savannah Music festival March 19 – April 5, 2009
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great performers
Sponsored by
Mr. & MRS. robert l. Harrison Tier 2 Series price $122 until Dec. 19, 2008
prazak Quartet Telfair ACADEMY of artS AND SCIENCES Saturday, March 21, 6:30 PM $40, 55 Approx: 1 hour, 50 minutes One of Europe’s most renowned string quartets, the Prazak Quartet (inset) possesses effortless synchronicity and mastery. The virtuoso quartet from Prague plays an all-Czech program: Dvorak: String Quartet No. 12 in F, Op. 96, “American” Janacek: String Quartet No. 1, “Kreutzer Sonata” Smetana: String Quartet No. 1 in E Minor, “From My Life” “This ensemble is now in the top echelon of its kind... stunningly good - virile, gripping and absolutely satisfying.” — The Globe & Mail (Toronto)
ACADEMY OF ANCIENT MUSIC Richard Egarr, director and harpsichordIST the complete Brandenburg concertos Additional support provided by Ann & Bert Hand WESLEY MONUMENTAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Friday, March 27, 6:00 PM | $45 Approx: 2 hours The Brandenburg Concertos by J.S. Bach are regarded as some of the finest musical compositions of the Baroque era. This collection of works is being performed by one of the world’s leading period ensembles, the Academy of Ancient Music, under the musical direction of Richard Egarr. “ ...an exhilarating performance. In the world of period-instrument orchestras, the AAM has a sound and style that are truly distinctive.” —The Independent (UK)
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ATLANTA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ROBERT SPANO, CONDUCTOR MARCUS ROBERTS, PIANIST Sponsored by MARIA & BILL DASCOMBE Additional support provided by Mrs. Robert O. Levitt Additional support also provided by Savannah Friends of Music JOHNNY MERCER THEATRE Sunday, April 5, 3:00 PM Pre-Concert Talk: 2:00 PM $45, 55, 65, 75 (gold) Approx: 2 hours
Robert Spano and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (pictured here in their 2008 SMF performance) bring an adventurous and diverse program in 2009. Joining forces with the Marcus Roberts Trio, they play one of the seminal works in the merger of classical orchestra with the bravado of jazz: the Concerto in F by George Gershwin. Also on the program is the premiere of a new composition for full orchestra by young American composer Christopher Theofanidis, commissioned by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in partnership with the Savannah Music Festival and the Immanuel and Helen Olshan Texas Music Festival. “ The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, under Spano’s direction, is the crown jewel in Atlanta’s performing arts community and a standout in American symphony circles.” – CNN
Connect americana
Sponsored by
CONNECT SAVANNAH AND CHARLES & ROSALIE MORRIS Tier 2 Series price $128 until Dec. 19, 2008
RAYNA GELLERT & PATRICK SAUBER CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER Thursday, March 19, 12:30 PM Friday, March 20, 12:30 PM | $12 Approx: 1 hour, 10 minutes
LONG TIME TRAVELIN’ Sponsored in part by JEAN & WILLARD HOLLAND AND UNITED COMMUNITY BANK Lucas Theatre for the Arts Friday, March 20, 7:30 PM Pre-Concert Talk: 6:30 PM $20, 25, 35, 45, 65 (gold) Approx: 2 hours, 15 minutes GRAMMY®-winner and 2008 Americana Artist of the Year nominee Jim Lauderdale serves up a helping of America’s folksong traditions ranging from old-time string band music to Gospel harmonies. This SMFonly production showcases the soaring vocals and impeccable bluegrass picking of seven-time IBMA Vocal Group of the Year Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, (top inset) traditional ballad singer Tim Eriksen, Uncle Earl’s Rayna Gellert with Patrick Sauber, and film producer Matt Hinton with The Tatnall River Shapenote Singers.
Rayna Gellert (Uncle Earl) sings and plays extraordinary old-time fiddle and Patrick Sauber (“A Mighty Wind”) is a talented banjo, mandolin, and guitar player with a keen harmony sense and a passion for early bluegrass. After years of playing fiddle and banjo tunes backstage together during various bluegrass events, they embraced their destiny to become an old-time duo. Another very special Savannah debut!
GERSHWIN SONGBOOK: MARCUS ROBERTS & SEBASTIAN KNAUER Sponsored in part by CAROLYN LUCK AND FIRST CITY CAPITAL MANAGEMENT Additional support provided by Jim & Melissa Emery LUCAS THEATRE FOR THE ARTS Saturday, March 28, 3:00 PM Pre-Concert Talk: 2:00 PM $25, 35, 45, 55, 75 (gold) Approx: 2 hours Unique in that he wrote songs both for Broadway and the concert hall, George Gershwin’s compositions have been used on television and in films, many becoming standards. Sebastian Knauer plays a collection of popular Gershwin songs while SMF favorite Marcus Roberts, who is no stranger to the Gershwin catalouge, lends his own tasteful interpretation.
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SYNERGY BRASS QuINTET
SAVION GLOVER and the otherz
Charles H. Morris Center Monday, March 23, 12:30 PM $12 | Approx: 1 hour
Sponsored in part by BB&T AND JANE & ED FEILER
Synergy Brass Quintet is not your typical brass band. For their SMF debut they shake off the classical training and get down for some old-fashioned fun! Featuring rousing overtures, patriotic marches and roaring big band music in a program guaranteed to bring audiences to their feet. “ [Synergy] has hit on a magical approach...unadulterated exuberance, and a rock star approach of performing.” —U.S. 1
LUCAS THEATRE FOR THE ARTS Friday, April 3, 8:30 PM $25, 35, 45, 55, 75 (gold) Approx: 1 hour, 40 minutes Tony Award winner Savion Glover (left) is considered by most to be the world’s greatest tap dancer, extending the tradition he learned from Gregory Hines, the Nicholas Brothers, Jimmy Slyde and others. Best known for his starring role in the Broadway hit “Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk,” Glover keeps his feet busy in this celebration of tap as song in a special program melding several musical genres and featuring fellow tappers Marshall Davis Jr., and Maurice Chestnut, as well as Glover’s jazz group, The Otherz. “ Genius in the theatre is as rare as it is unmistakable - and tap phenomenon Savion Glover lit the place up with it.” —Los Angeles Times
Roots and twang Sponsored by
KENNICKELL PRINT AND COMMUNICATIONS Tier 2 Series price: $144 until Dec. 19, 2008
THE BLUES Was BORN HERE Additional support provided by Wilson & Linda Fisk Morris CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER Thursday, March 19 7:00 PM, 9:30 PM | $35 Approx: 1 hour, 30 minutes As the birthplace of the blues, the South remains a haven for preeminent performers and a cross-section of stylists, which SMF showcases every year. Georgian Beverly “Guitar” Watkins has a searing, upbeat approach that she began developing in the 50s and 60s, coming up under the late barrelhouse blues master and producer Piano Red. Cephas & Wiggins are leading exponents of the traditional Piedmont blues style. “ Remarkable guitar and harmonica duets. (Cephas & Wiggins) infectious rhythms and supple melodies combine tasteful fingerpicking with impassioned harmonica solos.” —Washington Post
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PUNCH BROTHERS FEATURING CHRIS THILE Sponsored in part by HELEN R. STEWARD Additional support provided by Comcast LUCAS THEATRE FOR THE ARTS Saturday, March 28, 9:00 PM $15, 25, 35, 45, 65 (gold) Approx: 1 hour, 50 minutes The Punch Brothers (background), features Nickel Creek co-founder Chris Thile, who fronts a group of prodigiously gifted bandmates in this string ensemble. Guitarist Chris Eldridge (Infamous Stringdusters), bassist Greg Garrison (Leftover Salmon), banjo player Noam Pikelny (John Cowan, Tony Trischka) and violinist Gabe Witcher (Jerry Douglas) comprise the group. “ ....expanding the frontier of an emerging style of what might be called American countryclassical chamber music.” —The New York Times
NEKO CASE
WITH OPENING ACT crooked fingers TRUSTEES THEATER Friday, April 3, 8:00 PM $20, 30 Approx: 2 hours, 20 minutes Alternative-country sensation Neko Case has fans coming from every angle. The country audience loves the twang of her voice, while indie kids love her in the band The New Pornographers. Thanks to the hit “The Electric Version” being included in the video game “Rock Band,” even casual rock fans are getting in on the action. But this critically-acclaimed musical chameleon resists genre classification. Crooked Fingers is led by Eric Bachmann, former lead singer for Archers of Loaf. “ Neko Case is on her way to well-deserved status as a music legend for our generation.” — Bust Magazine
The INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS and the lovell sisters Additional support provided by Dr. & Mrs. Stephen C. Allen Additional support also provided by Don & Kay Gardner CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER Sunday, March 29 5:00 PM, 7:30 PM | $30 Approx: 1 hour, 40 minutes This one-time only double bill features the Nashvillebased sextet, The Infamous Stringdusters, who have found favor with the bluegrass faithful, folk enthusiasts and the youthful jamgrass audience alike. With their 2007 IBMA Album of the Year and Song of the Year, the band earned the honor of best emerging artist in a competitive field. In their second SMF appearance, The Lovell Sisters feature the tight harmonies of Jessica, Megan, and Rebecca, with an innovative fusion of country, folk, and contemporary acoustic music. “ The Stringdusters often recall original acoustic innovators New Grass Revival topped with the traditional spirit of Ricky Skaggs.” —The Charlotte Observer
Big World of Music Sponsored by
COCA-COLA AND GLACÉAU Tier 2 Series price $128 until Dec. 19, 2008
MARIZA Sponsored in part by GEORGE & ANN HUBBS Additional support provided by Georgia Indo - American Chamber of Commerce LUCAS THEATRE FOR THE ARTS Saturday, March 21, 8:30 PM $20, 30, 40, 50, 65 (gold) Approx: 1 hour, 50 minutes Fado has been the passionate and bittersweet music of Portugal for two centuries, yet it has only recently achieved international acclaim. Considered the best singer in the new fado generation, Mariza (background) is both traditional and modern. Captivating, charming, and gorgeous, her Savannah debut is guaranteed to be full of drama, yearning and joy. “ When Mariza sings, time stands still. Every word is sung with intense concentration, every note hit flawlessly.” —BBC Radio
