North Garden Assembly at Room at Ships of the Sea Museum, 41 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd
Denotes SMF debut by one or more featured artists.
TUMC.......................Trinity United Methodist Church, 127 Barnard Street
*NEW IN 2020: Reserved seats are now available at Trinity United Methodist Church in Orchestra Center, with General Admission seating available at a reduced price.
AT A GLANCE
S AT U R D AY, A P R I L 4
SCAC.........................Savannah Cultural Arts Center, 201 Montgomery Street TMI..............................Temple Mickve Israel, 20 East Gordon Street TT.................................Trustees Theater, 216 East Broughton Street UU................................Unitarian Universalist Church, 311 East Harris Street See pages 52 and 53 for a listing of festival venues and an area map.
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THET H U RFESTIVAL S D AY, M A R C H 2 6
Amythyst Kiah
THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 12:30 PM CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER $27
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True Blues: Corey Harris, Cedric Watson & Alvin Youngblood Hart / Amythyst Kiah
Tennessee native Amythyst Kiah is one of the brightest new stars on the acoustic/Americana scene. Equally adept on banjo and acoustic guitar, Kiah draws on an eclectic range of influences from old-time music and alternative rock to folk, country and blues. Her recent collaboration with Rhiannon Giddens, Leyla McCalla and Allison Russell on the album Songs of Our Native Daughters has put Kiah in the spotlight as a vocalist of rare power, with characteristics akin to Odetta and Nina Simone. An opportunity to catch Kiah in a solo setting is not to be missed.
“Amythyst Kiah is one of roots music’s most exciting emerging talents, blending a deep knowledge of old time music with sensibilities spanning classic country to contemporary R&B.” Rolling Stone
Hosted by the powerful blues singer-guitarist Corey Harris, True Blues chronicles the living culture of the blues in an evening of music and conversation. For the SMF edition of True Blues, Harris will be joined by southwest Louisiana fiddler/accordionist extraordinaire Cedric Watson and guitar wizard Alvin Youngblood Hart. A guitarist, songwriter and bandleader, Harris began his career as a New Orleans street singer, forming a unique interpretation of the blues for which he was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 2007. Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist Watson is no stranger to SMF audiences, having graced the festival as recently as last year with Jourdan Thibodeaux et Les Rôdailleurs. Hart’s guitar prowess has been praised by everyone from Bob Dylan to Eric Clapton.
THURSDAY, MARCH 26 5 AND 8 PM CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER $42
Celebrating Bach Bridget Kibbey and Dover Quartet Bridget Kibbey, harp Joel Link, violin Bryan Lee, violin Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, viola Camden Shaw, cello THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 5 PM TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH $47 / $57 (RESERVED)
Acclaimed harpist Bridget Kibbey and the renowned Dover Quartet are collaborating for the first time in a celebration of the “father” of all western composers, J.S. Bach. An esteemed soloist and chamber musician who has toured and recorded with Dawn Upshaw and Gustavo Santaolalla, Kibbey brings virtuosic brilliance and musical charisma to all she plays. Sharing the stage with Kibbey is the phenomenal Dover Quartet. The quartet catapulted to international stardom following a stunning sweep of the 2013 Banff Competition, at which they won every prize. This performance features arrangements of Bach’s works, some transcribed by the members themselves. JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 Sonata in E-flat Major, BWV 1031 Excerpts from Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 Harpsichord Concerto No. 5 in F minor, BWV 1056 Violin Sonata in G minor, BWV 1020 The Art of Fugue, Contrapunctus I-IV, BMV 1048 Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major, BWV 1048
S A V A N N A H M U S I C F E S T I V A L MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 | savannahmusicfestival.org | box office 912.525.5050
THE FESTIVAL
T H U R S D AY, M A R C H 2 6
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Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Two years after their appearance at SMF’s Trustees’ Garden Festival Finale, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit return to SMF. In the years since the release of Isbell’s breakthrough album, Southeastern (2013), which chronicled struggles with addiction and personal relationships, Isbell has emerged as one of our most celebrated troubadours. Born in Green Hill, Alabama, Isbell learned from his grandfather and uncle how to play a variety of instruments. As a teenager, he played at the Grand Ole Opry in a band with songwriter Chris Tompkins, and has gone on to win four Grammy Awards.
“…arguably the finest songwriter putting pen to paper these days.” Associated Press
THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 8 PM JOHNNY MERCER THEATRE TICKETS START AT $37
THE F FESTIVAL R I D AY, M A R C H 2 7
Foghorn Stringband
Founded in the late 1990s in Portland, Oregon, Foghorn Stringband specializes in old-time gospel, square dance tunes, ballads, Cajun waltzes, honky-tonk favorites and pre-bluegrass picking songs. With eight albums, thousands of shows and more than 15 years of touring under their belts, this acclaimed stringband sees itself not as a group of revivalists but rather as curators and ardent fans of a historical legacy. On stage, mandolinist Caleb Klauder, guitarist Reeb Willms, fiddler Sammy Lind and Nadine Landry on upright bass gather around one microphone, delivering their music on the fly with an intense, rousing abandon. Blending instrumental prowess with expert harmony singing, Foghorn Stringband creates a wondrously uplifting concert experience.
“All they have to do is play, and the power surges straight through your own chest. They let their own musicality and the tunes speak for themselves.”
FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 12:30 PM CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER $27
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Dover Quartet
Old-Time Herald
With its burnished warmth, incisive rhythms and natural phrasing, the Dover Quartet’s distinctive sound has helped confirm its status as “the young American string quartet of the moment” (New Yorker). The Quartet serves as the quartet-in-residence for the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University, Chamber Music Northwest, Artosphere, the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival and Peoples’ Symphony in New York, and was recently named the first-ever quartet-in-residence for the Kennedy Center. This SMF mini-residency marks their fourth appearance, following a variety of projects at our 2013, 2014 and 2017 festivals.
Joel Link, violin Bryan Lee, violin Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, viola Camden Shaw, cello
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART String Quartet No. 19 in C Major, K. 465, “Dissonance”
FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 5 PM TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH $47 / $57 (RESERVED)
FELIX MENDELSSOHN String Quartet No. 3 in D Major, Opus 44, No. 1
Foghorn Stringband / Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves
BÉLA BARTÓK String Quartet No. 2, Opus 17
Allison de Groot and Tatiana Hargreaves are on the leading edge of a generation of old-time, bluegrass and contemporary acoustic players who are pulling apart old narratives while acknowledging the diversity that has always existed in the genre. Together, de Groot, known for her intricate clawhammer banjo work with Molsky’s Mountain Drifters and The Goodbye Girls, and fiddler Tatiana Hargreaves (Gillian Welch, Laurie Lewis) produce an original, adventurous sound that honors its roots. From her hometown of Winnipeg, Canada, de Groot has toured the world, performing with various groups at the Newport Folk Festival, Celtic Connections, SMF and the Tønder Festival in Denmark. In 2012 and 2013, Hargreaves participated in SMF’s Acoustic Music Seminar (see page 57). She currently teaches bluegrass fiddle at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. NEXT-DAY LUNCHTIME ENCORE
FRIDAY, MARCH 27 5:30 AND 8:30 PM CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER $42
Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves
SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 12:30 PM, CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER $27
S A V A N N A H M U S I C F E S T I V A L MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 | savannahmusicfestival.org | box office 912.525.5050
THE FESTIVAL
F R I D AY, M A R C H 2 7
Crescent City Funk: George Porter Jr. and Runnin’ Pardners / Rebirth Brass Band
FRIDAY, MARCH 27 5:30 AND 8:30 PM NORTH GARDEN ASSEMBLY ROOM AT SHIPS OF THE SEA MUSEUM $42
Perhaps best known as the bassist for The Meters, George Porter, Jr. is one of the progenitors of the modern funky New Orleans sound. During the course of a career spanning more than four decades, Porter has worked with a galaxy of stars including Paul McCartney, Jimmy Buffett, David Byrne, Patti LaBelle, Robbie Robertson, Tori Amos, Taj Mahal, Ryan Montbleau and Mickey Hart. In the early days, Porter accompanied seminal New Orleans artists, such as Allen Toussaint, Earl King, Lee Dorsey, Johnny Adams, Irma Thomas and The Lastie Brothers. Porter also leads his own long-term project, the Runnin’ Pardners, which is best known for fusing rock, funk, jam band riffing and second line swing into a two-stepping, finger-popping, rolling good time. Whether seen on HBO’s Tremé series or during one of their famous Tuesday night gigs at The Maple Leaf, the Grammy-winning Rebirth Brass Band represents an authentic New Orleans institution. Formed in 1983 by the Frazier brothers, the band has evolved from playing the streets of the French Quarter to performing for thousands on festival stages all over the world. While committed to upholding the tradition of brass bands, Rebirth has also extended its repertoire into the realms of funk, hip-hop, soul and rock to create a signature polyglot sound. These days, when one can hardly swing a bead necklace around one’s head without hitting a brass band, Rebirth remains the undisputed leader of the pack.
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THE F FESTIVAL R I D AY, M A R C H 2 7
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis Pianos by Steinway & Sons FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 8 PM JOHNNY MERCER THEATRE TICKETS START AT $37
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The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (JLCO), led by Managing and Artistic Director Wynton Marsalis, is made up of 15 of the finest soloists, ensemble players and arrangers in jazz music today. Since its first downbeat as a summer concert series at Lincoln Center in 1987, the JLCO has stayed true to its mission, which is to entertain, enrich and expand a global community for jazz through performance, education and advocacy. Over the past three decades, the JLCO has performed in more than 446 cities in 41 countries on five continents, including their last SMF performance in 2012. The JLCO believes jazz is a metaphor for democracy, as it celebrates personal freedom and encourages individual expression. You don’t want to miss the chance to experience that sound in person!
S A V A N N A H M U S I C F E S T I V A L MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 | savannahmusicfestival.org | box office 912.525.5050
THE FESTIVAL
S AT U R D AY, M A R C H 2 8
“The one thing you can count on from Ruthie Foster anytime she steps onto a stage is being blown away by both her powerhouse voice and her familial warmth.” Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Gulf Coast Blues & Boogie: Ruthie Foster / Marcia Ball
Ruthie Foster is renowned for packing a wallop of soul, blues, rock, folk and gospel into every performance. Born into a family of gospel singers in Texas, Foster was initially reluctant to sing, preferring to play the piano. She studied at McLennan Community College in Waco, followed by a tour of duty with the US Navy where she played in the Navy Band. Foster’s list of awards and achievements includes Best Female Vocalist in 2007, 2008 and 2013 from the Austin Music Awards, three Grammy nominations and a fellowship from United States Artists in 2018.
Born into a family whose female members all played piano, Marcia Ball grew up in Vinton, Louisiana, right across the state border with Texas. She began taking piano lessons at age 5, playing old Tin Pan Alley tunes from her grandmother’s collection. At Louisiana State University, Ball played with a blues-based rock band followed by a stint in Austin, Texas, with a progressive SATURDAY, MARCH 28 blues band, which led to a series of acclaimed albums for multiple labels. Ball 4 AND 8 PM has appeared on In Performance at the White House with B.B. King and Della NORTH GARDEN ASSEMBLY ROOM Reese and in Clint Eastwood’s Piano Blues. In 2017, she performed on NPR’s A AT SHIPS OF THE SEA MUSEUM Jazz Piano Christmas live from the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. $42
“Rollicking, playful, good-time blues and intimate, reflective balladry… her songs ring with emotional depth” Rolling Stone
BRING THE KIDS! Join us for the 4 pm Gulf Coast Blues & Boogie performance and enjoy a fun afternoon of music and family-friendly activities at the beautiful North Garden Assembly Room at Ships of the Sea Museum! For this special event, kids 12 years old and younger are free (limit 2 kids per adult).
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THES A T UFESTIVAL R D AY, M A R C H 2 8 14
Marta Pereira da Costa / Germán López
Marta Pereira da Costa is the first and likely only professional Portuguese female guitar player specifically versed in fado, which was recently deemed by UNESCO as one of the World‘s Intangible Cultural Heritages. She began piano lessons at the age of 4. After switching to classical guitar at age 18, she became a protégé of Portuguese guitar maestro Carlos Gonçalves, who accompanied legendary fado singer Amália Rodrigues on the traditional teardropshaped, double six-stringed instrument. In 2014, she achieved a historic breakthrough when the Amália Rodrigues Foundation awarded her top honors for instrumentalists. In performance, Marta Pereira da Costa draws on threads of fado, jazz and Brazilian folk music to weave a rich tapestry of tonal colors and sonorous imagery. Two years after his sensational debut at SMF 2017, Germán López brings original instrumental music from the Canary Islands back to Savannah. López’s primary instrument, the five-string “timple” (pronounced teem-play), is a descendant of the ukulele and member of the same instrumental family that includes the cavaquinho, cuatro and charango. In his compositions and playing, López harnesses Spanish flamenco, West African rhythms and jazz elements to create an unmistakably 21st century version of “island music.” For this concert, López is joined by his collaborator Antonio Toledo on guitar, along with special guests.
