Chamber Music Sedona will put a soundtrack to the short days and cold nights of winter during its Sedona Winter MusicFest IV happening Jan. 4-8. This year’s festival sees the return of clarinetist Alexander Fiterstein and cellist Nicholas Canellakis; it will be the fourth festival for both musicians, who also serve as the festival’s co-artistic directors. They will be joined by violinists Bella Hristova and Meira Silverstein as well as violist Nokuthula Ngwenyama. It’s the first time the musicians will come together to perform as a quintet, says Bert Harclerode, Chamber Music Sedona’s artistic director.
The festival begins Jan. 4 at 4:30 p.m. with the screening of the documentary High Fidelity at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre in West Sedona. The film follows the adventure of the Guarneri Quartet (some of the Sedona performers have close ties with the string quartet, which disbanded in 2009). On Jan. 5 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., the quintet will perform an intimate concert at a salon in a private Sedona home. Seating is limited to 40 guests, and tickets are $100 per person. On Jan. 4 and 5, the musicians will also perform a series of in-school concerts in Sedona and the Verde Valley. Spend the evening of Jan. 6 gallery hopping during the 1st Friday Gallery Tour, and catch the five musicians playing solo shows at five different Sedona galleries. The festival continues Jan. 7 at the Sedona Performing Arts Center at Sedona Red Rock High School with a free open rehearsal from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Later that morning, the musicians will teach master classes to northern Arizona children in grades 8-12. The day ends with a concert from 2 to 2:30 p.m. featuring the quintet and the students. The festival will culminate on Jan. 8 with the Back to Mozart program at the Sedona Performing Arts Center at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $62 and $42. A post-concert reception takes place in the SPAC foyer.
“This is a terrific group of artists who are all passionate about music and excited to work together,” says Bert. “They are human beings like all human beings, but they have chosen the performance world of music to deliver their message. I’m delighted to have developed a relationship with these artists and to help bring them to our community.” – Erika Ayn Finch. Photo courtesy of Chamber Music Sedona.
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