MIKE MARSHALL AND DAROL ANGER WITH VÄSEN Additional support provided by Thomas A. & Dorothy B. Davis and Enmark CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER Tuesday, March 24 6:30 PM, 8:30 PM Wednesday, March 25 6:30 PM, 8:30 PM $30 | Approx: 1 hour, 15 minutes Pre-Concert Talk: 5:30 PM (Tuesday Only) Mandolin virtuoso and festival favorite Mike Marshall and extraordinary fiddler Darol Anger team with Sweden’s premier acoustic string trio, Väsen (middle inset). This spirited collaboration bridges the gap between the fiddle and dance tunes of Appalachia and the polskas of Sweden. It’s a twonight stand filled with enchanting, dynamic arrangements and enduring melodies. “ ...Väsen’s anciently original compositions can be immensely brooding, stately, fitfully spry or dramatically expansive.” —The Washington Post
Maestros in Concert
Zakir Hussain and Pandit Shivkumar Sharma LUCAS THEATRE FOR THE ARTS Tuesday, March 31, 8:00 PM $25, 35, 55 (gold) Approx: 2 hours, 30 minutes This program showcases the Hindustani classical music tradition featuring the world’s greatest tabla player, Zakir Hussain, with the master of the santoor (a type of hammered dulcimer), Pandit Shivkumar Sharma (bottom inset). These two virtuosos, considered national treasures in India, play gorgeous and explosive music. Zakir Hussain is a recipient of the 1999 National Heritage Fellowship, the United States’ most prestigious honor for a master in the traditional arts. “ An international phenomenon, Hussain is the favorite accompanist for India’s greatest classical musicians and dancers. His contributions to world music and historic collaborations with artists as diverse as George Harrison, John McLaughlin, Van Morrison and Mickey Hart have made him the one and only.” —Los Angeles Times
BÉLA FLECK AFRICA PROJECT:
amazing collaborations with African musicians Sponsored in part by DRAUGHN PARTNERS, INC. Additional support provided by Atlantic Wood Industries, Inc. TRUSTEES THEATER Saturday, April 4, 8:00 PM $20, 25, 35, 45 Approx: 1 hour, 50 minutes Virtuoso banjoist Béla Fleck (top inset) traveled to Africa in 2005 to discover the roots of his instrument, and he documented the trip with recordings and a film, “Throw Down Your Heart.” This project grew out of those travels, and this rare and very special concert features him performing with an extraordinary ensemble of all-star African musicians including Toumani Diabate, Vusi Mahlasela, D’Gary and Anania Ngoriga. “ …enviable fluidity and skill… it’s difficult to imagine anything being out of reach for him.” —BBC
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DIANNE REEVES Sponsored in part by SUZANNE MENDONSA AND FRANK P. SAPONARO, JR. AND MR. & MRS. JOHN L. TUCKER TRUSTEES THEATER Friday, March 20, 8:30 PM $25, 35, 45 , 55 Approx: 1 hour, 50 minutes The preeminent jazz vocalist in the world today, four-time GRAMMY® winner Dianne Reeves (right) returns to Savannah accompanied by her all-star trio including musical director/pianist Peter Martin, bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Gregory Hutchinson. “ She has a clear, powerful contralto that she wields with a leonine confidence, bending, soaring and growling but rarely exploiting her virtuosity for mere display.” —The New York Times
Additional support provided by Morris, Manning and Martin LLP
Sponsored by
Robert & jean faircloth
Additional support also provided by Coastal Jazz Association of Savannah
Tier 2 Series price $138 until Dec. 19, 2008
CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER Thursday, March 26, 6:00 PM, 8:00 PM, 10:00 PM | $35 Approx: 1 hour, 10 minutes West Coast jazz giants, Jeff (left) and John Clayton, make their Savannah debut with a redhot quintet including pianist Gerald Clayton (John’s son), fiery trumpeter Terrell Stafford, and drummer Obed Calvaire. “ John and Jeff Clayton are two of the most soulful, swinging siblings on the planet.” —JazzSet, NPR
Chick corea & john mclaughlin five peace band
with christian mcbride, kenny garrett & vinnie colaiuta Sponsored in part by JACKIE & STEPHEN RABINOWITZ Additional support provided by Hussey, Gay, Bell, & DeYoungA Bell Company Additional support also provided by The Skinnie TRUSTEES THEATER Saturday, March 28, 7:30 PM $25, 35, 45, 55 Approx: 2 hours Chick Corea and John McLaughlin (bottom inset) created the most explosive and distinctive bands to meld rock with jazz, Return To Forever and the Mahavishnu Orchestra, respectively. Their music fused energy, spirituality and emotion with improvisation. Five Peace Band is the first time Chick and John have joined forces since Miles Davis’ band 40 years ago. “ Corea and the players produced multiple strands of rhythm and gesture. The result was a music that insinuated itself discreetly into the listener’s perceptions.” —Chicago Tribune
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Jazz Now & Forever
THE CLAYTON BROTHERS
BATTLE ROYALE
SWING CENTRAL FINALE Additional support provided by Rus & Jan Boekenheide LUCAS THEATRE FOR THE ARTS Friday, March 27, 8:30 PM $15, 25, 35, 45 The winners of our fourth annual SWING CENTRAL High School Jazz Band Competition & Workshop, three of the finest high school jazz bands in the country, open the show with music of Thad Jones, Benny Carter and Johnny Mercer. The second half of the program is a multi-generational musical showdown and epic cutting session featuring some of the greatest players in Jazz featuring the Marcus Roberts Trio, the Clayton Brothers, Wycliffe Gordon (top inset) and others.
Resplendent Recitals Tier 2 Series price $174 until Dec. 19, 2008
GARRICK OHLSSON
MARC-ANDRÉ HAMELIN SEBASTIAN KNAUER
MANUEL BARRUECO
Sponsored in part by DR. & MRS. ANDREW T. SHEILS, JR.