SATURDAY, MARCH 28 5:30 AND 8:30 PM CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER $42
S A V A N N A H M U S I C F E S T I V A L MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 | savannahmusicfestival.org | box office 912.525.5050
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Beethoven at 250: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Robert Spano, Music Director André Watts, piano
2020 marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Beethoven, a composer who shattered norms and set the bar for musicians of the future while composing some of the most extraordinary work ever committed to paper. In their 2020 return to SMF, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra welcomes revered pianist André Watts for one of the crown jewels of the repertoire, Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto. Music Director Robert Spano keeps the evening on a high note with one of the great revelations of symphonic music: Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony. Pianist André Watts first burst upon the music world at the age of 16 when Leonard Bernstein chose him to make his debut with the New York Philharmonic in one of the orchestra’s Young People’s Concerts, and then served as substitute for soloist Glenn Gould. More than half a century later, Watts remains one of America’s most distinguished and celebrated performing artists. LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 5 in E-flat Major, Opus 73, “Emperor” Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Opus 92
Pianos by Steinway & Sons SATURDAY, MARCH 28 6 PM PRE-CONCERT TALK WITH KEN MELTZER 7 PM PERFORMANCE LUCAS THEATRE FOR THE ARTS TICKETS START AT $37
“...a level of authority and command seldom heard from a pianist of any age.” Los Angeles Times
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Dover Quartet with Escher String Quartet
Dover Quartet Joel Link, violin Bryan Lee, violin Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, viola Camden Shaw, cello
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Escher String Quartet Adam Barnett-Hart, violin Brendan Speltz, violin Pierre Lapointe, viola Brook Speltz, cello SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 2 PM TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH $47 / $57 (RESERVED)
In their third and final performance of this season, the Dover Quartet is joined by their friends in the Escher String Quartet in a performance of three works for string octet, each composed by a teenage musical prodigy. The Escher String Quartet has received acclaim for bringing profound musical insight and rare tonal beauty to its performances. A former BBC New Generation Artist, the quartet has performed at the BBC Proms at Cadogan Hall and is a regular guest at Wigmore Hall. In its hometown of New York City, the ensemble serves as season artists of The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH Two Pieces for String Octet, Opus 11 GEORGE ENESCU Octet in C Major, Opus 7 FELIX MENDELSSOHN Octet for Strings in E-flat Major, Opus 20
Christian Sands Presents Three Piano Erroll Garner Summit with Helen Sung and Tadataka Unno
Following up his SMF debut in 2014, when he performed both solo and with Christian McBride Trio, Christian Sands returns with three varied programs. This first concert features Sands leading a group of musicians through his Three Piano Erroll Garner Summit, which premiered in the summer of 2019 at the Newport Jazz Festival. He is joined by pianists Helen Sung and Tadataka Unno, along with bassist Luques Curtis and drummer Terreon Gully of his High Wire Trio. In early 2019, Sands was named creative ambassador to The Erroll Garner Jazz Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the legacy of the pianist Erroll Garner. Sands is a natural fit for the role (which he inherited from his mentor Geri Allen), given his recognition of audiences having an innate desire to be entertained as well as enlightened. A “don’t miss” performance for SMF jazz audiences!
“My hope is for other people to understand that this is someone who is very important to not only just jazz history, but just history as a whole, American history.” Christian Sands on Erroll Garner, from NPR’s Jazz Night in America
Pianos by Steinway & Sons SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 5 PM LUCAS THEATRE FOR THE ARTS $42
S A V A N N A H M U S I C F E S T I V A L MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 | savannahmusicfestival.org | box office 912.525.5050
THE FESTIVAL
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Christian Sands, piano
By the time he was 11 years old, Christian Sands was recording and playing gigs in his hometown of New Haven, Connecticut. In high school, he was a protégé of Dr. Billy Taylor. The year he turned 20, Sands received two Grammy nominations. A few years later, Christian McBride invited Sands to tour with his trio. Now 30, the Steinway artist has shared the stage with numerous jazz luminaries including Wynton Marsalis, Dianne Reeves, Christian McBride, Sheila E, Geri Allen, James Moody, Terence Blanchard, Patti Austin, Kirk Whalum and Wycliffe Gordon.
Pianos by Steinway & Sons MONDAY, MARCH 30, 12:30 PM CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER $27
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Wycliffe Gordon & His International All-Stars / Christian Sands Trio Pianos by Steinway & Sons MONDAY, MARCH 30 5 AND 8 PM CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER $42
A world-renowned trombonist and multi-instrumentalist, and former member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and Wynton Marsalis Septet, Wycliffe Gordon is also Director of Jazz Studies at Augusta University in Augusta, Georgia. His 2019 Trombonist of the Year Award from the Jazz Journalists Association was his twelfth, an unprecedented record among trombone players. In addition to enjoying an extremely successful solo career, Gordon tours with his quintet—Wycliffe Gordon & His International All-Stars— headlining at legendary jazz venues and performing arts centers around the world. This is the group’s SMF debut, though Waynesboro native Gordon has been a regular presence as a commissioned artist, bandleader, soloist and educator since 2003. For the past few years, Christian Sands has been touring the world with a trio that includes bassist Yasushi Nakamura and drummer Clarence Penn. Sands’ playing draws upon an extensive vocabulary of jazz and world music idioms, especially South American and Afro-Cuban styles, all while maintaining a strong sense of understatement, sensitivity, taste and swing. “I like the freedom of the trio format,” says Sands. “It’s more dramatic to me. It’s a smaller entity but with a big personality. I can fit it into different situations dynamically, compositionally.”
“Wycliffe Gordon can outperform nearly anyone playing jazz.” The New York Times
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CHAMBER I
Tales of the Unexpected Giovanni Guzzo, violin Benny Kim, violin Robin Ashwell, viola Philip Dukes, viola Eric Kim, cello Keith Robinson, cello Bridget Kibbey, harp Sebastian Knauer, piano Ana-Maria Vera, piano Tara Helen O’Connor, flute Mervon Mehta, narrator Pianos by Steinway & Sons
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MONDAY, MARCH 30, 5 PM KEHOE IRON WORKS $57
In a first for the SMF Chamber Series, we travel to the magnificent surroundings of Kehoe Iron Works for a program of fantasy and drama. In a semi-staged, partly programmatic concert, Impressionist France meets the mysterious world of Edgar Allan Poe, with a reading of Poe’s macabre tale “The Masque of the Red Death,” and in response we hear André Caplet’s brilliant setting of the same story to music. To add to the Impressionistic element there is Claude Debussy’s exquisite Trio for flute, viola and harp, and the program concludes with Maurice Ravel’s Pavane and his beguiling Piano Trio, perhaps one the finest trios ever written. Ticket buyers are invited to join us an hour before the concert for a complimentary beverage to toast the start of SMF core chamber music programs under the leadership of Artistic Advisor Philip Dukes! CLAUDE DEBUSSY Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp EDGAR ALLAN POE “The Masque of the Red Death” ANDRÉ CAPLET Conte fantastique for Harp and String Quartet (after “The Masque of the Red Death”) MAURICE RAVEL P avane pour une infante défunte Piano Trio in A minor
A Note from Philip Dukes Thomas V. & Susan G. Reilly Artistic Advisor Chair, Chamber Music In 2004 my dear friend and colleague Daniel Hope asked me whether I would like to join him for some concerts in Savannah where they had recently established a beautiful music festival. I duly did, having no idea that over the next 16 years I would forge such a close and special relationship with the festival, the city and its wonderful people. It was therefore an absolute privilege and an honour when, following Daniel’s departure, Ryan McMaken invited me last year to assist with the direction of programming of the now wellestablished chamber music series. Daniel leaves us with an incredible legacy and my aim has been to provide continuity and stability at a time of change by retaining many of our regular and muchloved artists from both Europe and the US, whilst promoting fresh innovation with new artists, venues and programs, which I hope will delight our audiences for 2020.
S A V A N N A H M U S I C F E S T I V A L MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 | savannahmusicfestival.org | box office 912.525.5050
Pianos by Steinway & Sons
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH Flute Sonata in B minor, BWV 1030 CARL REINECKE Sonata for Flute and Piano, Opus 167, “Undine”
THE FESTIVAL
Tara Helen O’Connor, flute Benny Kim, violin Robin Ashwell, viola Keith Robinson, cello Sebastian Knauer, piano Anna Tilbrook, piano
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Tara Helen O’Connor, flute
Tara Helen O’Connor is a charismatic performer noted for her artistic depth, brilliant technique and colorful tone regardless of musical era. Winner of an Avery Fisher Career Grant and a two-time Grammy nominee, she is now a season artist at The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. A Wm. S. Haynes flute artist, O’Connor regularly participates in the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, Music@Menlo, the Chamber Music Festival of the Bluegrass, Spoleto USA, Mainly Mozart Festival, Music from Angel Fire, the Banff Centre, the Great Mountains Music Festival, Chesapeake Music Festival and the Bravo! Vail Music Festival. In this recital debut at SMF, she is joined by a variety of artists from the festival’s chamber music series.
JOSEPH SCHWANTNER Black Anemones, for Flute and Piano TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 11 AM TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH $37 / $47 (RESERVED)
Emmet Cohen Trio
Pianos by Steinway & Sons TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 12:30 PM CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER $27
Performance Today’s Piano Puzzler with Bruce Adolphe and Fred Child Pianos by Steinway & Sons TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 4 PM TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH $47 / $57 (RESERVED)
GABRIEL FAURÉ Fantasie, Opus 79 WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART Flute Quartet No. 1 in D Major, K. 285
Twenty-nine-year-old jazz prodigy Emmet Cohen began Suzuki method piano instruction at age 3. In 2011, he was a finalist in the Thelonious Monk Jazz Piano Competition, and in 2019, he won the Cole Porter Fellowship, which is awarded every four years by the American Pianists Association. In addition to leading his own trio (with Russell Hall and Bryan Carter), Cohen is a renowned Hammond B-3 specialist and member of Christian McBride’s trio Tip City, the Ali Jackson Trio and the Herlin Riley Quartet. Cohen has performed with jazz luminaries such as Ron Carter, Benny Golson, Jimmy Cobb, George Coleman, Jimmy Heath, Tootie Heath, Houston Person, Kurt Elling, Billy Hart and Brian Lynch. Cohen is the producer of the “Masters Legacy Series,” which features recordings and interviews honoring legendary jazz musicians.
“Emmet is one of the most dynamic young musicians on the scene today.” Christian McBride
Don’t miss this opportunity to participate in an episode of “Piano Puzzler,” the hugely popular weekly American Public Media (APM) program hosted by Fred Child as part of APM’s Performance Today. A proven hit among Savannah Music Festival-goers in 2014, “Piano Puzzler” features composer, scholar, author and educator Bruce Adolphe at the piano, challenging the audience to identify popular tunes performed in the style of classical composers. Adolphe is a renowned composer whose multifaceted career includes concurrent positions as resident lecturer and director of family concerts for The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, New York; composer-in-residence at the Brain and Creativity Institute, LA; founding creative director of The Learning Maestros education company; and artistic director of Off the Hook Arts Festival, Colorado. Child’s CD reviews appear on All Things Considered and his classical music reports appear on Morning Edition and Weekend Edition. He is a contributor to Billboard magazine, a commentator for BBC Radio 3 and host for Live from Lincoln Center.
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“Her tone is as beautiful as her personality... I am sure you will agree.” Jimmy “Little Bird” Heath
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Melissa Aldana Quartet: Visions / André Mehmari Trio
Pianos by Steinway & Sons TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 5 AND 8 PM CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER $42
Inspired by Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, Melissa Aldana explores the relationship between her experiences as a female saxophone player and Kahlo’s experience as a female visual artist working in realms dominated by men. Born in Santiago, Chile, Aldana began playing the saxophone when she was 6, tutored by her father, Marcos Aldana, a professional saxophonist. In her early teens she was performing in Santiago jazz clubs. At Berklee College of Music in Boston her tutors included Joe Lovano and Ralph Peterson. In 2013, she was the first woman and first South American musician to win the Thelonious Monk Jazz Saxophone Competition. Reporting on her win, The Washington Post described Aldana as representing “a new sense of possibility and direction in jazz.” There is something special about the sound of the piano trio that propels master pianists to another level. The trios of Keith Jarrett and Brad Mehldau—to whom Brazilian pianist André Mehmari is often likened—provide evidence of the power of piano trio alchemy. Mehmari is joined by his trio, bassist Neymar Dias and drummer Sérgio Reze, blending ideas from pop, folk music, bossa nova, jazz and classical avant-garde to create hymns honoring friendship and dialogue that are among the greatest treasures of Brazilian music.
