Galveston Historical Foundation Celebrates American Voices

Galveston Historical Foundation and Restoration Chamber Music, a group of Houston-area classical musicians, are partnering for the third year to present a series of three chamber music concerts in historic Galveston buildings. Each concert offers an exciting variety of music in an intimate, historic setting. The price for each concert is $25 for non-GHF members and $22.50 for GHF members. Reservations can be made through email to education@galvestonhistory.org, by calling 409-765-3410, or online.

Restoration Chamber Music is an ensemble of the region’s most acclaimed classical musicians, including Houston Symphony players and faculty from the region’s best university music schools. This summer the ensemble offers three programs of music by American composers. The concerts will be held in the Menard Hall May 28, Garten Verein Pavilion June 3 and The Texas Seaport Museum June 18.

This year’s concert sites, musical themes and dates are:

Barber at Menard Hall –
Saturday, May 28, 2011, 7:30 PM

Samuel Barber’s famous song setting of James Agee’s Knoxville Summer 1915 describes a summer evening in a small-town, southern neighborhood. The 1828 Menard House and recently completed Menard Hall are the perfect setting to here Barber’s uniquely American voice. Join us for an opening night celebration, with socializing and refreshments in shade of the Menard Houses beautiful live oaks and elegant gazebo. Through Barber’s enchanting harmonies and nostalgic melodies, be transported to the lazy, southern summer evenings of turn of the century Galveston. This concert features an incredible ensemble of accomplished performers, including international opera star Cynthia Clayton and Restoration Chamber Music Artistic Directors, Brinton Averil Smith and Evelyn Chen.

Gershwin at the Garten Verein -
Friday, June 3, 2011, 7:30 PM

In 1928 George Gershwin, the famous American composer of popular songs, requested music lessons from Maurice Ravel, the celebrated French composer of “classical” opera, orchestral tone poems, and chamber music. Ravel joked that he should take lessons from Gershwin instead, knowing how wealthy Gershwin had become, writing music for “Tin-Pan Alley” and the “Follies.” In the first decades of the twentieth century, American popular music captured the imagination of the whole world, including the most sophisticated European composers of “art music.” Join us in the historic 1880 Garten Verein dance pavilion for a concert of George Gershwin favorites plus a masterpiece by Maurice Ravel inspired by the “American sound.”

Jazz at the Texas Seaport Museum -
Saturday, June 18, 2011, 7:30 PM

The Texas Seaport Museum honors Galveston’s important history as an American coastal gateway. It is the perfect setting to culminate our summer festival with a concert focused on America’s most significant artistic export - Jazz. Jazz is our nation’s truly original and authentic music dialect. With its emphasis on free expression and collaboration, jazz reflects America’s cherished ideals, and the African American stars of jazz history are heroes of our nation’s continuing struggle to grant all people equal rights. Come enjoy Restoration Chamber Music’s Juneteenth celebration, with cool gulf breezes, Champaign, lemonade, and lively, fun music, presented in the shadow of the famous 1877 tall ship Elissa.

For more information on these performances, please contact education@galvestonhistory.org or 409-765-3410.