Sponsored in part by MR. & MRS. THOMAS V. REILLY
Sponsored in part by BYCK-ROTHSCHILD FOUNDATION
Additional support provided by The Marjorie E. and B.H. Levy, Jr. Charitable Fund LUCAS THEATRE FOR THE ARTS Thursday, March 19, 7:00 PM $45, 55, 75 (gold) Approx: 2 hours Pianist Garrick Ohlsson, fresh off a triumphant performance with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in last year’s festival, plays his debut recital in Savannah. Beethoven: Sonata No. 1 in F Minor Liszt: Sonata in B Minor Prokofiev: Sonata No. 2 in D Minor Chopin: Nocturne in D-flat, Scherzo in B-flat Minor “ …the most versatile of America’s important pianists… Ohlsson played with large and vital tone, sweep, imagination, and attention to detail.” —The Boston Globe
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TELFAIR ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES Monday, March 23, 6:30 PM $40, 55 Approx: 2 hours Marc-André Hamelin is internationally renowned for his effortless musical virtuosity and refined pianism. He is a supreme technician of the instrument and well-known for performing difficult works by pianist-composers. Haydn: Sonata in F, Hob. XVII/23, Sonata in B-flat, Hob. XVI/41 Chopin: Barcarolle, Op. 60, Ballade No. 3 in A, Op. 47 Weissenberg: Sonata in a state of jazz Hamelin: Etude No. 8 (after Goethe), Etude No. 7 (after Tchaikovsky) Godowsky: Symphonic Metamorphoses on Johann Strauss: ‘Wine, Women and Song’ “ Marc-André Hamelin ranks among the small handful of performers in every generation whose abilities defy the imagination.” —Toronto Star
Sponsored in part by CONSULATE GENERAL OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY WESLEY MONUMENTAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Thursday, March 26, 12:30 PM $30 Approx: 1 hour, 10 minutes Pianist Sebastian Knauer offers a recital honoring the birth of the great Felix Mendelssohn and the death of Joseph Haydn, both of which occurred 200 years ago in 1809. Always a favorite of SMF audiences, Sebastian Knauer will soon release an all-Mendelssohn recording. This recital is programmed especially for SMF. “His touch is of refined diversity.... He has a clear perception of style.” —Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
TEMPLE MICKVE ISRAEL Thursday, March 26, 6:30 PM $45 Approx: 1 hour, 50 minutes Manuel Barrueco (left inset) is internationally recognized as one of the most important guitarists of our time. His unique artistry has been continually described as that of a superb instrumentalist and a superior and elegant musician, possessing a seductive sound and uncommon lyrical gifts. His SMF program includes Renaissance lute transcriptions, works of Bach and Mendelssohn and classic Spanish guitar masterpieces by Turina, Tarrega and Albeniz. “ A major artist with remarkable musicianship and a world of technique... simply and consistently awesome.” —Los Angeles Times
IAN BOSTRIDGE WITH JULIUS DRAKE TELFAIR ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES Monday, March 30, 6:30 PM $40, 55 Approx: 1 hour, 50 minutes Considered to be one of today’s finest recitalists, tenor Ian Bostridge (background) offers a program of 19th-century German romantic art songs by the greatest composer of lieder, Franz Schubert. This rare program is part of a six-city U.S. tour with the extraordinary pianist, Julius Drake, immediately following their appearance at Carnegie Hall. “ Mr. Bostridge sang with his uncanny mix of refinement and intensity.” —The New York Times
ZYDECO DANCE PARTY: CEDRIC WATSON Sponsored in part by WACHOVIA BANK AND WACHOVIA INSURANCE SERVICES CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER Saturday, March 21 7:00 PM, 9:00 PM, 11:00 PM $25 | Approx: 1 hour, 10 minutes One of the most noted Zydeco talents of the past decade, Cedric Watson (right inset) is a fiddler, vocalist, accordionist and songwriter, reviving old Creole fiddling styles and injecting his own personality and ingenuity into the music. His terrific band keeps the dance floor rocking all night long. “ To propel our Louisiana Creole culture into the future seems to be quite a task, but if one lives for the music as Cedric does, the path seems effortless.” — Michael Doucet, Beausoleil
Latin Dance Party: Eddie Palmieri y La Perfecta ii Sponsored in part by TOUCH POLL OF GEORGIA Additional support provided by Ellen and David Byck The Byck Family CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER Thursday, April 2 8:30 PM, 10:30 PM | $40 Approx: 1 hour, 10 minutes Eddie Palmieri has a musical career that spans over 50 years as a band leader of Salsa and Latin Jazz orchestras. Known for his astute arranging skills and historic compositions, his discography includes 36 titles and nine GRAMMY® awards. This reigning maestro of Latin music first joined the ranks of Machito, Tito Rodriguez and other major Latin orchestras of the day in 1961 with his band, La Perfecta. Forty years later, he formed his tenpiece La Perfecta II, which has crystallized the rhythmic patterns of Cuban music and blended them with infectious modern arrangements to make magnificent music.