“Mehmari isn’t simply prolific. His work has floored writers and fellow musicians around the globe.” Charleston City Paper
NEXT-DAY LUNCHTIME ENCORE
André Mehmari, piano Pianos by Steinway & Sons WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1 12:30 PM CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER $27
S A V A N N A H M U S I C F E S T I V A L MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 | savannahmusicfestival.org | box office 912.525.5050
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BalletCollective: Translation
Pianos by Steinway & Sons TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 7 PM LUCAS THEATRE FOR THE ARTS TICKETS START AT $37
Following their widely-praised debut at SMF 2017, BalletCollective’s 2020 return incorporates work by dancer-choreographers and Georgia natives Gabrielle Lamb and Artistic Director Troy Schumacher. Lamb grew up in Savannah and is now New York-based; she won a Princess Grace Award for Choreography in 2014. A magnetic soloist with the New York City Ballet (NYCB), Schumacher founded BalletCollective to produce collaborative works that expand the boundaries of artistic disciplines and resonate with a wide audience. This program results from collaborations with MacArthur Fellow Trevor Paglen, acclaimed post-pop painter David Salle, Chilean installation artist Sergio Mora Diaz and science fiction writer Ken Liu. It features scores by composers Caleb Burhans and Ellis Ludwig-Leone performed live by members of the Dover and Escher Quartets, and a onewoman score by Julianna Barwick. Anchored by Schumacher’s Translation, the program takes the audience through several styles of ballet. Translation explores the rapid evolution of communication we’re experiencing today: the abbreviation of words, the mediation of reality through screens, artificial intelligence and machine vision, and more.
“Addressing central questions about the genre of ballet—music, gender, body language, academic vocabulary— and without strain.” The New York Times
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CHAMBER II
From Prussia with Love
SERGEI RACHMANINOV Cello Sonata in G minor, Opus 19 PETER ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY “Moy geniy, moy angel, moy drug” (“My Genius, my Angel, my Friend”) Giovanni Guzzo, violin Benny Kim, violin Robin Ashwell, viola Philip Dukes, viola Eric Kim, cello Keith Robinson, cello Anna Tilbrook, piano Benjamin Hulett, tenor
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Expressions of love and romance have probably offered the best source of inspiration for composers down the ages, and in this program we hear from three for whom love was unquestionably at the heart of many of their compositions. The program opens with Rachmaninov’s sumptuous Cello Sonata, a massive musical tour de force, which paves the way for the beautiful Tchaikovsky songs that follow. Tchaikovsky wrote 40 songs, many of which feature “love” in their titles, and in this program we hear a selection of six of his finest. The program concludes with Brahms’ gem of a work, his Sextet in B-flat Major, last heard at SMF in 2010.
Pianos by Steinway & Sons
Six Romances, Opus 6 “Net, tol’ko tot, kto znal” (“None but the lonely heart”), No. 6 “Otchevo?” (“Why?”), No. 5 Six Romances, Opus 38 “To bïlo ranneyu vesnoy” (“It was in the early spring”), No. 2 “Sred’ shumnovo bala” (“Amid the din of the ball”), No. 3 “Serenada Don Zhuana” (“Don Juan’s Serenade”), No. 1 JOHANNES BRAHMS String Sextet No. 1 in B-flat Major, Opus 18
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 5 PM TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH $47 / $57 (RESERVED)
Veronica Swift with Emmet Cohen Trio / Vilray
At age 25, Veronica Swift is one of the top young jazz singers on the scene. Hailing from Charlottesville, Virginia, Swift is the daughter of the late pianist Hod O’Brien and singer/educator/author Stephanie Nakasian. When she was 9 years old, Swift recorded her debut album, Veronica’s House of Jazz, featuring saxophonist Richie Cole playing with her father’s rhythm section. In 2015, she placed second in the Thelonious Monk Jazz Vocals Competition. Swift has toured with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and performed with jazz greats including Jon Hendricks, Esperanza Spalding, Joe Lovano and Danilo Pérez. In concert, her repertoire ranges from bebop and vocalese classics to standards from the ‘20s and ‘30s. Rounding out the trio led by pianist Emmet Cohen are Russell Hall on bass and Bryan Carter on drums.
“A born be-bopper, it’s literally impossible not to love the energy that 25 year old Veronica Swift brings to her game.” All About Jazz
Pianos by Steinway & Sons WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1 5 AND 8 PM CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER $42
Vilray (vill-ree) is a composer and performer from Brooklyn who sings and plays guitar, most notably in a duet with Rachael Price of Lake Street Dive. The duo’s sound, which grew out of a mutual appreciation for the pop music of the 1930s and ‘40s, recalls the warm intimacy of radio’s golden age. Vilray studied Jazz Composition at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, where he and Price first met. A versatile composer and lyricist who has written for film and theater, Vilray counts Fats Waller, Charlie Christian, Les Paul and the Mills Brothers among his major influences. For recording sessions, Vilray is partial to using authentic ribbon microphones from the 1930s.
S A V A N N A H M U S I C F E S T I V A L MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 | savannahmusicfestival.org | box office 912.525.5050
THE FESTIVAL
W E D N E S D AY, A P R I L 1
Rodney Crowell
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 7:30 PM NORTH GARDEN ASSEMBLY ROOM AT SHIPS OF THE SEA MUSEUM $42
Multi-Grammy Award-winning troubadour Rodney Crowell, whose astute commentary helped propel the recently broadcast Ken Burns documentary, Country Music, last appeared at the Savannah Music Festival in 2013 with longtime collaborator Emmylou Harris at the Johnny Mercer Theatre. This time, Crowell is bringing his electric band to Ships of the Sea for what promises to be one of the highlights of SMF 2020. A protégé of Guy Clark and Mickey Newbury, and bandmate of Vince Gill and Tony Brown in The Cherry Bombs, Crowell was recognized in 2006 by the Americana Music Association with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting. The Houston-born, Nashville-based musician’s 2019 recording, Texas, features an all-star lineup that includes Willie Nelson, Lee Ann Womack, Lyle Lovett and Ringo Starr.
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Mandolin Orange
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 8 PM LUCAS THEATRE FOR THE ARTS TICKETS START AT $37
Formed in 2009 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Mandolin Orange is songwriter Andrew Marlin (vocals, mandolin, guitar, banjo) and Emily Frantz (vocals, violin, guitar). A decade down the road, a half-dozen albums and a family of their own to contend with, Mandolin Orange makes beautiful, downhome, contemporary acoustic folk music together with deceptive ease. In recent years, the duo has toured throughout the US and Europe including appearances at Austin City Limits, South by Southwest, Edmonton Folk Music Festival, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Newport Folk Festival, Pickathon, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, Rooster Walk and MerleFest.
“Now a decade into a career that has seen it help redefine American roots music for a younger generation, the duo Mandolin Orange has officially mastered blending engaging storytelling with acoustic elements of bluegrass, folk and country.”
S A V A N N A H M U S I C F E S T I V A L MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 | savannahmusicfestival.org | box office 912.525.5050
The Washington Post
Pianos by Steinway & Sons THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 11 AM TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH $37 / $47 (RESERVED)
Swing Central Jazz: Jazz on the River
MAURICE RAVEL Sonatine ISAAC ALBÉNIZ Selections from Suite espagñola No. 1, Opus 47 ENRIQUE GRANADOS Quejas, o La maja y el ruiseñor from Goyescas CLAUDE DEBUSSY L’isle joyeuse Now in its 14th year, Swing Central Jazz brings more than 300 high school students from across the United States to Savannah to work with some of the nation’s finest jazz performers and educators under the direction of SMF Associate Artistic Director and pianist Marcus Roberts. Join the country’s 12 most talented high school jazz orchestras in this free open-air showcase with River Street and the Savannah River as backdrops.
Find out more about Swing Central Jazz on page 57.
THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 4–7 PM ROUSAKIS PLAZA ON RIVER STREET FREE
Pianos by Steinway & Sons THURSDAY, APRIL 2 6 AND 8:30 PM CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER $45
THE FESTIVAL
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART Piano Sonata No. 12 in F Major, K. 332
Swing Central Jazz culminates in a daylong competition on Friday, April 3 (see page 27) and a finale concert in which the three winning bands show off their skills before the program’s clinicians join Marcus Roberts for a concert program dedicated to the birthplace of jazz: New Orleans (see page 28).
Kenny Barron and Dave Holland with Johnathan Blake
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Ana-Maria Vera, piano
Ana-Maria Vera, whose playing has been described by The Times (UK) as “fierce and fearless, thrillingly mobile and sentient,” has been performing around the world since childhood. An American pianist of Dutch-Bolivian origin, Vera made her professional debut when she was 8. She performed at the White House for President Carter and at age 16 was honored by the Bolivian state with a commemorative postage stamp. In addition to soloist appearances the world over, Vera has given recitals at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Tivoli in Copenhagen, the Salle Gaveau in Paris and London’s Wigmore Hall. She is also the founder and director of Bolivia Clásica, a charitable organization with headquarters in London, La Paz and Washington, DC, which promotes cultural exchanges. Don’t miss her SMF recital debut!
After recruiting drummer Johnathan Blake, National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters pianist Kenny Barron and bassist Dave Holland are touring in support of a soon-to-be-released album. A Philadelphia native, the 76-year-old Barron has appeared on hundreds of recordings, received 11 Grammy nominations and collaborated with jazz luminaries ranging from Dizzy Gillespie and Chet Baker to Joe Henderson and Jack DeJohnette. Recognized as one of the all-time great jazz bassists, Holland was barely out of his teens when Miles Davis invited the Englishman to join the trumpeter’s band at the dawning of the Bitches Brew fusion era. Blake, the Philadelphiaborn son of jazz violinist John Blake, Jr., has used his supple yet powerful drumming to anchor the Mingus Big Band and support artists such as Russell Malone, Randy Brecker, Oliver Lake and Roy Hargrove with swinging rhythmic precision.
“His touch is the stuff of legend: high polish but also subtlety and sensitivity, every note throwing a soft glow that you can all but see.” JazzTimes
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Ger Mandolin Orchestra Mike Marshall, Music Director
THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 6 PM TEMPLE MICKVE ISRAEL $47
“We have a lot of stone monuments, but this is a living monument...it brings something to life rather than honouring something that’s dead.” Prof. Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw
Conceived by Israeli-American Avner Yonai, whose ancestral research led him to a tattered photograph of his relatives playing in a pre-WWII Jewish mandolin orchestra in Gora Kalwaria, Poland (“Ger” in Yiddish), Ger Mandolin Orchestra is a contemporary version of this rich pre-Holocaust cultural tradition. Following the group’s 2011 premiere at the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley, Yonai received an invitation from the current mayor of Gora Kalwaria, inviting the ensemble to perform there. Six months later the orchestra returned to the town of its origin, performing for a standingroom-only audience in the dilapidated remains of the old Ger synagogue. It was the first public event to take place in the building since the deportation of the town’s Jews in February 1941. SMF hosts the second US performance of this program, in which Mike Marshall leads an all-star cast of world-class mandolinists.
S A V A N N A H M U S I C F E S T I V A L MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 | savannahmusicfestival.org | box office 912.525.5050
THE FESTIVAL
Find out more about Swing Central Jazz on page 57.
F R I D AY, A P R I L 3
Swing Central Jazz: The Competition
After two days of intense workshops and clinics, Swing Central Jazz culminates in a free, daylong competition at the Lucas Theatre. Twelve high school jazz orchestras each perform a 25-minute set for a panel of judges led by Swing Central Jazz Associate Director Jim Ketch. After deliberation, three bands are named as finalists to perform on the first half of the Swing Central Jazz Finale that evening (see page 28).
Pianos by Steinway & Sons FRIDAY, APRIL 3 8:30 AM–3:30 PM LUCAS THEATRE FOR THE ARTS FREE
Caterina Lichtenberg & Mike Marshall: Beethoven and the Mandolin
In our second of three distinctly different celebrations for the 250th anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven’s birth, mandolinists Mike Marshall and Caterina Lichtenberg will play a program from their rich duet repertoire. Beethoven wrote four pieces for mandolin and Lichtenberg performs two of these accompanied by Adam Jaffe on fortepiano. These works were written for the Contessa Josefine in Prague in 1796. A scholar on the subject, Lichtenberg will share her deep connection to these works.
FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 12:30 PM UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH $37
CHAMBER III
Futility of Conflict Giovanni Guzzo, violin Benny Kim, violin Robin Ashwell, viola Philip Dukes, viola Eric Kim, cello Keith Robinson, cello Sebastian Knauer, piano Anna Tilbrook, piano Benjamin Hulett, tenor Pianos by Steinway & Sons FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 4 PM TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH $47 / $57 (RESERVED)
The evocative English poet A. E. Housman inspired many English composers to set his beautiful, wistful and at times devastating texts. This deeply poignant program featuring several such compositions from 1909-19 including Ralph Vaughan Williams, friends Ivor Gurney and Herbert Howells, along with John Ireland and George Butterworth, a composer of great talent who was tragically killed at age 31 during the 1916 Battle of the Somme. This concert will take you on a moving journey from songs written literally in the trenches, to Howells’ Elegy written in memory of a dear friend killed in battle and culminating in a performance of Vaughan Williams’ immensely powerful work, On Wenlock Edge. RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS Four Hymns EDWARD ELGAR Cello Concerto in E minor, Opus 85 JOHN IRELAND Settings of Rupert Brooke IVOR GURNEY “In Flanders” and “Severn Meadows” GEORGE BUTTERWORTH Six songs from A Shropshire Lad HERBERT HOWELLS Elegy for Viola and Piano, Opus 15 IVOR GURNEY “By a Bierside” RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS On Wenlock Edge
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“...a genius skill that makes him the logical successor to Thelonious Monk’s wild style (with a lot of Fats Waller in his stride).” Philadelphia Inquirer
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Swing Central Jazz Finale: New Orleans Swing Time with Marcus Roberts & Friends Pianos by Steinway & Sons FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 6:30 PM LUCAS THEATRE FOR THE ARTS TICKETS START AT $37
Late Night Jazz Jam with Emmet Cohen
Following performances by Swing Central Jazz finalist bands, join Marcus Roberts, the Bob Faircloth Associate Artistic Director, for a concert program dedicated to the birthplace of jazz: New Orleans. New Orleans Swing Time celebrates the contributions of some of the great New Orleans jazz musicians to modern jazz, starting with Jelly Roll Morton— the self-proclaimed father of jazz and one of the most colorful characters in its history. You’ll hear works by Morton’s contemporary, Sidney Bechet, whose fiery personality and amazing sound on the clarinet and soprano saxophone is legendary. No program celebrating “swing” would be complete without works by the incomparable Louis Armstrong, who taught the world how to swing nearly 100 years ago. Later, when Armstrong traveled to Chicago, he created one of the greatest musical partnerships in the history of jazz with the illustrious Earl “Fatha” Hines. This year’s Swing Central Jazz Finale will showcase the historic origins of jazz from the Crescent City with Marcus Roberts, dubbed “a genius of the modern piano” by Wynton Marsalis, at the helm. Roberts is a well-known figure at SMF. At SMF 2013, Roberts premiered his first piano concerto, Spirit of the Blues: Piano Concerto in C minor, with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and at SMF 2019 he performed his Rhapsody in D with the Savannah Philharmonic Orchestra. Roberts is Director of SMF’s annual Swing Central Jazz program, which brings high school students from all over the country to Savannah to participate in educational programs and a band competition (see page 57).
One of the hottest tickets at SMF, the annual Late Night Jazz Jam caps off jazz week at the Morris Center. This year’s edition, with a house band led by Emmet Cohen (see page 19), features an array of SMF favorites. Come out and experience some of the genre’s best instrumentalists in an intimate evening of jazz and blues standards!
Pianos by Steinway & Sons FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 10 PM CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER $42
S A V A N N A H M U S I C F E S T I V A L MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 | savannahmusicfestival.org | box office 912.525.5050
THE FESTIVAL
F R I D AY, A P R I L 3
Blue Ridge Bluegrass: Balsam Range / Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out
The 2018 International Bluegrass Music Association’s (IBMA) Entertainer of the Year, Balsam Range is named for the mountains surrounding the band’s home base in Haywood County, North Carolina. Balsam Range draws on traditional bluegrass, jazz, country, gospel, swing and old-time elements, brightened by beautiful harmony singing, to produce contemporary roots music that resonates across categories and generations. Since forming in 2007, the group has garnered 13 IBMA awards on the heels of nine critically-acclaimed albums. Balsam Range has left audiences spellbound while headlining major festivals from coast to coast, selling out venues across the nation and in multiple appearances at the Grand Ole Opry. The band includes fiddler-singer Buddy Melton, bassist Tim Surrett, banjo player Marc Pruett, guitarist Caleb Smith and mandolinist Darren Nicholson.
Third time’s the charm for Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, which made its SMF debut in 2012 and returned in 2017. For more than three decades, the award-winning, North Georgia-based bluegrass quintet has maintained a reputation for compelling artistry, world-class harmony singing and crowd-pleasing performances in the studio and onstage. In 1991, Moore, Mike Hartgrove and Ray Deaton formed IIIrd Tyme Out, which refers to the number of professional bands in which the trio had previously played. In 1994, they earned the first of an unsurpassed seven consecutive IBMA awards for Vocal Group of the Year, along with Moore’s first of two Male Vocalist of the Year titles. Moore repeated FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 7:30 PM that feat in 2019, winning his sixth. The band’s current lineup includes mandolinist Wayne Benson, banjoist Keith NORTH GARDEN ASSEMBLY ROOM McKinnon, bassist Dustin Pyrtle and fiddler Nathan Aldridge. AT SHIPS OF THE SEA MUSEUM $42
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Giovanni Guzzo, violin & Ana-Maria Vera, piano Pianos by Steinway & Sons
Venezuelan-born violinist Giovanni Guzzo performs regularly in some of the most prestigious venues and festivals worldwide including Wigmore Hall, Lincoln Center, the BBC Proms, and the Salzburg and Verbier Festivals. A protégé of Maurice Hasson, Guzzo studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he was recently appointed as one of the youngest violin professors in the institution’s long history. A keen recitalist and chamber musician, Guzzo has worked closely with influential musicians such as Joshua Bell, Martha Argerich, Martin Fröst, Miklós Perényi, Daniel Hope, Stephen Hough, Mats Lidström, Gerhard Schulz, Gábor Takács-Nagy, and the Maggini and Takács Quartets. This is his SMF recital debut. EDVARD GRIEG Violin Sonata No. 3 in C minor, Opus 45 MAURICE RAVEL Tzigane, Concert Rhapsody
SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 11 AM TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH $37 / $47 (RESERVED)
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Hawktail
SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 12:30 PM CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER $35
Meechot Marrero, soprano A Co-Production with Savannah VOICE Festival
RICHARD STRAUSS Violin Sonata in E-flat Major, Opus 18
Hawktail is an acoustic quartet consisting of Brittany Haas on fiddle, Dominick Leslie on mandolin, Jordan Tice on guitar and vocals and Paul Kowert on bass. In addition to this ensemble, Hawktail’s members are and have been contributors to a wide range of projects including Punch Brothers, Dave Rawlings Machine, Sam Reider and the Human Hands, Crooked Still, The Deadly Gentlemen, and NPR’s Live from Here with Chris Thile. Together, they have created a unique sound, always giving lively performances that combine original material with perennial songs and tunes from the annals of bluegrass and old-time music.
“While they are well versed in the old-time traditions, their music is fresh, lively, and consequential. In other words they are not imitators or replicators.” No Depression
Puerto Rican soprano Meechot Marrero is no stranger to Savannah audiences, having been a frequent guest at the Savannah VOICE Festival in roles including Juliette in Roméo et Juliette, Mimì in La bohème and Lucy England in Menotti’s The Telephone. A member of the Deutsche Oper Berlin ensemble, the 2019-20 season has her performing Liù in Turandot, Oscar in Un ballo in maschera, a role debut, Micäela in Carmen, Adele in Die Fledermaus and many others. On the concert stage, she will perform Carmina burana with Donald Runnicles and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, as well as at the Grand Teton Music Festival. Join us for her recital debut at SMF!
Pianos by Steinway & Sons SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 3 PM TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH $47 / $57 (RESERVED)
S A V A N N A H M U S I C F E S T I V A L MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 | savannahmusicfestival.org | box office 912.525.5050
THE FESTIVAL
S AT U R D AY, A P R I L 4
Cajun Dance Party: Steve Riley & Racines / The Revelers
SATURDAY, APRIL 4 4 AND 8 PM CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER $39
With Racines, which means “roots” in French, Steve Riley of Mamou Playboys fame has assembled a band of young, supremely talented practitioners of the Louisiana-born folk music rooted in the French-speaking Acadian culture of Canada. In addition to Riley (accordion, fiddle, guitar and vocals), the quartet includes Kevin Wimmer of Balfa Toujours and The Red Stick Ramblers (fiddle, vocals), Mitch Reed from BeauSoleil and Charivari (bass, fiddle) and Chris Stafford who plays with Feufollet and Cedric Watson & Bijou Creole (electric and acoustic guitar, lap steel). Attending a Steve Riley & Racines concert is like going on a mini-tour of southwest Louisiana musical styles with stops at Cajun, zydeco, swamp pop and blues. Representing the new generation of Cajun musicians, The Revelers blend the fundamental elements of Cajun music with pop, rock and R&B to create their signature brand of Louisiana-bred party music. Between them, Blake Miller (accordion), Chas Justus (guitar), Daniel Coolik (fiddle, guitar), Chris Miller (saxophone), Trey Boudreaux (bass) and Glenn Fields (drums) are connected with many well-known Cajun bands including Pine Leaf Boys, Balfa Toujours, Les Malfecteurs, Cedric Watson & Bijou Creole and The Red Stick Ramblers. Like their co-bill cohorts, The Revelers are prone to performing setlists that combine familiar Cajun and zydeco tunes with original compositions, which draw from myriad contemporary sources. Don’t plan on sitting still for this special evening of two-stepping, hip-swaying, rolling good times.
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Béla Fleck & The Flecktones
Pianos by Steinway & Sons
In 1988, world-renowned banjoist and composer Béla Fleck founded the Flecktones, ostensibly for a single performance on PBS’ Lonesome Pine Special, with bassist Victor Wooten, keyboardist Howard Levy, and Victor’s brother, percussionist Roy Wooten. The special kinship between band members forged a bond, which led to an exhaustive touring schedule and a slew of acclaimed albums before Levy departed in 1992. The Flecktones carried on with varying personnel until 2008 when a collective hiatus was initiated. Recently reunited, the band’s original lineup returns to the Savannah Music Festival as part of the Flecktones’ 30th anniversary tour. Drawn from influences including classical, jazz, bluegrass, traditional and contemporary African music, blues and Eastern European folk dances, there is no mistaking the Flecktones’ compelling mix of eclectic sound and superb musicianship.
“Astoundingly adept musicians who are comfortable playing virtually any type of music.”
SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 7:30 PM LUCAS THEATRE FOR THE ARTS TICKETS START AT $37
S A V A N N A H M U S I C F E S T I V A L MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 | savannahmusicfestival.org | box office 912.525.5050
JazzTimes
SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 8:30 PM NORTH GARDEN ASSEMBLY ROOM AT SHIPS OF THE SEA MUSEUM $39
THE FESTIVAL
“They make you get up and dance, tap into the good natured, communal spirit characteristic of Salsa at its timeless best”
S AT U R D AY, A P R I L 4
Latin Dance Party: Spanish Harlem Orchestra
Founded in 2000 by composer-arranger Oscar Hernández, the Grammy-winning Spanish Harlem Orchestra is one of the most formidable, thrilling and authentic Latin jazz collectives working today. Born into a large Puerto Rican family living in the Bronx near Spanish Harlem, Hernández started playing trumpet at age 12, then switched to piano. By the 1970s, he was arranging and working with Latin luminaries, such as Tito Puente, Ray Barretto and Celia Cruz. In the ‘80s, Hernández produced, arranged and played piano for Rubén Blades and his band Seis del Solar. In 2000, he joined forces with producer Aaron Levinson to record a hand-assembled Latin jazz ensemble, which became the Spanish Harlem Orchestra. If you like your music Latin hot, don’t miss the return of the Spanish Harlem Orchestra.
Los Angeles Times
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CHAMBER IV
Happy Birthday, Ludwig!
