Rochester Chamber Music Society Kicks off Season with ‘Bach Bash’

On Saturday, July 8, the Rochester Chamber Music Society (RCMS) will kick off its 2006 summer concert season with the eighth annual RCMS "Bach Bash" a free concert at 7 p.m. at the Hancock Town Hall.

Earlier that day, advanced intermediate and professional string players of all ages will sight-read the Bach Suite #1, Boccherini’s Concerto for Cello, and Bach’s Third Brandenburg Concerto under the baton of RCMS President Larry Hamberlin. The evening concert will showcase their work on those pieces.

The following day, Sunday, July 9, the RCMS will present a memorial concert for Marguerite Schenkman at 4 p.m., (with a pre-concert talk by Hamberlin at 3:30 p.m.) at the Federated Church on Main Street in Rochester. As with all RCMS concerts in this series, admission is free, but donations are gratefully accepted at the door.

That evening, Hamberlin will also conduct the Rochester Town Band in a free outdoor concert at 6:30 p.m. on the Rochester Park.

On Friday, July 14, the Green Mt. Suzuki Institute Student Chamber Players will present works for piano trios, as well as the premier of a work by Troy Peters, at 4 p.m. in the Rochester High School Auditorium.

The final four concerts (all at 4 p.m. at the Rochester Federated Church) are:

•Sunday, July 30, "The Poulenc Sextet" for woodwinds and piano, featuring flutist Vanessa Holroyd, clarinetist Mark Miller, oboist Jane Harrison, horn player John Aubrey, bassoonist Janet Underhill, and pianist Cynthia Huard., with a pre-concert talk by Larry Hamberlin at 3:30 p.m.

•Sunday, Aug. 6, "Music Ranging from Mozart to Mark O’Connor," featuring violinist Terry Moore, violist Gretchen Frazier, and cellist Sarah Schenkman.

•Sunday, Aug. 13, "Czech Music and Mozart’s Flute and Harp Concerto," featuring harpist Katerina Englichova, flutist Karen Kevra, and pianist Cynthia Huard, with a pre-concert talk by Larry Hamberlin at 3:30 p.m.

•Sunday, Sept. 24, "Music for Piano and Strings," featuring cellist Robert Penny, violist William Sunderman, and other guest artists, with a pre-concert talk by Larry Hamberlin at 3:30 p.m.

Admission to all RCMS events is by donation at the door. For more information, call 767-9234.

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