Cajun Dance Party: FEUFOLLET Additional support provided by Scott K. and Lorraine Boice CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER Friday, April 3 7:00 PM, 9:00 PM, 11:00 PM $25 | Approx: 1 hour, 10 minutes Feufollet is taking Cajun music into the future. Young and fiery, they ignited the neotraditionalist brush fire and are now leading the way and pushing the envelope as Cajun music extends itself into a new century. Their excellent musicianship, beautiful vocals, and innovation, based on a solid grasp of the tradition, make them one of the most exciting Cajun bands in Louisiana.
everybody Dance Now Sponsored by
SAVANNAH MORNING NEWS AND SAVANNAH MAGAZINE Series price: $82 until Dec. 19, 2008
“ …a beguiling mix of authoritative voice and youthful passion, seriousness of purpose and artistic risktaking.” —Nick Spitzer, American Roots
“ Eddie Palmieri... has been the most consistently innovative artist in Afro-Cuban music in the United States for the past 30 years.” —The Boston Globe
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Savannah Jazz Party Sponsored by
critz, inc. Series price: $120 until Dec. 19, 2008
bob seeley CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER Monday, March 30 Tuesday, March 31 Wednesday, April 1 12:30 PM | $12 Approx: 1 hour Bob Seeley is America’s greatest living boogie woogie pianist. His mentor was Boogie Woogie pioneer Meade Lux Lewis. Art Tatum and Eubie Blake were also among Seeley’s circle of friends, influences and mutual fans. Seeley is an all-round pianist whose interests and repertoire span piano music from the entire 20th century. ...Seeley reproduces the sound and spirit of...Lewis with the most conviction and sometimes even surpasses the master. —Peter Silvester, “A Left Hand Like God”
Ellis marsalis Quartet CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER Monday, March 30 6:30 PM, 8:30 PM | $35 Approx: 1 hour, 20 minutes The patriarch of New Orleans’ first family of jazz, Ellis Marsalis (background) is regarded by many as the city’s premier modern jazz pianist. He is an eloquent performer who has long been involved in jazz as an educator and scholar. Since retiring from his position as the Director of Jazz Studies at the University of New Orleans in 2001, Mr. Marsalis has recorded and performed exclusively with his quartet featuring drummer (and his son) Jason Marsalis, saxophonist Derek Doughet and bassist Jason Stewart. His SMF debut is a rare chance for Savannah audiences to witness the incredible musical chemistry of the Marsalis family firsthand. “ Long before Ellis Marsalis became the founding father of the mighty Marsalis dynasty or was exalted as a supreme educator/guru, he was a splendid, hard-swinging, modern jazz pianist...” —Hartford Courant
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BUCKY PIZZARELLI, HOWARD ALDEN, KEN PEPLOWSKI & HOWARD PAUL Sponsored in part by ED & ONNIE DUFFIE Additional support provided by Grace & Jack Neises Pre-concert talk underwritten by Benedetto Guitars, Inc. CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER Tuesday, March 31 6:30 PM, 8:30 PM | $35 Pre-Concert Talk: 5:30 PM Approx: 1 hour, 20 minutes This intimate evening shows off the true mastery of jazz guitar by two of the most renowned players in the business, Bucky Pizzarelli and Howard Alden (bottom inset). Joined by local guitar ace Howard Paul, the evening features solos, duos, trios and collaborations with reed virtuoso Ken Peplowski. The most recorded jazz guitarist in history, Pizzarelli returns to SMF to craft another beautiful program of American music with some of his closest collaborators.
PIANO SHOWDOWN: EDDIE PALMIERI, HENRY BUTLER, BOB SEELEY & AARON GOLDBERG Additional support provided by The Massey Charitable Trust CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER Wednesday, April 1 6:30 PM, 8:30 PM | $50 Approx: 1 hour, 30 minutes SMF’s annual Piano Showdown continues to present the most spectacular keyboard stylists of our time. Our 2009 lineup is the most diverse to date and features the great Latin-piano star Eddie Palmieri (top inset) in a rare solo performance. Eighttime W.C. Handy “Best Blues Instrumentalist” winner Henry Butler brings his inimitable New Orleans style to Savannah for the first time, while Aaron Goldberg, who has played with Joshua Redman, Wynton Marsalis and Betty Carter, also makes his debut appearance. The world’s greatest Boogie Woogie practitioner, Bob Seeley, returns to round out this one-time only bill.
sensations Sponsored by
MR. & MRS. CURTIS G. ANDERSON AND TELFAIR MUSEUM OF ART Tier 2 Series price $174 until Dec. 19, 2008 Daniel Hope, Associate Artistic Director Associate Artistic Director Daniel Hope (below inset) curates our annual series of one-time only chamber music programs called Sensations. Each of these programs features an elite corps of returning virtuosi.
