After eight years, the Red Rocks Music Festival is still going strong.
The annual cultural event, which brings classical music performances to venues in Sedona and around the Valley, will be held Aug. 30-Sept. 6.
"We try to reach a broad audience and come up with programs that are appealing and intriguing," says Moshe Bukshpan, the Israeli-born violinist who founded the festival. "Still, the foundation is classical music."
The opening concert marks the return of Japanese twins and Steinway Piano Artists Yuki and Tomoko Mack. The pianists, who performed at last year's festival, will give concerts Aug. 30 in Sedona and Aug. 31 in Scottsdale. The program will include selections from Gershwin, Brahms, Debussy and other composers.
Next, the festival offers "Classical Meets Jazz Part II," a collaboration between the Russell Schmidt Jazz Trio and a quartet of classical musicians. Concerts will be held Sept. 1 in Anthem (a performance co-sponsored by the Arts Council of the North Valley), Sept. 2 in Phoenix and Sept. 6 in Sedona. The classical part of the program features Gabriel Faure's Piano Quartet No. 1; Paul Schoenfield's "CafÇ Music" will transition the show into the jazz portion of the evening, which features a medley of songs about the moon.
"The idea is to bring in people that like both genres of music. In our experience, when (the jazz fans) come and they hear the classical music, they enjoy it very much, and the classical audience enjoys the jazz selections."
Finally, a concert celebrating the 200th birthday of Jewish-born composer Felix Mendelssohn will take place Sept. 3 and 5 in the Valley and Sedona, respectively. A string octet will perform Mendelssohn's Octet Op. 20.
"He wrote it when he was just 16," Bukshpan says, "so it's an amazing piece."
The octet, which is essentially a double-string quartet composed of four violins, two violas and two cellos, is "an all-star group of musicians," Bukshpan says. Shmuel Ashkenasi, an Israeli violinist and former member of the Vermeer Quartet, is "one of my biggest highlights." Other performers include two Arizona State University professors, Nancy Buck (viola) and Thomas Landschoot (cello); David Ehrlich (violin), former concertmaster of the Tel Aviv Chamber Orchestra, who has performed at the festival every year; and Nokuthula Ngwenyama (viola), a professor at Indiana University.
Like many other arts and cultural organizations around the state, the festival has been affected by the economic slowdown.
"Contributions and grants are certainly down," Bukshpan says. "Ticket sales for certain events are going better than others."
The festival holds fundraising events throughout the year, and Bukshpan says, "I'm hopeful that this year with events coming up that we will be able to stay afloat."
He also understands that the economy is hard on fans of the arts, and not just the organizations themselves, so discount tickets are available at showuptickets.com.
"Also, people can call us directly (about ticket discounts)," Bukshpan says. "I'd like to see seats filled, that goes without saying. We don't turn anyone away because of financial situation."
Details
- Who: Yuki and Tomoko Mack
- When/Where: 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 30, Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley, 100 Meadowlark Drive, Sedona; and 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 31, Steinway of Phoenix, 14418 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale
- Cost: $25 adults, $10 students and children
- What: "Classical Meets Jazz, Part II"
- When/Where: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1, The Fellowship Church at Anthem, 39905 N. Gavilan Peak Parkway; 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2, Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 N. Central Ave.; 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 6, Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley, 100 Meadowlark Drive, Sedona
- Cost: $25 adults, $10 students and children
- Contact: 623-516-2268 or acnv.org (Anthem performance only)
- What: "Mendelssohn's Birthday Celebration"
- When/Where: 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3. Valley Presbyterian Church, 6947 E. McDonald Drive, Paradise Valley; 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley, 100 Meadowlark Drive, Sedona
- Cost: $35 adults, $10 students and children
- Contact: 602-787-1577, (877) 733-7257 or redrocksmusicfestival.com
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