Watch & Listen

Tessa Lark and Michael Thurber’s Virtual Vignette for GLCMF

Earlier this month, the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival brought together a few friends for an evening of performance and great conversation with violinist Tessa Lark and bassist Michael Thurber. Individually, they are both masters in their craft, but it is when they come together that they create a sound incredibly distinct to them. Watch their highly improvised performance, blending classical and bluegrass music, and stick to the end to hear them share details about projects they are working on, what makes them such a harmonious duo and how they have adjusted to working from home.

Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival’s first Virtual Vignette featuring Artistic Director Paul Watkins

The Festival gathered 50 of its friends for a night of music and discussion surrounding Paul Watkins. Alongside his wife, Jennifer, he discussed the theme for our 2021 festival “Visions and Revisions,” his process as an artist, as well as his choice in music and a behind-the-scenes look at creating this performance.

Eliza Watkins and Paul Watkins perform an excerpt from Haydn’s Violin Concerto
No. 2

Twelve-year-old violinist Eliza Watkins performs an excerpt from the first movement of Haydn’s Violin Concerto No. 2. She is joined by her father, Festival Artistic Director Paul Watkins on piano. Having studied violin for five or six years, it is clear that great talent runs in the family.

~Nois performs “Night Music” by Emma O’Halloran at the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival

Last year, ~Nois performed “Night Music” by Irish composer Emma O’Halloran at the Detroit Institute of Arts with the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival. The saxophone quartet filled Rivera Court with many different sounds and styles, exemplifying the dynamic nature of the instruments and contemporary music.

Founded in 2016, ~Nois has received glowing praise for its “truly innovative musicianship” and “raw creativity” (Cacophony Magazine). ~Nois was the recipient of the Silver Medal at the 2017 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and has premiered over 30 pieces.

Nick Photinos performs a duet with his daughter, Emi.

The Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival is thrilled to have cellist Nick Photinos share with us this exclusive piece his daughter, Emi, has been working on with him. Nick is a founding member and co-Artistic Director of the four-time Grammy Award-winning chamber music ensemble Eighth Blackbird. We look forward Nick’s next appearance at our Festival!

Tessa Lark performs Telemann’s Fantasia No. 7 in E-flat major

Violinist Tessa Lark is scheduled to make a return to the 2020 Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival! Recipient of a 2018 Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship and a 2016 Avery Fisher Career Grant, and winner of the 2012 Naumburg International Violin Competition, Ms. Lark made her concert debut at 16 with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. A budding superstar in the classical realm, she is also a highly acclaimed fiddler in the tradition of her native Kentucky. Here’s a fun personal message from Ms. Lark and a sneak peak of what will be an incredible performance of Telemann’s Fantasia No. 7 in E-flat major.

Alessio Bax performs the Bach/Marcello Concerto in D Minor BWV 974

Alessio Bax is returning to Michigan for the 2020 Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival. He shares a warm message to the Festival family, along with a performance of the Bach/Marcello Concerto in D Minor BWV 974, 2nd movement.

Ran Dank and Soyeon Kate Lee perform for GLCMF

Husband and wife duo Ran Dank and Soyeon Kate Lee are set to perform at our upcoming Festival this summer! Together, they’ve presented the world premieres of Frederic Rzewski’s “Four Hands,” and Alexander Goehr’s “Seven Impromptus,” as well as established their concert series “Music by the Glass” held in a New York SoHo art gallery.

Nathan Monday performs the harpsichord 

Nathan Mondry shares his impeccable improvisation skills on the harpsichord from quarantine, and looks forward to returning home to Michigan for the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival.

At a young age, Nathan quickly developed into a seasoned performer, becoming highly sought after for his improvisational skills. He is the recipient of the 2015 Mary McLaughlin Prize in Early Music at McGill University, as well as collecting numerous prizes from international music festivals, including a special prize from the first Partimento/Basso Competition in Katowice.

Peter Sparling for GLCMF

Peter Sparling is scheduled to premiere Winterreise at this year’s Festival. Winterreise (Winter Journey) is a song cycle for voice and piano by Franz Schubert, a setting of 24 poems by Wilhelm Müller. Sparling’s Winterreise features his own dancing, video editing and paintings to create a dramatic and visceral video narrative for screening alongside live musical performance by Nicholas Phan, tenor, and Paul Watkins, piano.

Phil Setzer discusses 2020 Shouse Institute

We interrupted Phil Setzer’s rehearsal to get you the latest information on our 2020 Shouse ensembles. Phil is one the founding members of the Emerson String Quartet and a long-time supporter of our Festival.

Nicholas Phan discusses the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival and performs a piece.

Nicholas Phan shares his excitement to return home to Michigan for our Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival this summer. Keep watching to see his stunning performance of Henry Purcell’s “She Loves and She Confesses Too.”

An important message from Paul Watkins, Artistic Director of the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival