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August 8, 2003/Av 10 5763, Vol. 55, No. 50
Red Rocks Music Festival returns
ALISA SLOAN
Special Sections Editor
Once again the Red Rocks Music Festival will bring talented musicians to the cool pines of Sedona and Prescott.
"It's our second year and we have a very high level of musicianship," says Moshe Bukshpan, founder and executive director of the festival.
Over a four-day period, Aug. 28-31, the festival presents world-class string orchestra and chamber music, as well as a master class for violin students.
The weekend is designed for connoisseurs of music, as well as vacationing families, says Bukshpan. An appreciation for music and cool weather are all that are necessary to enjoy the proceedings.
The festival begins with a kick-off performance in Phoenix Thursday, Aug. 28. The "sampler" program includes Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" and Brahms' "Sextet for Strings."
Friday and Saturday performances will be held in Sedona.
The Friday night program is a chamber music concert of "Brahms Sextets."
This year Elmira Darvarova, a violinist and a native of Bulgaria, joins the lineup. According to Bukshpan, she is the first woman concertmaster of an orchestra - the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.
"In addition to myself, born and raised in Israel," says Bukshpan, "we have two other terrific musicians that were raised in Israel. They are also friends of mine from childhood. We grew up together."
Ohad Bar-David, who played in a youth orchestra with Bukshpan, is now a cellist with the Philadelphia Orchestra. David Ehrlich studied with Bukshpan in Israel under the same teacher at the Tel Aviv University's academy.
Likewise, Bukshpan and the Red Rocks co-founder, Shlomo Mintz, studied with Isaac Stern and are celebrated violinists in their own right.
Other featured musicians at the festival - all from The Phoenix Symphony - are Peter Rosato, principal viola; Annie Center, assistant principal viola; and Jan Simiz, assistant principal cello.
On Saturday, Darvarova and Ehrlich will lead a master class, "Violin and Chamber Music."
"It benefits the young aspiring string players - violinists," notes Bukshpan, "that come and study and get pointers from the masters."
He contacts teachers from across the state in search of students to participate in the class. "Last year we had teachers and students that came from Tucson, all the way to Flagstaff. Some of the finest," says Bukshpan. "And we have teachers themselves that come and sit in the audience, and they learn by observing the pointers given by the masters."
The class is open to festival-goers, and the audience members may also gain a new level of appreciation and understanding for music, he says.
The Saturday night concert is the highlight of the festival, says Bukshpan.
"We're doing an all-string program - a string orchestra," with a harpsichord and keyboard accompanying, he explains.
The Red Rocks musicians will be joined by musicians from Arizona Opera, Symphony of the West Valley and The Phoenix Symphony.
The program will include the "The Four Seasons" by Vivaldi as well as a concerto for two violins and a concerto for two cellos.
"We also have a poem reader from the Sedona community, Dr. Lou Getoff," says Bukshpan. Getoff will read a poem about spring, and the orchestra will play Vivaldi's spring music. Then he will read a poem about summer, and the orchestra will play summer, and so forth.
Sunday's performance moves to Prescott's Yavapai College. The reader's name is Lionel Godow.
Bukshpan's vision is "to grow the festival into a major cultural event in Northern Arizona ... and become a cultural magnet for music lovers and attract talented musicians from across the world."
He relates how The Ari- zona Commission on the Arts awarded Red Rocks Music Festival an arts grant and named it one of the top three arts organizations of the more than 80 that applied from Arizona.
"That's a very nice accolade for the second year," says Bukshpan.
As for the location, Bukshpan explains, "Traditionally this is where music festivals start - in a beautiful spot.
"People come for nature and for the hiking, in this case Red Rocks and Pink Jeep Tours and all that. But at nighttime they can enjoy great classical music."
Details
- Kick-off performance: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 28 Church of the Beatitudes, 555 W. Glendale Ave., Phoenix. The "sampler" program includes Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" and Brahms' "Sextet for Strings."
- Tickets: $15, $5 children under 12.
- "Brahms Sextets": 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 29 Sedona Creative Life Center, 333 Schnebly Hill Road. A chamber music concert that features the music of Brahms.
- Advance tickets are $18, $8 children under 12 or $20 and $10 at the door.
- "Violin and Chamber Music" master class: 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 30; Sedona Creative Life Center, 333 Schnebly Hill Road.
- Tickets: $10, $5 for children under 12.
- "Viva Vivaldi": 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 30 Sedona Creative Life Center, 333 Schnebly Hill Road.
- Advance tickets are $23, $13 children under 12, or $25 and $15 at the door.
For all above performances, call 602-787-1577, e-mail redrocks music@cox.net or visit www.redrocksmusicfestival.com.
- "Viva Vivaldi": 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 31 Prescott's Yavapai College, 1100 E. Sheldon
- Tickets: $28, $18 children under 12. Call Yavapai College at (928) 776-2033 or (877) 928-4253.
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