Music in the Mountains’ 35th annual SummerFest: June 22-July 3

NOW CELEBRATING ITS 35TH anniversary, Music in the Mountains has been a pioneer in shaping the region’s performing arts scene. In the ’70s, artists David Osborn and Charles Woods encouraged San Franciscans Terry Brown and Paul Perry of City Opera to settle in Nevada City, and the two co-founded Music in the Mountains.

SummerFest is the group’s signature two-week summer music festival, bringing the classics to life in new ways, in new places and new formats.

The 2016 SummerFest features Grammy Award-winning singer Judy Collins and folk rock singer-songwriter Don McLean, who wrote the hit song “American Pie,” as well as the exceptional MIM Festival Orchestra and Chorus. All told, MIM SummerFest includes 12 concerts from June 22-July 3.

The pops and classics are showcased with five conductors: MIM Resident Conductor Ryan Murray, MIM Artistic Director Pete Nowlen, Jeffrey Reed, Lucinda Carver and David Lockington. Programs include the sublime music of Felix Mendelssohn; a Mozart marathon featuring the composer’s Piano Quartet in G Minor, with pianist Konstantin Soukhovetski; Dvorak’s Serenade for Strings and Holst’s St. Paul’s Suite, two of the all-time great works for string orchestra; and a stirring program of Russian favorites including the 1812 Overture.

Other special MIM programs include “From Broadway to Hollywood,” with music from the stage and screen. “Beethoven’s Pastoral – Plus the anniversary, Music in the Planets” by Holst celebrates music under the stars. And “Pet Sounds” is a tribute to the music of the Beach Boys, including their masterpiece Pet Sounds, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The season concludes with the popular Patriotic Pops program on July 3, conducted by Artistic Director Pete Nowlen.

For the first time, MIM presents all of its outdoor concerts at the Western Gateway Park Pavilion in Penn Valley. The beautiful 87-acre park includes a 3,500-square-foot stage pavilion, picnic and lawn areas.

The new venue allows MIM to expand its programming and patron amenities. This includes premium table seating, a VIP donor and corporate sponsor lounge and areas where festival-goers can purchase wine, beer, craft cocktails and sumptuous culinary creations from Chef Antonio Ayestarán. For information and tickets, visit MusicintheMountains.org.

SummerFest includes:
June 22 Mendelssohn Violin Concerto
June 24 Beethoven’s Pastoral—Plus the Planets!
June 25 From Broadway to Hollywood
June 26 A Mozart Recital with pianist Konstantin Soukhovetski
June 26 All Mozart!
June 28 Seductive Serenades
June 28 Don McLean
June 29 Gershwin’s An American in Paris
June 30 An Evening with Judy Collins
July 1 Russian Fireworks!
July 2 Pet Sounds Live! The Music of the Beach Boys
July 3 Patriotic Pops

(Photo of Don McLean by Aija Lehtonen)

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