sensations I
sensations III
sensations v
TELFAIR ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES Friday, March 20, 6:30 PM $40, 55 | Approx: 1 hour, 50 minutes
Sponsored in part by BARBARA & MICHAEL RUDDY
Sponsored in part by LEVY JEWELERS
TELFAIR ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES Wednesday, March 25, 6:30 PM $40, 55 | Approx: 1 hour, 50 minutes
TELFAIR ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES Wednesday, April 1, 6:30 PM $40, 55 | Approx: 1 hour, 50 minutes
Brahms: Piano Quintet in F Minor, Op. 34 Tchaikovsky: Sextet in D Minor, Op. 70, “Souvenir de Florence”
Schnittke: Piano Quintet Mozart: Clarinet Quintet, K. 581
sensations II
sensations Iv
sensations vI
Sponsored in part by MR. & MRS. THOMAS MCMULLIN
Sponsored in part by LEVY JEWELERS
In memory of Seymour Sussman
Additional support provided by Frank & Elizabeth Peeples
TELFAIR ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES Sunday, March 29, 5:00 PM $40, 55 | Approx: 1 hour, 50 minutes
Beethoven: String Trio in G, Op. 9, No. 1 Schulhoff: Duo for Violin and Cello Barber: Adagio from String Quartet, Op. 11 Dvorak: Piano Quintet in A, Op. 81
sensationS ARTISTS: Kristian Bezuidenhout, fortepiano Lorenza Borrani, violin Philip Dukes, viola David Finckel, cello Wu Han, piano Benny Kim, violin Eric Kim, cello Sebastian Knauer, piano Josephine Knight, cello Patrick Messina, clarinet Keith Robinson, cello Carla Maria Rodrigues, viola
TELFAIR ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES Sunday, March 22, 5:00 PM Pre-Concert Talk: 4:00 PM $40, 55 | Approx: 1 hour, 50 minutes Alexandra du Bois: Duo for Two Violins (premiere of SMF-commissioned work) Rachmaninoff: Cello Sonata in G Minor, Op. 19 Schubert: Quintet in C, D. 956
Schubert: String Quartet No. 14 in D Minor, D. 810, “Death and the Maiden” Elgar: Piano Quintet in A Minor, Op. 84
TELFAIR ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES Friday, April 3, 6:30 PM $40, 55 | Approx: 1 hour, 50 minutes Brahms: Clarinet Trio, Op. 114 Schonfeld: Trio for Clarinet, Piano and Violin Poulenc: Clarinet Sonata Schubert: Fantasy for Violin and Piano in C, D. 934
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Marvelous MERCER Savannah native John Herndon “Johnny” Mercer (November 18, 1909 – June 25, 1976) traveled the world, never forgetting his roots. He was best known as the lyricist of more than a thousand songs, including compositions for movies and Broadway shows, and many of the most popular hits of 1930s, 40s and 50s, which are still performed today. He collaborated with, among others, Paul Whiteman, Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby, Jack Teagarden, Harry Warren, Duke Ellington, Harold Arlen, Hoagy Carmichael, Andre Previn, Bobby Darin, Louis Armstrong, Richard Whiting, Gene DePaul and Henry Mancini. The recipient of nineteen Academy Award nominations, Johnny was also a co-founder of Capitol Records. Many of the artists appearing in this year’s festival are performing Mercer compositions to celebrate the centenary of Johnny’s birth in Savannah.
SMF Benefit Concert Sponsored by
LOCAL 11 TEN
“Skylark” Andrea Marcovicci celebrates Johnny Mercer Additional support provided by Wilson & Linda Fisk Morris CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER Saturday, March 21 12:30 PM, 3:00 PM | $20 Sunday, March 22 5:00 PM, 7:30 PM | $30 Monday, March 23 7:00 PM | $30 Tuesday, March 24 12:30 PM | $20 Wednesday, March 25 12:30 PM | $20 Approx: I hour, 15 minutes Pre-Concert Talk: 6:30 PM (Sunday Only) Noted actress and singer Andrea Marcovicci (top inset) makes annual appearances at the nation’s finest cabaret rooms in New York, Los Angeles & Chicago. In her Savannah debut, she premieres “Skylark,” a program commissioned by SMF to celebrate Savannah’s own lyrical genius, Johnny Mercer, as part of his centenary. “ Andrea Marcovicci has an incandescent enthusiasm and a masterly balance between poignancy and wit.” —The New York Times
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra WITH
Wynton Marsalis LUCAS THEATRE FOR THE ARTS January 29, 7:00 PM The only fundraiser for the 2009 season is an intimate benefit concert with bandleader and trumpeter Wynton Marsalis (foreground) returning to Savannah with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. The concert includes “Nursery Song Swing,” a collection of jazz for all generations, big band arrangements of the unique compositions of Thelonious Monk, and the premiere of an SMF-commissioned arrangement by Ted Nash (background) of the Mercer/Arlen classic “Blues in the Night” in celebration of the Johnny Mercer Centennial. Patrons who purchase tickets at the $200-plus level will attend a cocktail reception with the orchestra at Local 11 Ten following the concert. $250 ($155 tax-deductible) $200 ($115 tax-deductible) $125 ($60 tax-deductible) $85 ($40 tax-deductible) $65 ($30 tax-deductible)
20 JOHNNY MERCER, circa 1950
georgia on My Mind Sponsored by
georgia department of economic development and Georgia Music Hall of Fame Series price $70 until Dec. 19, 2008
BOBBY LEE RODGERS & FRIENDS Sponsored in part by DOGFISH HEAD CRAFT BREWED ALES Additional support provided by Roger Wood Foods CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER Friday, March 20 8:30 PM, 11:00 PM $30 | Approx: 1 hour, 30 minutes This special engagement features Savannahian Bobby Lee Rodgers (middle inset) in a variety of performances with both The Codetalkers and several special guests including Joe Craven (David Grisman Quintet), Jimmy Herring (Widespread Panic), Ike Stubblefield and others. Rodgers is a virtuoso musician who plays numerous instruments and sings, and his music is original, passionate, sweet and hot. This is a one-time only SMF production. “ In the future, people will make shrines to BLR, as those in the know call him, a quiet, untapped center of musical genius. From his compositions to his performances, the man exudes the energy of a champion.” —Glide Magazine
Caroline Herring CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER Thursday, April 2, 12:30 PM Friday, April 3, 12:30 PM $12 | Approx: 1 hour, 10 minutes Since emerging out of the Austin scene earlier in this decade, Caroline Herring (top inset) has beguiled the critics and accumulated an international following with her provocative outpourings and fine-grained alto. This Atlanta-based Mississippi native’s subject matter is firmly grounded in the rural South. “ ...if you want to hear a brilliant artist that will move you in a way you haven’t been moved... this is it....” —Austin Music City
Marcus Printup Quartet AND Ted Nash & Odeon Sponsored in part by FRIENDS OF THE SAVANNAH MUSIC FESTIVAL CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER Saturday, April 4 6:00 PM, 8:30 PM, 11:00 PM $35 | Approx: 1 hour, 30 minutes Trumpeter Marcus Printup (background) and saxophonist Ted Nash are best known for their work with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. However, each leads his own exciting band. This one-time only double-bill features Printup with his outstanding Georgia-based quartet, while Nash brings his unique ensemble, Odeon. Incorporating the eclectic sounds of accordion, trombone, violin and saxophone, this groundbreaking ensemble was named “Best Acoustic Group” in Down Beat Magazine. “ Odeon finds strains of tango, klezmer, New Orleans second line and European classicism coexisting in one glorious melting pot of affirmative sounds, rhythms and colors.” —Atlantic Monthly
ALL-DAY SINGING FROM THE SACRED HARP FIRST AFRICAN BAPTIST CHURCH Saturday, March 21, 10:00 AM, 1:00 PM FREE Approx: 2 hours Sacred Harp (also known as shape note or Fasola) music is a living tradition that has resonated throughout the South for centuries. Music scholar Tim Eriksen leads participants in the singing of ballads, dance tunes, and songs in the oral tradition of the U.S. and the British Isles. “ My favorite song? It’s the one I’m singing! “—Hugh McGraw, “Awake My Soul”
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Organ stops
16th Annual
american traditions Competition
Sponsored by
AVIA SAVANNAH
NATHAN DAVY
JANETTE FISHELL
HERB BUFFINGTON
JARED JOHNSON
WESLEY MONUMENTAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Monday, March 23, 11:30 AM FREE Approx: 1 hour
CHRIST CHURCH SAVANNAH Friday, March 27, 12:30 PM $12 Approx: 1 hour
INDEPENDENT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Monday, March 30, 11:30 AM FREE Approx: 1 hour
ST. PAUL’S LUTHERAN CHURCH Wednesday, April 1, 11:30 AM FREE Approx: 1 hour
Nathan Davy won the Asbury College Era Wilder Peniston Honors Competition in 2003, 2005 and 2006. He is pursuing a Doctorate in Music at the Eastman School.
wilma jensen FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Wednesday, March 25, 11:30 AM FREE Approx: 1 hour Dr. Wilma Jensen has performed concerts throughout the United States and Europe. She studied at the Eastman School, where she was a student of Catharine Crozier and Harold Gleason. A member of several noted faculties, she was a tenured professor at Indiana University.
Dr. Janette Fishell is a worldrenowned recitalist and teacher and has been a featured recitalist and lecturer for the American Guild of Organists. She is a Professor of Organ at Indiana University.
Herb Buffington is the organist and assistant choirmaster at Atlanta’s Peachtree Christian Church. He is also a composer of organ and choral works.
Budding professionals sing the best of American music and compete for over $30,000 during this four-day event that attracts entrants from across the country.
ATC QUARTERFINALS
Jared Johnson has been Canon Organist and Choirmaster at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Columbia, SC, since 2003. He has recorded organ works of Liszt, Wagner and a host of French composers.
Sponsored in part by KENNETH & NANCY LARSEN
JOSEPH GOLDEN
ATC SEMIFINALS
ST. JOHN’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH Friday, April 3, 11:30 AM FREE Approx: 1 hour Joseph Golden is director of opera, professor of organ and coordinator of music history and literature at Columbus State University. He performs “The Last Seven Words of Christ” by Haydn, with meditations by Rector Gavin Dunbar.
Tier 2 Series price $124 until Dec. 19, 2008
TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Wednesday, April 1, 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM Thursday, April 2, 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM $15 | Approx: 2 hours, 15 minutes
TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Friday, April 3, 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM | $25 Approx: 2 hours
ATC FINALS LUCAS THEATRE OF THE ARTS Saturday, April 4, 7:00 PM $35, 55 Approx: 2 hours
2009 Judges LIZ CALLAWAY PETER RANDSMAN JUDY REALE GEORGE SHIRLEY WESLA WHITFIELD
AWARDS FIRST PLACE: The Oxnard Gold Medal $12,000 Sponsored by MRS. BENJAMIN A. OXNARD, JR. SECOND PLACE: The Courtney Knight Gaines Foundation Silver Medal $6,000 Sponsored by THE COURTNEY KNIGHT GAINES FOUNDATION THIRD PLACE: The Stanton Bronze Medal $3,000 Sponsored by MR. AND MRS. FRANK C. STANTON SPECIAL RECOGNITION: The Johnny Mercer Music Award $750 Presented by Armstrong Atlantic State University and The Friends of Johnny Mercer, Inc.
24 Morgan james, 2007 Silver Medalist
INDIMU
fAMILY fUN
Friday, March 27 Saturday, March 28 A two-day event based on the exploration of contemporary musical forms delivering an excursion through multiple genres. Avant-garde, hip hop, electronic music, metal and indie rock artists will share the stage.
CROSS THAT RIVER WITH ALLAN HARRIS Additional support provided by Robert M. & Diane v.S. Levy FIRST BRYAN BAPTIST CHURCH Saturday, Feburary 28, 2:00 PM FREE Approx: 1 hour
What kind of cat are you? with BILLY JONAS Sponsored in part by SAVANNAH HARDSCAPES TRUSTEES THEATER Tuesday, March 31, 7:00 PM $5 Children under 12, $10 Adult Approx: 1 hour Billy Jonas (background) entertains the whole family with his crazy antics and one-man band approach to all things musical. Bring the kids, bring the grandparents. Everyone becomes part of a performance in this family-oriented program that inspires and delights. “ In singalongs, bangalongs, whisperalongs, as well as improvised songs, his primary instrument is the audience... touches even the most hardened of hearts.” —The Charlotte Observer
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Multi-talented singer Allan Harris (top inset) takes listeners on a journey to a little-known part of Western history: the black cowboy saga. As our warm storyteller, Harris introduces a runaway slave named Blue who escapes a Louisiana plantation for the Texas cow towns. He traces Blue’s journey in storytelling and songs that encompass gospel, bluegrass, Mexican ballads and more. Accompanied by a five-piece band, Allan Harris shares a unique bit of Americana cowboy soul with us as part of the 2009 Savannah Black Heritage Festival.
Check back often for more information at savannahmusicfestival.org.
Swing central fourth annual High School Jazz Band Competition & Workshop Sponsored by
Robert and Jean Faircloth Sponsored in part by
AGL RESOURCES
Now in its fourth year, SWING CENTRAL High School Jazz Band Competition & Workshop is a unique opportunity for high school musicians to study and work with jazz masters. SWING CENTRAL features live jazz performances, workshops, master classes and an occasion for students to work with some of the greatest musicians of our time. “...the best festival experience we’ve had!” - Lee Hicks, Fontainebleau High School (Mandeville, Louisiana)
COMPETITION
Judges:
SAVANNAH INTERNATIONAL TRADE & CONVENTION CENTER BALLROOM Friday, March 27, 9:00 AM until 3:00 PM | FREE
John Clayton Co-director of Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra
Twelve of the finest high school jazz bands in the country compete before an all-star panel of judges for the coveted Faircloth Award.
Wycliffe Gordon Artist-in-Residence, The Juilliard School Bunky Green Director of Jazz Studies, University of North Florida
SHOWCASE PERFORMANCES RIVER STREET ROUSAKIS PLAZA Thursday, March 26 11:00 AM until 2:00 PM | FREE Friday, March 27 11:00 AM until 2:00 PM | FREE Six bands perform each day at the bandstand on River Street.
James Ketch Head of Jazz Studies, UNC-Chapel Hill Jack Wilkins Director of Jazz Studies, University of South Florida
28 2008 SWING CENTRAL FINALIST DILLARD CENTER FOR THE ARTS JAZZ ENSEMBLE
Gulfstream Music Education series Sponsored by
GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE CORPORATION More than 13,000 students from Chatham and surrounding counties are bussed into downtown Savannah for ageappropriate concerts performed by world-class musicians in historic theaters.
A MUSICAL JOURNEY THROUGH TIME Monday, March 23, 11:00 AM Performed by SYNERGY BRASS
DREAM BIG! Sponsored in part by MR. & MRS. HOWARD JACKSON MORRISON, JR. Tuesday, March 24, 11:00 AM Performed by ROGER DAY (right inset) & THE MOSQUITO BURRITO BROS.
MAX & RUBY Wednesday, March 25, 11:00 AM Presented by THEATREWORKS USA
WORLD BEAT Additional support provided by Georgia Ports Authority Thursday, March 26, 11:00 AM Featuring THE ATLANTA PERCUSSION TRIO
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SOUNDS CRAZY: THE SCIENCE OF MUSIC Additional support provided by Macy’s Fund of the Federated Department Stores Foundation
CONCERT GRAND! CLASSICAL MUSIC FOR EVERYONE
Friday, March 27, 11:00 AM
Sponsored in part by THE ALBERT TENENBAUM FAMILY FUND
Presented by AL SIMMONS
Tuesday, March 31, 11:00 AM
Featuring DANIEL HOPE & FRIENDS
FROM APPALACHIA… TO THE WORLD Monday, March 30, 11:00 AM Featuring THE LOVELL SISTERS
BANGIN’ AND SANGIN’ Sponsored in part by TARGET Wednesday, April 1, 11:00 AM Presented by BILLY JONAS
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOHNNY!! CELEBRATING THE LIFE & MUSIC OF JOHNNY MERCER Sponsored in part by AT&T AND AT&T THE REAL YELLOWPAGES Thursday, April 2, 11:00 AM Performed by ATC QUARTERFINALISTS & THE FRIENDS OF JOHNNY MERCER
OMANYE Friday, April 3, 11:00 AM Featuring KUSUN ENSEMBLE
INTERNATIONAL PAPER MUSIC IN OUR SCHOOLS February 23-27, 2009 Lucky students from ten Savannah-Chatham County elementary schools learn about the exploits of African American pioneers in “Cross That River.” Through storytelling and song encompassing gospel, bluegrass, Mexican ballads, and more, acclaimed jazz singer Allan Harris (inset) is joined by a fivepiece band to chronicle the journey of Blue, an escaped Louisiana slave whose westward ride to freedom crosses the paths of other men and women of color, each with moving tales of their own.