There is perhaps no better way to conclude the chamber music series for 2020 than a special concert dedicated to the great master Ludwig van Beethoven on the 250th anniversary of his birth. Arguably one of the greatest exponents of the chamber music medium, the program opens with his electric and fiery C Major String Quintet, affectionately known as the “Storm Quintet.” It is followed by pianist Sebastian Knauer playing Beethoven’s D minor Piano Sonata, No. 17, also known as the “Tempest.” As we blow out the candles on Beethoven’s birthday celebration, we hear a performance of his majestic “Archduke” Piano Trio, a timeless classic, brimming with the same original freshness as the day it was first heard. LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
Giovanni Guzzo, violin Benny Kim, violin Robin Ashwell, viola Philip Dukes, viola Eric Kim, cello Keith Robinson, cello Sebastian Knauer, piano Ana-Maria Vera, piano
String Quintet in C Major, Opus 29 Piano Sonata No. 17 in D minor, Opus 31, No. 2, “Tempest” Piano Trio in B-flat Major, Opus 97, “Archduke”
Pianos by Steinway & Sons SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 3 PM TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH $47 / $57 (RESERVED)
S A V A N N A H M U S I C F E S T I V A L MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 | savannahmusicfestival.org | box office 912.525.5050
THE FESTIVAL
S U N D AY, A P R I L 5
Martin Hayes Quartet / Aoife O’Donovan’s Songs and Strings
SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 6 PM LUCAS THEATRE FOR THE ARTS TICKETS START AT $37
“Aoife O’Donovan [is] unafraid to push her genre’s often confining envelope into brave, exciting and fresh territory.” American Songwriter
The Martin Hayes Quartet delivers an enchanting, hybrid sound, which originates in traditional Irish music but also contains elements of classical chamber music and jazz. Raised in rural Maghera, Feakle, East County Clare, Hayes first learned about music from his late father, P. Joe Hayes, the legendary leader of the long-lived Tulla Céilí Band. Hayes’ soulful interpretations of traditional Irish music are widely recognized for their exquisite musicality and irresistible rhythm. He has collaborated with musicians across the classical, folk and contemporary music worlds including Bill Frisell, Ricky Skaggs, Jordi Savall, Brooklyn Rider, Sting, Paul Simon and the Irish Chamber Orchestra. The Martin Hayes Quartet features Hayes with bass clarinetist Doug Wieselman, violist/violinist Liz Knowles and longtime collaborator guitarist Dennis Cahill with whom Hayes founded the seminal Irish-American band The Gloaming. In 2011, Hayes and Cahill performed for President Obama at the White House and for the House of Representatives. Aoife O’Donovan returns to SMF with a new collaborative project. Songs and Strings features the Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter accompanied by a string quartet in a performance of the song cycle “Bull Frogs Croon.” Written and developed with Jeremy Kittel and Teddy Abrams, “Bull Frogs Croon” is based on a text by the late poet laureate of Oregon, Peter Sears. The remainder of O’Donovan’s program features selections from her remarkable career, which includes founding the progressive string band Crooked Still and working with Sarah Jarosz and Sara Watkins in I’m With Her. In addition to touring with Punch Brothers, Milk Carton Kids and Elephant Revival, O’Donovan was featured vocalist on The Goat Rodeo Sessions, the Grammy-winning album by Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer and Chris Thile. In addition to her festival performance, O’Donovan serves as clinician in this year’s Acoustic Music Seminar (see page 57).
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THE FESTIVAL M O N D AY, A P R I L 6
Sebastian Knauer, piano
Pianist Sebastian Knauer needs little introduction to SMF audiences, having appeared in most every season since 2004 in roles including recitalist, soloist, conductor and chamber musician. He began playing piano at age 4, and made his debut at the age of 14 at the Laeiszhalle in his hometown of Hamburg. Knauer has performed in more than 50 countries across four continents, playing at venues such as the Berlin Philharmonic, the Gewandhaus in Leipzig, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, London’s Wigmore Hall, the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris, the Tonhalle in Zurich, the Konzerthaus in Vienna, Lincoln Center, the Harris Theater in Chicago, the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing and Toppan Hall in Tokyo. In 2012, Knauer founded Mozart@Augsburg, which takes place in the “Mozart City” of Augsburg, Germany. He is also the artistic director of the Internationale Musikfestwoche in Bad Berleburg and the Beethoven Festival in Aachen, both in Germany. FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN Piano Sonata No. 33 in C minor, Hob. XVI:20 WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART Piano Sonata No. 14 in C minor, K. 457 12 Variations on “Ah, vous dirai-je maman,” K. 265/300e EDVARD GRIEG Air from Holberg Suite, Opus 40 FELIX MENDELSSOHN Variations sérieuses, Opus 54
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Pianos by Steinway & Sons MONDAY, APRIL 6, 11 AM TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH $37 / $47 (RESERVED)
Martin Hayes Solo
Martin Hayes’ soulful interpretations of traditional Irish music are widely recognized for their exquisite musicality and irresistible rhythm. A youthful violin prodigy, Hayes garnered six All-Ireland championships before the age of 19. He spent many years playing in the Tulla Céilí Band, the group founded by his late father, P. Joe Hayes, which has been together for more than 70 years. Hayes is the artistic director of Masters of Tradition, an annual festival in Bantry, County Cork, and a co-curator for the Marble City Sessions at the Kilkenny Arts Festival. Though his Irish credentials are bona fide, Hayes is an innovator who never met a reel he could not bend in a sonorously wonderful way.
“In the decades to come, we’ll surely talk of having seen this man in the way others talk of Miles Davis or Jimi Hendrix or John Coltrane.” The Irish Times
MONDAY, APRIL 6, 12:30 PM CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER $35
S A V A N N A H M U S I C F E S T I V A L MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 | savannahmusicfestival.org | box office 912.525.5050
THE FESTIVAL
M O N D AY, A P R I L 6
Zakir Hussain, Kala Ramnath & Jayanthi Kumaresh
MONDAY, APRIL 6, 7 PM SAVANNAH CULTURAL ARTS CENTER $42
An extraordinary concert of Indian classical music awaits audiences lucky enough to catch this trio of world-renowned virtuosos. No stranger to the Savannah Music Festival, Grammy Award winner Zakir Hussain has elevated the status of the tabla within India and globally among world music fans.
“Kala Ramnath is like an angel in human form. Just to watch her play is an extraordinary thing... she’s one of the greatest musicians on the planet.” San Francisco Chronicle
Born into a dynasty of prodigious musical talent, violinist Kala Ramnath often draws upon diverse influences through her “singing violin” including Western classical, jazz, flamenco and traditional African music. With her mesmerizing glides, the purity of her notes and the soulfulness of her playing, Dr. Jayanthi Kumaresh has captivated audiences around the world for more than three decades. One of the world’s leading veena players, her music blends tradition and innovation.
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Bryan Sutton, Jack Lawrence & T. Michael Coleman / Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley
MONDAY, APRIL 6, 7:30 PM CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER $42
Expect a few Doc Watson songs on the setlist for this special trio performance. SMF Acoustic Music Seminar (AMS) clinician Bryan Sutton was born and raised near Asheville, North Carolina. A flatpicking virtuoso, Sutton has plied his talents with Ricky Skaggs’ Kentucky Thunder, Hot Rize and Chris Thile’s How to Grow a Band (the precursor to Punch Brothers). A nine-time winner of the IBMA Guitarist of the Year Award, Sutton won a Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance for a duet with Doc Watson. Guitarist Jack Lawrence was Doc Watson's performing partner for more than 25 years. Prior to joining Watson, Lawrence played with The New Deal String Band and Bluegrass Alliance before forming a duo with Joe Smothers. Bassist T. Michael Coleman spent much of his life touring with Doc and Merle Watson. Later, he performed with the Seldom Scene and Chesapeake. Based on a mutual love of bluegrass, country, blues, Western swing and string band music of all kinds, dobro and lap steel specialist Rob Ickes and guitarist Trey Hensley formed a partnership in 2015 after their debut album, Before The Sun Goes Down, was nominated for a Grammy. Since then, the duo has performed at music festivals across America as well as venues in Europe, England, Ireland and Australia. Ickes grew up in California’s Bay Area and cut his teeth on traditional bluegrass before moving to Nashville in the early ‘90s where he co-founded the highly influential bluegrass group Blue Highway, and won 15 IBMA Awards for Dobro Player of the Year. A Tennessee native, Hensley was 11 years old when Marty Stuart brought him onstage to play with him and Earl Scruggs at the Grand Ole Opry.
“Two musical phenoms” NPR
NEXT-DAY LUNCHTIME ENCORE
Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 12:30 PM CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER $35
S A V A N N A H M U S I C F E S T I V A L MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 | savannahmusicfestival.org | box office 912.525.5050
TUESDAY, APRIL 7 5 AND 8 PM CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER $42
“...[Kater] writes and performs with the skill of a folk-circuit veteran...” Rolling Stone
This special SMF evening of Americana music also includes Montreal-born, Grenadian-Canadian Kaia Kater. Her family’s deep ties to folk music and the years she spent studying Appalachian music at West Virginia’s Davis & Elkins College helped her develop a distinctive voice, which blends traditional elements within a modern context. Kater’s old-time banjo-picking skills, deft arrangements and songwriting acumen have garnered critical acclaim in North America and the UK. A recent 18-month touring journey took Kater to stages at the Kennedy Center, Hillside Festival and London’s O2 Shepherd’s Bush. She is joined by bassist Andrew Ryan, whose love for classical, jazz and American roots music make him an exceptional player, collaborator and composer. Kater and Ryan are both alumni of SMF’s Acoustic Music Seminar (see page 57).
THE FESTIVAL
T U E S D AY, A P R I L 7
Darrell Scott Band Plays Hank Williams / Kaia Kater & Andrew Ryan
Born in London, Kentucky, Darrell Scott is the son of singer-songwriter Wayne Scott. In 1995, Scott moved to Nashville where his talent as a solo artist, session player and songwriter was quickly recognized. A gifted multi-instrumentalist, he has played with hundreds of country and bluegrass music’s brightest stars from Randy Travis and Guy Clark to Kate Wallace and Martina McBride. Notable collaborators include Steve Earle, Sam Bush, Emmylou Harris, Verlon Thompson, Kate Rusby, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Mary Gauthier. In 2010, Scott went on tour as a member of Robert Plant’s Band of Joy. Scott is a songwriting guru and clinician at SMF’s Acoustic Music Seminar (AMS). His latest project pays tribute to country music legend Hank Williams. He is joined on this concert by Reese Wynans (Stevie Ray Vaughn, Joe Bonamassa) on B-3 and piano, Bryn Davies (Jack Black, Patty Griffin) on upright bass and Marco Giovino (Band of Joy, Buddy Miller) on drums.
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Väsen
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 12:30 PM CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER $35
For the better part of three decades, Väsen (“vessen”) has honed a singular sound rooted in Swedish folk music, but conceived by modern ears, which have heard rock, jazz and post-modern chamber music. Formed in 1989 by Olov Johansson, who plays the nyckelharpa (a “keyed fiddle”), violist Mikael Marin and guitarist Roger Tallroth, Väsen takes its name from a Swedish word with multiple meanings: spirit, noise, a living being or essence. The combination of unusual instrumental tunings and the rhythmic pulsing characteristic of traditional Swedish folk music imbues Väsen’s music with an irresistible, deeply spiritual quality. This is a “must attend” concert for world music fans.
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Väsen / Kittel & Co.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8 5 AND 8 PM CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER $42
The music of Kittel & Co. envelops a space containing elements of late modern classical, acoustic roots, Celtic, bluegrass and jazz. As a composer, arranger and accompanist, Brooklyn-based violinist Jeremy Kittel has worked with Abigail Washburn and Béla Fleck, My Morning Jacket, Camera Obscura, Jars of Clay, Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble, Laura Veirs and the Grammywinning Turtle Island Quartet of which he was a member for five years. He has also recorded with artists such as Edgar Meyer, Chris Thile, Mark O’Connor, Fleet Foxes and Mike Marshall. For the last several years, he has been composing a special repertoire for Kittel & Co. The band includes mandolinist Josh Pinkham, guitarist Quinn Bachand, cellist Nathaniel Smith (Sarah Jarosz, Kacey Musgraves) and hammered-dulcimer innovator Simon Chrisman.
“[Kittel & Co.]...takes the string band tradition to marvelously rarefied levels of collective virtuosity…thrillingly spontaneous.”
S A V A N N A H M U S I C F E S T I V A L MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 | savannahmusicfestival.org | box office 912.525.5050
The Times (UK)
THE FESTIVAL
T H U R S D AY, A P R I L 9
Martin Hayes, Jeremy Kittel & Roger Tallroth
Don’t miss this only-in-Savannah debut collaboration between fiddlers Martin Hayes and Jeremy Kittel and Swedish guitarist Roger Tallroth of Väsen, whose “Tallroth tuning” and guitar style has been vastly influential throughout the Nordic traditional music scene.
THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 12:30 PM CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER $35
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Robert McDuffie, violin & Robert Spano, piano
Pianos by Steinway & Sons THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 5 PM TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH $47 / 57 (RESERVED)
Commemorating more than 20 years of musical collaboration, violinist Robert McDuffie and pianist/conductor Robert Spano jubilantly take the stage to celebrate the work of Beethoven, Brahms and American composer John Corigliano. Spano steps off the podium to sit down at the piano in the twilight of his transformative 20-year tenure as music director at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, where he created a special sense of inclusion and warmth among musicians and audiences. McDuffie enjoys a dynamic and multi-faceted career as a performer and as the founder of the Rome Chamber Music Festival in Italy and the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer University in his hometown of Macon, Georgia. He also holds a faculty chair at the Aspen Music Festival and School, and has worked with artists ranging from Philip Glass to Mike Mills of R.E.M. JOHANNES BRAHMS Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Major, Opus 78 JOHN CORIGLIANO Sonata for Violin and Piano LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Violin Sonata No. 7 in C minor, Opus 30, No. 2
THE T HFESTIVAL U R S D AY, A P R I L 9 42
“John Jorgenson is one of the most respected guitarists in the world…” Los Angeles Times
Route Django: John Jorgenson Quintet / Frank Vignola / Velvet Caravan Pianos by Steinway & Sons THURSDAY, APRIL 9 5:30 AND 8:30 PM CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER $42
Formed in 2004, the John Jorgenson Quintet is the only American act to ever headline the prestigious Django Reinhardt Festival in France. While the band’s style has been called “gypsy jazz” for its dynamic string-driven swing sound based on the music played by Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli in 1930s Paris, guitarist Jorgenson’s compositional approach draws on elements from Latin, Romanian, classical, rock and Greek music. In addition to its namesake founder, John Jorgenson Quintet includes guitarist Max O’Rourke, bassist Simon Planting, pianist Rory Hoffman and percussionist Rick Reed. One of America’s most talented and entertaining jazz guitarists, Frank Vignola has accompanied, performed and recorded with some of the world’s top musicians including Ringo Starr, Madonna, Donald Fagen, Wynton Marsalis, Tommy Emmanuel, the New York Pops and guitar legend Les Paul. In 1987, Vignola formed the Hot Club Quintet, named after the famed Quintette du Hot Club de France founded by Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli. Savannah’s own Velvet Caravan rounds out this special bill at the Charles H. Morris Center. Founded by classically trained, Venezuelan-born violinist Ricardo Ochoa, the quintet is equally at home performing in an intimate club setting or sharing a concert stage with symphony orchestras. Velvet Caravan performs a repertoire combining gypsy jazz, Latin swing, southern honky-tonk and classical chamber music. In addition to Ochoa, Velvet Caravan includes bassist Eric Dunn, guitarist Ken Allday, percussionist Vuk Pavlovic and keyboardist-accordionist Jared Hall.
