2024 Summer Festival Program
Invite the Extraordinary!
Letters
From the Artistic Director
Dear friends of Monadnock Music,
Many years ago, when I was recently out of school, I was approached by a man with kind eyes after one of my solo concerts. "You play very beautifully," he told me, "but when are you going to do something important with your life?" At the time, I had neither the presence of mind nor the life experience to offer him any response more meaningful than a quizzical smile. Today, I am a little older than the kind-eyed man was at the time of our encounter. I have given thousands of performances in some of the world's greatest concert halls and in some of the world's coziest kindergarten classrooms, and I have been an integral part of Monadnock Music for over two decades. Over the course of my career I have been blessed to see, day after day, the power of music to create vibrant communities, to offer spaces of deep solace and meaningful self-reflection, and to change lives - sometimes in dramatic ways, sometimes in subtle ones, but always truly and for the better.
Your support of Monadnock Music is immeasurably valuable to us. Supporting us means supporting our decades-long commitment to free concerts every summer in the gorgeous towns and villages of our community. It means helping us make classical music more accessible by presenting family concerts like our series of folk-tales for narrator and chamber ensemble, now in its third year, as well as our educational presentations in local elementary schools. It means sustaining the future growth of Monadnock Music and empowering our ability to create future initiatives like commissioning up-and-coming composers. And it means saying YES to a world with more beauty, more joy, and more empathy.
Rafael Popper-Keizer
Artistic Director
Monadnock Music
From the Board President
Dear Friends and Members,
One of the many reasons I have called the Monadnock Region home for most of my life is the promise and anticipation of each season, and the accompanying changes to the beauty of the mountains, valleys, streams, lakes, forests and fields that come together so extraordinarily well in this part of the world. And beyond the temperature or the rain or snow and wind that marks the time of year, each season has a susurrus all its’ own, a unique sound. The crisp whistle of a winter wind. The crackle of leaves underfoot. The peepers making a welcome appearance and carrying the promise of spring. And summer — birds, crickets, the rustling of trees in full bloom. And when I think of the sounds of summer, I also think of attending string quartet concerts in Depot Park in Peterborough and listening to the beauty they create among the beauty of the area and the season. I think of strolling through a lush and fragrant garden with a glass of sparkling wine, serenaded by a solo cello during a Monadnock Music garden tour. I think of visiting town halls all over the region that I may never have another reason to visit and contemplating the distant time they were built and the people that have gathered there over centuries, now filled with sublime music that may well be older still.
We live in a bountiful and beautiful area, and to me, bringing live music to places all across the region is a way of contributing to the natural beauty we enjoy. I’m very proud of the work Monadnock Music does towards that goal. Our event calendar for 2024 is simply incredible, and I invite you to participate in both your presence at any of our events, but also in your contributions to this venerable institution by becoming a member or joining us for the Gala and Supper Clubs! We welcome spring with open arms, and look forward to seeing you at our summer events!
Paul Venezia
Board President
Monadnock Music
From the Executive Director
Hurray for Music!
What a marvelous year this has been. With over 100 attendees at our Tango evening just last month, I am thrilled to begin our summer season with renewed excitement and many new faces.
As we near our 60th anniversary, it is a time for reflection and rejuvenation. In that spirit, we have welcomed several phenomenal new board members - their musical repertoire will impress even our most astute members. During this time, we also return to the fundamentals of what makes Monadnock Music special: Our free Village Concert programming and the intimacy our events offer.
The Village Concert series is as robust as ever. Each year as we prepare our annual budget, it is one area that we do not hold back, and readily sacrifice to maintain meeting Rafael Popper Keizer's needs when it comes to offering the best for all. We exist so that everyone in the region can have access to the highest calibre classical music, and I am proud of what Rafi does to ensure that is delivered.
Intimacy is something that was lost for a long time during the pandemic. The ability to interact, converse, and engage with our musicians is quite rare, and something we hold sacred. In that spirit, we have brought back the old tradition of Musician & Member Potlocks, where connection can be had above and beyond the music. We remember our founders and several board members who have crossed over as we share a meal this summer.
Another avenue for intimacy is our Supper Club Series. Through these seasonal ticketed dinners, we both tap into the electric sense of community that our founders so aptly fostered, while sustaining and supporting the caliber of musician we invite to our region. Come break bread with us this summer!
Thank you for your passion for music,
Laina Barakat
Executive Director
Monadnock Music
