Musikwest announces its inaugural Musikiwest ChamberFest

As seen in the Peninsula Reviews

Artistic Director Michelle Djokic and Musikiwest, a Palo Alto-based chamber ensemble, announced today its inaugural summer festival, “Musikiwest ChamberFest,” July 7-12, 2019 at the Stevenson School in Pebble Beach, CA. The six-day chamber music festival brings participants from some of the country’s most prestigious music schools for intensive rehearsals and wellness workshops that focus on the collaborative power of chamber music. Led by a roster of professional musicians from across the United States and Bay Area, the festival will culminate in two public performances that bring faculty and students together for a variety of chamber masterworks including Antonín Dvořák’s String Sextet in A Major, Op. 48 and Felix Mendelssohn’s Octet in E-flat Major, Op. 20. The WholeHearted Musician Founder, Dana Fonteneau and Colburn School Wellness Professor, Jennie Morton appear as special guests for three public workshops that share insight into essential skills such as empathy, communication and creativity as it applies to both professional and personal life.

Now in its third season, Musikiwest regularly brings award-winning professional chamber musicians to participate in both its live public performances and classroom open rehearsal presentations for local middle and high school that address issues such as bullying, shaming and exclusivity. Unknown to the participants, the rehearsal exchanges between musicians are entirely scripted, creating a deeper connection and awareness to the process. Over the past two years, Musikiwest has given 24 presentations at 14 different schools in Palo Alto, Redwood City, Mountain View, San Jose, Los Altos and East Palo Alto, in collaboration with moderator Rona Hu MD, Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University and founder of CHIPAO.

Single tickets to the July 11 and 12 public performances are $25 general admission with free admission for patrons 18 and under. Purchase online at http//www.musikiwest.org or at the door.

Single tickets to the July 7, 8 and 9 public workshops and July 10 masterclass are $15 general admission with free admission for patrons 18 and under. Purchase online at http//www.musikiwest.org or at the door.

Musikiwest ChamberFest
July 7-12, 2019
Stevenson School, Pebble Beach, CA

PUBLIC PERFORMANCES

Concert I
Thursday, July 11, 2019, at 7:30 p.m., Church in the Forest at Stevenson School, Pebble Beach

Antonín Dvořák: String Sextet in A Major, Op. 48
Quinn Price, violin
Cher Liu, violin
Alexandra Simpson, viola
Ayane Kozasa, viola
Josh Halpern, cello
Michelle Djokic, cello

Felix Mendelssohn: Octet in E-flat Major, Op. 20
Tien-Hsin Cindy Wu, violin
Siwoo Kim, violin
Cher Liu, violin
Quinn Price, violin
Ayane Kozasa, viola
Alexandra Simpson, viola
Paul Wiancko, cello
Josh Halpern, cello

Concert II
Friday, July 12, 2019, at 7:30 p.m., Church in the Forest at Stevenson School, Pebble Beach

Jonathan Dove:Out of Time for String Quartet
Cher Liu, violin
Quinn Price, violin
Alexandra Simpson, viola
Josh Halpern, cello

Anton Arensky: String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 35
Tien-Hsin Cindy Wu, violin
Ayane Kozasa, viola
Paul Wiancko, cello
Michelle Djokic, cello

Franz Schubert: String Quintet in C Major, D. 956, Op. Posth. 163
Siwoo Kim, violin
Tien-Hsin Cindy Wu, violin
Ayane Kozasa, viola
Michelle Djokic, cello
Paul Wiancko, cello

Single tickets are $25 general admission with free admission for patrons 18 and under. Purchase online at http//www.musikiwest.org or on the door.

“While chamber music is at the heart of Musikiwest ChamberFest, our rehearsals and workshops are specifically tailored to explore the subtleties of positive collaboration, maintaining emotional health and increasing empathic awareness, skills that are essential in achieving more harmonious group results,” said Artistic Director Michelle Djokic. “These sensitive topics are frequently left unaddressed during formal music training and education, yet they are vital to our emotional well-being and long-term success as individuals and performers. We are excited to welcome audiences to experience not only our concerts but also the selection of enlightening workshops. These important themes and topics are applicable to everyday situations and provide valuable insights into life at work, school and within our personal relationships.”

Musikiwest Chamber Fest welcomes four students as the festival’s first-ever Fellows: violinists Cher Liu and Quinn Price (Cleveland Institute), violist Alexandra Simpson (San Francisco Conservatory of Music) and cellist Josh Halpern (Curtis Institute). Throughout the week, Fellows will work alongside Senior Artists, violinists Siwoo Kim and Tien-Hsin Cindy Wu, violist Ayane Kozasa and cellists Michelle Djokic and Paul Wiancko, in preparation for two public chamber performances on Thursday, July 11 and Friday, July 12. In the first performance, Fellows and Senior Artists will share the stage for Dvorak’s Sextet and Mendelssohn’s Octet. The second performance gives the opportunity for Fellows to perform together for Jonathan Dove’s Out of Time for String Quartet while the Senior Artists conclude the program with Anton Arensky’s String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 35 and Franz Schubert’s String Quintet in C Major, D. 956, Op. Posth. 163

With a strong focus on developing skills beyond the practical preparation and presentation of chamber music, Musikiwest welcomes two guest speakers to lead three public workshops that are designed to nurture the whole musician, build trust, remain physically healthy, and cope with stress and mindfulness. On Sunday, July 7, Dana Fonteneau, a former cellist, psychotherapist and founder of the WholeHearted Musician, will lead a presentation on the art of successful teamwork and essential communicative skills. Over the past two decades, Dana has served as a professional career coach and consultant for students and professionals alike, guiding clients to greater personal and career success. Colburn School Wellness Professor Jennie Morton leads two interactive workshops on Monday, July 8 and Tuesday, July 9. The first looks into the origins of creativity and how this relates to common performance issues such as anxiety and perfectionism. The second explores the crucial communicative role between performers and audiences. Following formal training as a vocalist and ballet dancer, Jennie has served as an osteopath, clinical anxiety treatment professional and mental health integrative medicine provider. She is also founder of Healthy Performers, dedicated to promoting the wellbeing of all professional artists.

by Lyn Bronson – June 27, 2019