S A V A N N A H M U S I C F E S T I V A L MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 | savannahmusicfestival.org | box office 912.525.5050
THE FESTIVAL
T H U R S D AY, A P R I L 9
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Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers
Pianos by Steinway & Sons THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 8 PM LUCAS THEATRE FOR THE ARTS TICKETS START AT $37
Bruce Hornsby, the creatively insatiable pianist and singer-songwriter from Williamsburg, Virginia, always has succeeded on his exceptional gifts, his training and his work ethic. He has collaborated with Ricky Skaggs and the Grateful Dead. He has scored films and performed with symphony orchestras. Hornsby describes his new album Absolute Zero as “a compendium of what I like and moves me.” Prepare for a multi-faceted ride. Hornsby’s most recent Savannah Music Festival appearance was to a sold-out crowd in 2017.
THE T HFESTIVAL U R S D AY, A P R I L 9
Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe
THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 8 PM NORTH GARDEN ASSEMBLY ROOM AT SHIPS OF THE SEA MUSEUM $39
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Saxophonist and singer Karl Denson fronts his band Tiny Universe as if he’s preaching the gospel. Merging funk, soul, rock, jazz, blues and more, his energy and spirit are contagious, while his songwriting serves a larger message of fellowship. A touring member of The Rolling Stones and the linchpin of storied jazz-funk outfit The Greyboy Allstars, Denson’s songwriting style draws from Sly & the Family Stone, Funkadelic, Rufus with Chaka Khan, Cymande, Stevie Wonder and other beloved soul, funk and R&B artists. Denson’s Tiny Universe consists of Greyboy bassist Chris Stillwell and former Greyboy drummer Zak Najor, as well as David Veith and Kenneth Crouch on keyboards, Chris Littlefield on trumpet, Seth Freeman on guitar and lap steel, and DJ Williams on guitar.
S A V A N N A H M U S I C F E S T I V A L MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 | savannahmusicfestival.org | box office 912.525.5050
Pianos by Steinway & Sons FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 3 PM TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH $37 / $47 (RESERVED)
THE FESTIVAL
ROBERT SCHUMANN V ariations on the Name “Abegg” in F Major, Opus 1 Sonata No. 3 in F minor, Opus 14
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Drew Petersen, piano
Prodigious pianist Drew Petersen is the winner of the 2017 American Pianists Awards and the Christel DeHaan Classical Fellowship of the American Pianists Association. He is a prizewinner in the Leeds International Piano Competition, the Hilton Head International Piano Competition, Kosciuszko Foundation Chopin Competition and the New York Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition. Petersen’s career had an auspicious and early beginning. Presented at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall at age 5, at age 9 he performed a solo recital at Steinway Hall in Manhattan for the company’s 150th Anniversary. His unique gifts have been profiled in The New York Times, New York Magazine, in the documentary Just Normal and in Andrew Solomon’s book, “Far From the Tree.”
FRANZ LISZT V alse oubliée, S. 215/1 Valse mélancolique, S. 214/2 Valse impromptu, S. 213 FRANZ SCHUBERT Fantasie in C Major, D. 760, “Wanderer Fantasy”
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Etienne Charles & Creole Soul / Brenda Navarrete
Pianos by Steinway & Sons FRIDAY, APRIL 10 5:30 AND 8:30 PM CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER $42
Born in 1983 in Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, trumpeter-composer Etienne Charles is one of the most compelling jazz artists on the contemporary scene. His Creole Soul project taps into his Afro-Caribbean background, which encompasses calypso and Haitian voodoo music, as well as his interest in jazz, reggae, rock and R&B. The Charles family legacy includes a great-grandfather who emigrated from Martinique to Trinidad and formed a band; a grandfather who performed with Growling Tiger on folk and calypso recordings of the time; and his father, Francis Charles, who was a member of Phase II Pan Groove, one of the world’s leading steel bands, which Etienne eventually joined. He studied with SMF Associate Artistic Director Marcus Roberts at Florida State University and earned a Master of Music from The Juilliard School of Music. This performance will feature music from Charles’ latest release, Carnival: The Sounds of a People Vol. 1. One of the brightest young talents on the world music scene, vocalist, songwriter and percussionist Brenda Navarrete is making her SMF debut. As a youngster, Navarrete studied percussion and dreamed of a career in music. She graduated from Cuba’s prestigious Amadeo Roldán Conservatory in 2009, earning accreditations as an instrumentalist, ensemble and percussion instructor. In 2010, during Cuba’s prestigious Fiesta del Tambor, she took first prize for her batá drumming prowess, as well as for best song interpretation by a female artist. Navarrete has worked with the all-female Afro-Cuban percussion troupe Obiní Batá, and as a singer with the internationally acclaimed band Interactivo led by pianist-composer Roberto Carcassés. Her own music is a thoroughly contemporary blend of Afro-Cuban polyrhythms, Latin jazz, R&B, hip-hop, reggae and electronica.
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Junior Brown / Hot Club of Cowtown
Junior Brown’s inimitable brand of country music fuses western swing with the blues, rockabilly, bluegrass and rock ’n’ roll. A guitarist and lap steel player of the highest order, he and his luthier Michael Stevens developed his signature double-necked instrument, the “guit-steel,” in the mid-’80s, when it became too cumbersome to switch cables between his lap steel and guitar. Brown’s list of collaborators spans nearly five decades and includes time spent playing with Asleep at the Wheel, on duets with Ralph Stanley and Hank Thompson, as well as collaborations with George Jones, Doc Watson, Leona Williams, Ray Price and many others. Don’t miss what will be a hard-hitting return to SMF, Brown’s first since his 2011 debut alongside The Flatlanders. Since its beginnings in the late 1990s, Hot Club of Cowtown has been known for jaw-dropping virtuosity and unforgettable live shows. The band has toured extensively worldwide for over 20 years, both on its own and with artists including Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Gatemouth Brown, The Avett Brothers and Dan Hicks, and appeared at SMF in 2015 for a run of six shows alongside Asleep at the Wheel. Praised by The Times (UK) for its “down-home melodies and exuberant improvisation” the Hot Club of Cowtown straddles a line between country music and swing.
FRIDAY, APRIL 10 5:30 AND 8:30 PM NORTH GARDEN ASSEMBLY ROOM AT SHIPS OF THE SEA MUSEUM $42
Stringband Spectacular: Acoustic Music Seminar Finale Mike Marshall, Aoife O’Donovan, Darrell Scott & Bryan Sutton
A perennial highlight of the Savannah Music Festival, the Stringband Spectacular caps off the week-long Acoustic Music Seminar (AMS). During AMS, a group of young (22 years old and under) virtuoso string players and songwriters engage in a series of intensive workshops organized and supervised by AMS Director and SMF Associate Artistic Director Mike Marshall and special guest clinicians. This year’s clinicians include Aoife O’Donovan, Darrell Scott and Bryan Sutton. Past AMS clinicians and guests include Julian Lage, Tim O’Brien, Béla Fleck, Abigail Washburn, Chris Eldridge, Avi Avital and Sarah Jarosz. Stringband Spectacular, which serves as an exclusive showcase for music written, arranged and performed by AMS participants, is always a thrilling experience for performers and audiences alike. Find out more about Acoustic Music Seminar on page 57.
FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 6 PM TRUSTEES THEATER $30
S A V A N N A H M U S I C F E S T I V A L MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 | savannahmusicfestival.org | box office 912.525.5050
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St. Paul & The Broken Bones
FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 8:30 PM LUCAS THEATRE FOR THE ARTS TICKETS START AT $37
Formed in 2012, St. Paul & The Broken Bones has spent the last seven years touring the world. The Birmingham, Alabama-based rock ‘n’ roll/soul band has opened for The Rolling Stones, headlined two nights at Ryman Auditorium and appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Conan, Austin City Limits and twice on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert including the latter’s debut episode. Singer-songwriter Paul Janeway abandoned a career in ministry to co-found the band with Jesse Phillips (bass, guitar). The current Broken Bones lineup features Browan Lollar (guitars), Kevin Leon (drums), Al Gamble (keyboards), Allen Branstetter (trumpet), Chad Fisher (trombone) and Amari Ansari (saxophone). St. Paul & The Broken Bones has released an EP (Greetings) and three albums: Half the City (2014), Sea of Noise (2016) and Young Sick Camellia (2018).
“...infectiously funky live performance...” Paste Magazine
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Camille Thomas, cello & Julien Brocal, piano Pianos by Steinway & Sons SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 3 PM TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH $47 / $57 (RESERVED)
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Franco-Belgian cellist Camille Thomas blends a brilliant command of her instrument with a rare musicality. The first cellist to be signed by the prestigious Deutsche Grammophon label in over 40 years, Thomas’ standout talent was recognized at the European Broadcasting Union Competition in 2014, where she was awarded first prize and named New Talent of the Year. Thomas has already worked with conductors such as Paavo Järvi, Mikko Franck, Marc Soustrot, Darrell Ang, Kent Nagano and Stéphane Denève, as well as with orchestras including the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Academia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Sinfonia Varsovia, Staatsorchester Hamburg in the Elbphilharmonie, the Lucerne Festival Strings in the Herkulessaal in Munich, the Opera National de Bordeaux and Brussels Philharmonic. In her SMF debut, she is accompanied by French pianist Julien Brocal, whose recent solo album was given five stars by BBC Music Magazine, calling it “spellbinding Chopin.”
Zydeco Dance Party: Jeffery Broussard & The Creole Cowboys
“THE VOICE OF HOPE” MAURICE RAVEL Kaddisch, from Two Hebrew Melodies FRANZ SCHUBERT “Gretchen am Spinnrade,” D. 118 “Erlkönig,” D. 328 “Litanei auf des Fest Allerseelen,” D. 343 MAX BRUCH Kol Nidre, Opus 47 LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Seven Variations on “Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen,” WoO 46 OLIVIER MESSIAEN Louange à l’éternité de Jésus from Quatour pour la fin du temps CÉSAR FRANCK Sonata for Cello (Violin) and Piano in A Major (arr. Jules Delsart)
One of the most influential accordionists and vocalists in contemporary zydeco music, Jeffery Broussard began his career playing drums in his father’s band, Delton Broussard & the Lawtell Playboys. The youngest of 11 children, Broussard was born in Lafayette, Louisiana, in 1967. During his teenage years, Broussard played drums in The Zydeco Machines, a band led by his oldest brother, Clinton. In the late 1980s, Broussard was a member of Zydeco Force, which also included his late brother Shelton, cousin Herbert, and co-founder Robert “Mann” Robinson. Together, they pioneered a sound that integrated R&B within a contemporary zydeco context. When Zydeco Force disbanded in 2005, Broussard formed The Creole Cowboys, returning full circle to his roots and a more traditional style of performance.
SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 4 AND 8 PM NORTH GARDEN ASSEMBLY ROOM AT SHIPS OF THE SEA MUSEUM $39
S A V A N N A H M U S I C F E S T I V A L MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 | savannahmusicfestival.org | box office 912.525.5050
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Alfredo Rodriguez & Pedrito Martinez / Harold López-Nussa
Pianos by Steinway & Sons SATURDAY, APRIL 11 4:30 AND 7:30 PM CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER $42
An evening of sublime Afro-Cuban artistry is on tap when pianist Alfredo Rodriguez and percussionist Pedrito Martinez take the stage with bassist Munir Hossn at Charles H. Morris Center. Both Rodriguez and Martinez started life in Havana, discovered a passion for music and eventually headed to America where they melded the music of their homeland with a wide variety of influences. Schooled in the rigorous classical conservatories of Havana, Rodriguez was mentored by Quincy Jones after defecting to the US in 2009. Martinez honed his percussion chops on the streets of Cayo Hueso, a neighborhood in Old Havana. He went on to perform with top artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Sting, Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Angélique Kidjo, Chucho Valdés and James Taylor. Harold López-Nussa was born in 1983 in Havana, Cuba, where he still lives. His father, Ruy, is an esteemed drummer and educator. His uncle, Ernán, is an acclaimed pianist. His late mother, Mayra Torres, was a highly regarded piano teacher. At age 8, López-Nussa began studying at the Manuel Saumell Elementary School of Music, then went to the Amadeo Roldán Conservatory, ultimately graduating with a degree in classical piano from the Instituto Superior de Arte. Early in his career, he recorded Heitor Villa-Lobos’ Fourth Piano Concerto with Cuba’s National Symphony Orchestra and won First Prize at the Jazz Solo Piano Competition at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland, in 2005. Lopéz-Nussa’s quartet features his younger brother, Ruy Adrián López-Nussa on drums and percussion, Mayquel González on trumpet, and bassist Julio César González.
