From the black leather jackets and dark glasses worn during the opening night performance of Leonard Bernstein’s Jet Song from West Side Story, to the casual style of the free Friday afternoon concert, to the more formal concerts throughout the weekend, there was great variety and so much to enjoy during the 2012 Chamber Music Festival. Music lovers were captivated by the quality of the music, the creativity of Alexander Tselyakov’s programming and the brilliant performances of the musicians. The concerts presented works ranging from 20th century classical music to a celebration of Debussy’s 150th birthday, with a highlight being Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet in A major, featuring James Campbell. Trumpet virtuoso Guy Few’s performances were extremely well-received: songs by Fauré and Duparc and the poems that inspired them, brought tears to more than a few eyes. In keeping with past years, there were again Festival firsts: a full concert was added to the schedule; and trumpet, matching Yamaha pianos, and percussion were featured on our stage for the first time.