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Leo Kottke
SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 6 PM TRUSTEES THEATER $42
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A self-taught guitar player and songwriter, 74-year-old Leo Kottke was born in Athens, Georgia. A stint in the US Navy was followed by a move to Minneapolis, where he found a nurturing environment in the city’s thriving folk scene. Kottke’s breakthrough came in 1969 when his mentor, legendary guitarist John Fahey, invited him to record for his fledgling Takoma label. Known for prodigious technique and a languid, dulcet-toned voice, Kottke has performed and recorded with a wide array of musicians including Chet Atkins, Procol Harum and the Violent Femmes. His prowess on the six- and 12-string guitar has influenced a generation or three of acoustic guitarists including innovators, such as the late Michael Hedges, Preston Reed and Don Ross, and contemporary wunderkinds like Daniel Bachman.
S A V A N N A H M U S I C F E S T I V A L MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 | savannahmusicfestival.org | box office 912.525.5050
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Sarah Jarosz / Madison Cunningham
SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 8 PM LUCAS THEATRE FOR THE ARTS TICKETS START AT $37
Since her SMF debut a decade ago as a teenager, multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter Sarah Jarosz has evolved steadily as an artist and performer. The Austin Chronicle’s Jim Caligiuri recently declared “For Austinites who’ve followed her since her early teens, the fact that Wimberley native Sarah Jarosz blossomed into one of the most stirring musicians of her generation comes as absolutely no surprise.” At SMF alone, she has performed on separate co-bills with David Grisman and Richard Thompson, and in 2019 with her group I’m With Her, always engaging audiences as an exceptional player, a prolific songwriter and interpreter, and a consummate performer. Having won two Grammy Awards while still in her 20s, along with many other industry awards, the range of Jarosz’ artistry seems immeasurable. California native guitarist and songwriter Madison Cunningham, whose early champions include Chris Thile, Sara Watkins and the Milk Carton Kids’ Joey Ryan, opens the show. Over the past year, Cunningham has toured with the Punch Brothers and more recently Andrew Bird, standing out not only for her unique melodies, elastic voice and deft approach to the guitar, but also for her honest storytelling. Rolling Stone describes Cunningham’s sound as “a new spin on West Coast folk-rock, with classical tendencies, electric guitars, jazzschool chord changes and alt-rock strut all living beneath the same roof.”
“[Jarosz] refuses to dilute the raw sentiments with gloss or misdirection… direct, unadorned and thoroughly beautiful.” The Wall Street Journal
CONCERTC O N VENUES CERT VENUES
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CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER 10 East Broad Street The Charles H. Morris Center is SMF’s premier club-style venue. Flexible seating accommodates dance parties, concerts and cabaret performances. Craft beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages are available. On-site parking is limited.
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LU C A S T H E AT R E F O R THE ARTS 32 Abercorn Street The Lucas Theatre is one of SMF’s primary performance halls with seating for over 1,200 patrons. Beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages are available in the lobby. Parking is limited to city-operated garages and on-street spaces.
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S AVA N N A H C U LT U R A L ARTS CENTER 201 Montgomery Street The Savannah Cultural Arts Center includes a theater that seats 330 patrons, a smaller performance space and working studios for local artists. Parking is limited to city-operated garages and on-street spaces. Curbside drop-off is available on Montgomery Street.
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T R U S T E E S T H E AT E R 216 East Broughton Street SCAD’s Trustees Theater is one of SMF’s primary performance halls, seating over 1,100 patrons. Nonalcoholic beverages and snacks are available in the lobby. Parking is limited to city-operated garages and on-street spaces.
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J O H N N Y M E R C E R T H E AT R E 301 West Oglethorpe Avenue Located at the Savannah Civic Center, the Johnny Mercer Theatre has a capacity of just over 2,500, making it SMF’s largest reserved seating venue. Beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages are available in the lobby. On-site parking is available.
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N O R T H GA R D E N A S S E M B LY R O O M AT S H I P S O F T H E S E A M U S E U M 41 Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard Wear layers to prepare for Savannah’s spring weather at this unique outdoor covered space. Craft beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages are available at this venue. On-site parking is limited.
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TEMPLE MICKVE ISRAEL 20 East Gordon Street Located on Monterey Square, Mickve Israel was founded in 1733 and is Georgia’s oldest Jewish congregation. Built in 1878, the Gothic Revival building seats 300 people. Parking is limited to on-street spaces.
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U N I TA R I A N U N I V E R S A L I S T CHURCH 311 East Harris Street Located on beautiful Troup Square, the historic Unitarian Universalist Church creates an intimate concert setting for 175 people. Parking is limited to on-street spaces.
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K E H O E I R O N W O R K S AT T R U S T E E S ’ GA R D E N 660 East Broughton Street Initially built for use as an iron foundry, Kehoe Iron Works was rehabilitated by Charles H. Morris and opened in 2018. The historic Metal Building will host the opening performance of SMF’s chamber series. Craft beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages are available. On-site parking is limited.
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ROUSAKIS PLAZA River Street Savannah’s breezy, cobblestone-lined River Street is home to Jazz on the River on Thursday, April 2 from 4–7 pm, featuring free open-air performances by the 12 high school big bands participating in the Swing Central Jazz competition. Parking is very limited.
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TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 127 Barnard Street Located on Telfair Square, Trinity United Methodist Church is SMF’s primary classical music venue. The sanctuary provides wonderful acoustics and plentiful sight lines. Parking is limited to cityoperated garages and on-street spaces.
S AVA N N A H B OX O F F I C E 216 East Broughton Street 912.525.5050 The box office is located to the right of the entrance to Trustees Theater (below the SCAD marquee) and is open Monday through Friday from 10 am until 5 pm. During these hours, box office staff is available to fulfill orders over the phone or in-person. Tickets can be purchased online at anytime. Published SMF ticket prices include all taxes and fees, however ticket orders placed online are subject to a $4/order box office fee. Tickets purchased in person or over the phone will not be charged any box office fees.
S A V A N N A H M U S I C F E S T I V A L MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 | savannahmusicfestival.org | box office 912.525.5050
AREA MAP
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Colonial Park Cemetery
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THE A L I DA
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DOUBLETREE BY H I LTOForsyth N S AVA N N A H H I S TO R I C Park DISTRICT 411 West Bay Street 912.790.7000 stayinsavannah.com
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K I M P TO N B R I C E H OT E L
E. HALL
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The Drayton Hotel, located in Outside, you’re surrounded by Savannah’s Historic District, antebellum Southern beauty. Inside, E. BOLTON features 50 rooms and suites, bars, we’re mixing it up with modern flair. a restaurant, and an unmatched You and your pets will love The rooftop experience with views of E. WALDBURG Brice’s classic-meets-cutting-edge City Hall, Savannah River and the rooms. Located just across the street surrounding cityscape. from the Charles H. Morris Center, enjoy a meal at Pacci before your SMF show.
TICKETING INFO
Avoid Ticket Fees
PURCHASE TICKETS
SMF tickets incur no fees when purchased in person at the box office or over the phone and picked up at will call.*
NEW IN 2020!
Pick 3, 5 or 10 and Save†
Purchase tickets to three or more performances at once and receive a discount! Pick 3 for 10% off, pick 5 for 15% off or pick 10 for 20% off. †Offer expires January 31, 2020. NEW IN 2020!
Locals Tuesdays
Online Log on to savannahmusicfestival.org 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Print-at-home option available.
By Phone 54
Ways To Save at SMF
Call the Savannah Box Office 912.525.5050 Monday to Friday, 10 am to 5 pm.
In Person
25% discount for residents of Chatham County!
To show appreciation for our local community, we offer special Locals Days promotions on performances taking place on Tuesday, March 31 and Tuesday, April 7! Residents of Chatham County (valid identification required) receive a 25% discount when purchasing tickets in person in advance or on day of show at the box office. NEW IN 2020!
Visit the Savannah Box Office at 216 East Broughton Street Monday to Friday, 10 am to 5 pm.
At the Door Visit the mobile box office one hour prior to showtime at the performance venue Subject to availability.
Discounts Specific to Classical Concerts
Every patron aged 39 and under can purchase discounted tickets to SMF’s chamber music series, classical recitals and concerts as well as the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (limited availability). • Patrons 12 and under receive free admission • Children and young adults age 13–19: $10 gen. admission tickets • Patrons in their 20s (20–29 years of age): $20 gen. admission tickets • Patrons in their 30s (30–39 years of age): $30 gen. admission tickets
Ticket Discount Packages
Save when you choose from a variety of curated ticket packages based on genre or date. Visit the SMF website for more details: savannahmusicfestival. org/2020deals.
Group discounts
SMF offers special rates for groups of 10 or more. Group discounts depend on the size of the group. Please call us at 912.234.3378 x111 to personalize your group experience.
Senior, Military, Student & Educator Discounts
Patrons ages 65+, military personnel, as well as students and educators, are eligible to receive a 10% discount on all single ticket purchases. Limited to one ticket per person per performance. Tickets must be purchased in-person at the box office. Valid ID required.
Last-Minute Rush Tickets
During the festival, a limited number of concerts will have last-minute rush tickets available to students, educators, military and SMF volunteers with a valid ID starting 30 minutes before showtime, on a first-come, first-served basis. Follow us on social media to find out about rush-eligible shows.
POLICIES CHILDREN SMF strives to provide a welcoming environment for everyone. Children 5 years of age or younger receive free admission to SMF concerts when accompanied by paying adult ticket holders (limit one child per one paying adult). Free tickets for children are only available in person on the day of show. All patrons, regardless of age, must have a valid ticket to enter the venue. This includes infants and children that may normally sit on the lap of a parent. Classical performances are not recommended for children under the age of 5 years. For the most child-friendly environment, families are encouraged to attend early shows at the North Garden Assembly Room at Ships of the Sea Museum or the Charles H. Morris Center. Older children and young adults, especially those studying to learn an instrument, are
invited to take advantage of SMF’s special discounts at classical concerts. SMF staff reserves the right to ask children and adults who become disruptive to leave the venue. For questions about the suitability of a performance or venue for your child, please call 912.234.3378.
UNPLUG Thank you for leaving your recording devices at home and silencing your cell phones for all SMF concerts. For the enjoyment of all patrons, photographing, videotaping and sound recording of any SMF performance is prohibited.
DANCING/STANDING Patrons are advised to note the symbol which denotes performances in which patrons are likely to be on their feet and/or dancing. In theaters, those sensitive to this activity are encouraged to purchase early and select balcony/mezzanine seats closer to the front.
ACCESSIBILITY All SMF venues are accessible, but please note that the Lucas and Trustees theaters do not have elevators to access balcony seating. To request accessible seating at those venues, please call the box office.
LATE SEATING Late seating will take place during the first appropriate pause in the program at the discretion of house management.
HOUSE RULES While outside food and drink will not be permitted inside any SMF venue, food and drink will be available for in-house purchase at select concerts. Smoking is not permitted inside any SMF venue.
*FEES Published SMF 2020 ticket prices include all fees and taxes. However, tickets are subject to box office service fees and handling charges. To avoid box office fees, tickets may be purchased in person at the box office. CANCELLATIONS & REFUNDS Savannah Music Festival does not offer ticket refunds. Tickets can be exchanged or donated to the festival for resale. Exchanges are subject to availability and exchange fees. Tickets for donation must be received by the SMF office at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled performance. You will receive a tax-deductible donation receipt after the festival. ALL PROGRAMS, ARTISTS AND VENUES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
S A V A N N A H M U S I C F E S T I V A L MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 | savannahmusicfestival.org | box office 912.525.5050
SUPPORT US FY2019 FACTS & FIGURES
The Savannah Music Festival is a nonprofit arts organization that depends on generous supporters and sponsors to sustain its mission.
In FY2019 (July 1, 2018–June 30, 2019) Savannah Music Festival
Presented 107 Performances Hosted 625 Artists & Personnel from 25 Countries
For 31 seasons Savannah Music Festival has proudly connected concertgoers with the best artists in jazz, classical, Americana and international roots music at unparalleled live performances in beautiful, historic downtown Savannah. Savannah Music Festival also continues to grow its suite of educational programs that currently serve more than 11,000 children and educators each season. Through donor support, we are able to offer these programs at no cost to the participants. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on the generous support of donors and sponsors to sustain our mission. In other words, we couldn’t do any of this without people like you! Each year we must raise over $2.3 million to ensure we can deliver the quality programs that our audiences have come to expect. We have a variety of benefits for individual donors and corporate sponsors that we are pleased to offer as a thank you for your support. Thank you for considering a gift to SMF! With gratitude,
Performances took place in
15 Venues
and required
35 Piano Moves
SMF 2019 had a significant economic impact on the area by contributing
$10.05 Million in Direct Spending $7.65 Million in Visitor Spending $852,344 in est. Sales & Bed Tax Revenue SMF’s income was made up of 35% 65%
35% Earned Income 65% Raised Income
David Pratt, Executive Director
Ways to give Donate securely online at savannahmusicfestival.org/SupportUs
Donate by phone: call 912.234.3378 x106
Set up recurring monthly gifts with your credit card
Transfer a gift of stock
Contact your employer for corporate matching gifts
Contact us for information about in-kind sponsorships
Join the Festival’s Legacy Society: Include Savannah Music Festival in your estate plans
of which 59% came from private donations See more facts and figures at savannahmusicfestival.org/about-smf
For more information on ways to give, donor benefits and giving levels, contact the Development Department at 912.234.3378 x106.
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EDUCATION PROGRAMS LOCAL EDUCATION PROGR AMS 56
Musical Explorers
Now in its sixth year, Musical Explorers is an unparalleled year-round music education program for children in the coastal region. Reaching more than 10,000 K-2 students and nearly 300 teachers, Musical Explorers teaches students about six different genres of music throughout the year, incorporating music education into every aspect of a child’s schooling. In the last five years, SMF has introduced Savannah-area children to 20 different genres of music from the Gullah Geechee ring shout to jazz and blues and opera. During the 2019-20 school year, Musical Explorers are learning about folk music, African-American spirituals, hip-hop, salsa, klezmer music and brass ensemble. Through Musical Explorers, SMF is nurturing the next generation of music lovers! musicalexplorers.savannahmusicfestival.org
“Musical Explorers does an excellent job bringing different cultures and experiences together through music. It is so good for the city and the community to have such a great program!” K–2 teacher, Savannah
Developed in partnership with
Launching in January 2020, SMF Jazz Academy is a free after-school jazz program for local students that is unique in Savannah and the region.
NEW IN 2020!
SMF Jazz Academy Ron and Susan Whitaker, Founding Sponsors
Thirty fifth graders will join Ron & Susan Whitaker Interim Music Director Eric Jones for daily instrumental instruction and musical mentorship. All participants receive: Private lessons Instrument Academic assistance Daily dinner and snack Access to SMF concerts Transportation to and from the program site savannahmusicfestival.org/jazzacademy
S A V A N N A H M U S I C F E S T I V A L MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 | savannahmusicfestival.org | box office 912.525.5050
April 1–3, 2020
“I love Swing Central, and it just keeps getting better!” Ollie Liddell, Memphis Central High School (2019 Jean Elizabeth Faircloth Award Winner)
Acoustic Music Seminar Mike Marshall, Director April 4–10, 2020
“Being at AMS was probably the best week of my entire life…. Every single moment of the day was filled with exciting and meaningful experiences.” Trevor Lind (AMS 2019)
Pianist/composer/educator and SMF Associate Artistic Director Marcus Roberts, along with jazz performers and educators such as Jim Ketch, Wycliffe Gordon and Rodney Whitaker, mentor and teach improvisation, instrumental technique and big band repertoire to participants. SCJ concludes with a public competition followed by the finale performance at the Lucas Theatre for the Arts (see page 28). swingcentraljazz.org
Young musicians up to 22 years of age are selected by online audition and travel to Savannah from across the globe to participate in SMF’s Acoustic Music Seminar (AMS), a weeklong workshop and mentorship program led by SMF Associate Artistic Director Mike Marshall. Participants receive six days of intense coaching, collaboration and hands-on instruction with Marshall as well as clinicians Aoife O’Donovan, Darrell Scott and Bryan Sutton, punctuated by visits with festival artists including Zakir Hussain, Väsen and Kaia Kater. Each year the program culminates in Stringband Spectacular (see page 46), which showcases the participants’ original work for Savannah Music Festival audiences. savannahmusicfestival.org/ams
EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Marcus Roberts, Director
NATIONAL EDUCATION PROGR AMS
Swing Central Jazz
During Swing Central Jazz (SCJ), young jazz musicians from around the country travel to Savannah to spend three days immersed in the world of swing and big band jazz. High school and community bands are selected from a competitive pool of more than 100 applicants to participate in workshops, the Jazz on the River showcase (see page 25) and compete for cash prizes and the Jean Elizabeth Faircloth Award.
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Blue Ridge Bluegrass: Balsam Range / Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out SEE PAGE 29 FOR INFO
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PHOTO CREDITS Cover: Artwork by Klaus Kremmerz Page 2: Camille Thomas by Dan Carabas Page 3: Etienne Charles by Maria Nunes, Junior Brown by Vince Dudzinski, Marta Pereira da Costa courtesy of the artist Page 8: Amythyst Kiah by Anna Hedges, Corey Harris courtesy of the artist, Bridget Kibbey courtesy of the artist Page 9: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit by Danny Clinch Page 10: Foghorn Stringband courtesy of the artist, Dover Quartet by Jacob Boll, Allison de Groot and Tatiana Hargreaves by Michelle Lotker Page 11: George Porter Jr. by Michael Weintraub, Rebirth Brass Band courtesy of the artist Page 12: Jazz at Orchestra Center Photos by Piper Ferguson Page 13: Ruthie Foster by Riccardo Piccirillo, Marcia Ball by Mary Bruton Page 14: Marta Pereira da Costa by Rui Aguiar, Germán López courtesy of the artist Page 15: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra by Frank Stewart/Savannah Music Festival, André Watts by Steven J. Sherman Page 16: Escher String Quartet courtesy of the artist, Erroll Garner by William P. Gottlieb Page 17: Christian Sands by Anna Webber, Wycliffe Gordon courtesy of the artist Page 18: Giovanni Guzzo by Harald Hoffmann, Benny Kim courtesy of the artist, Keith Robertson by Tara McMullen, Robin Ashwell by Clive Barda, Eric Kim courtesy of Indiana University, Tara Helen O’Connor courtesy of the artist, Sebastian Knauer by Gregor Hohenberg, Ana-María Vera by Toby
Amies, Mervon Mehta by Nicola Betts, Philip Dukes by Tina Gutierrez Page 19: Tara Helen O’Connor courtesy of the artist, André Mehmari by Gal Oppido, Emmet Cohen courtesy of the artist, Bruce Adolphe by Barbara Lu, Fred Child by Scott Meivogel Page 20: Melissa Aldana by Harrison Weinstein, André Mehmari courtesy of the artist Page 21: BalletCollective by Erin Baiano Page 22: Philip Dukes courtesy of the artist, Veronica Swift by Raj Naik Page 23: Rodney Crowell by Joseph Llanes Page 24: Mandolin Orange by Kendall Bailey Photography Page 25: Ana-María Vera by Toby Amies, Swing Central Jazz by Frank Stewart/Savannah Music Festival, Kenny Barron by Jimmy Katz Page 26: Ger Mandolin Orchestra courtesy of Mike Marshall, Ger Mandolin Orchestra courtesy of the artist Page 27: Swing Central Jazz by Elizabeth Leitzel/Savannah Music Festival, Caterina Lichtenberg & Mike Marshall courtesy of the artist, Ben Hulett by Hans Lebbe Page 28: Marcus Roberts & Friends by Marcus Ayano Hisa/Savannah Music Festival, Emmet Cohen by Takehiko Tokiwa Page 29: Balsam Range courtesy of the artist, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out by Anthony Ladd Page 30: Giovanni Guzzo by Harald Hoffmann, Hawktail by Elizabeth Leitzell/Savannah Music Festival, Meechot Marrero by Edwin David Cordero
Page 31: Racines courtesy of the artist, The Revelers by Sandlin Gaither Page 32: Béla Fleck and The Flecktones courtesy of the artist Page 33: Spanish Harlem Orchestra by George Pruitt Page 34: Chamber Musicians by Frank Stewart/Savannah Music Festival, Beethoven courtesy of public domain Page 35: Martin Hayes Quartet by Maurice Gunning, Aoife O’Donovan by Richard Gilligan Page 36: Sebastian Knauer by Gregor Hohenberg, Martin Hayes by Rafael García Page 37: Zakir Hussain by Paul Joseph, Kala Ramnath courtesy of the artist, Jayanthi Kumaresh by Usha Kris & Balu Masti Page 38: Bryan Sutton by Scott Simontacchi, Jack Lawrence courtesy of the artist, T. Michael Coleman by Billy Potter, Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley courtesy of the artist Page 39: Darrell Scott by Jim McGuire, Kaia Kater by Raezavel Argulla Page 40: Väsen by Sarah Thorén, Kittel & Co. courtesy of the artist Page 41: Roger Tallroth by Sarah Thorén, Jeremy Kittel by Corrina Van Hamlin, Martin Hayes courtesy of the artist, Robert McDuffie by Giovanni Canitano, Robert Spano by Angela Morris Page 42: John Jorgenson Quintet courtesy of the artist, Frank Vignola by Alison Hasbach, Velvet Caravan by Pennie Spence Page 43: Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers by Jeff Fasano Page 44: Karl Denson courtesy of artist
Page 45: Drew Petersen by Dario Acosta, Etienne Charles courtesy of the artist, Brenda Navarrete courtesy of the artist Page 46: Junior Brown courtesy of the artist, Hot Club of Cowtown by Dave Creane, Stringband Spectacular by Sarah Escarraz/Savannah Music Festival Page 47: St. Paul & The Broken Bones by McNair Evans Page 48: Camille Thomas by Dan Carabas, Jeffery Broussard by Elizabeth Leitzell/Savannah Music Festival Page 49: Alfredo Rodriguez & Pedrito Martinez by Anna Webber, Harold López-Nussa by Eduardo Rawdriguez Page 50: Leo Kottke by Jake Cudek Page 51: Sarah Jarosz by Shervin Lainez, Madison Cunningham by Claire Vogel Pages 54-55: photos by Elizabeth Leitzell/Savannah Music Festival Page 56: Musical Explorers by Somi Benson-Jaja/ Savannah Music Festival, drawings by Musical Explorers students, SMF Jazz Academy photos iStock Photo, Elizabeth Leitzell/Savannah Music Festival Page 57: SCJ and AMS pictures by Savannah Music Festival Page 58: Balsam Range courtesy of the artist Back cover: Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra by Piper Ferguson
S A V A N N A H M U S I C F E S T I V A L MARCH 26–APRIL 11, 2020 | savannahmusicfestival.org | box office 912.525.5050
Board of Directors
Savannah Music Festival Staff
Chair: Tim Coy Treasurer: Vicki McElreath (Chair Elect) Vice-Chair: Bob Faircloth (Chairman Emeritus) Vice-Chair: Thomas Reilly Vice-Chair: Ron Whitaker Secretary: Harold Yellin
EXECUTIVE & ADMINISTRATION
Melissa Bouchillon Emily Dickinson Scrivner Mary Dugas John Haslam Holden Hayes David Johnson Josh Keller Ted Kleisner Jeff Kole Dr. Ann Levett Dayle Levy Joe Marinelli (Ex-Officio) Ruth McMullin Dave Neises (Immediate Past Chairman) Thomas Oxnard, Jr. David Paddison Larry Pike Shelby Schavoir Trip Tollison (Ex-Officio) Anne P. West Vincent West Gail Wickes
Ryan McMaken, Artistic Director Philip Dukes, Thomas V. & Susan G. Reilly Artistic Advisor Chair, Chamber Music Mike Marshall, Associate Artistic Director; Director, Acoustic Music Seminar Marcus Roberts, Bob Faircloth Associate Artistic Director Chair; Director, Swing Central Jazz Erin Tatum, Managing Director Chris Evans, Technical Director Abbey Matye, Artist Relations Assistant
David Pratt, Executive Director Luella Sanders, Chief Financial Officer ARTISTIC & PRODUCTION
DEVELOPMENT
Kat Clark, Development Coordinator Lee Avallone, Development & Grants Associate EDUCATION & OUTREACH
Jenny Woodruff, Director of Education & Community Engagement Elizabeth Anderson & Charles H. Morris Music Education Chair Katie Griffith, Education Coordinator Jessica Messere, Manager, SMF Jazz Academy Eric Jones, Ron & Susan Whitaker Interim Music Director, SMF Jazz Academy MARKETING
Larissa Thut Davidson, Marketing & Graphic Design Manager Akinyemi Blackshear, Marketing & Patron Services Associate Brianna Repella, Graphic Design Assistant
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