INTERNATIONAL
Paris, France (American Cathedral)
Orléans, France (Salle de l'Institut)
Nuits St. Georges, France (Clos de Vougeot Château)
NATIONAL
New York, NY (Merkin Concert Hall)
Boston, MA (Charles River Concert Series)
Washington, DC (National Gallery of Art, Phillips Collection)
Cincinnati, OH (Cincinnati Composers Guild)
Los Angeles, CA (Claremont Colleges)
REGIONAL
Charleston, SC (Spoleto Festival)
Anniston, AL (Alabama Shakespeare Festival)
Roanoke Chamber Music Society (VA)
Tampa Symphony (FL)
Memphis Chamber Music Society (TN)
Savannah Symphony (GA)
Huntsville Chamber Music Society (AL)
Gainesville ProMusica Concert Series (GA)
The Cloister, Glynn County Mozart Society (Sea Island, GA)
A.R.T. Station (Tifton, GA)
Owensboro (KY)
Wilmington, Charlotte (NC)
Montgomery, Mobile (AL)
New Orleans, Lafayette (LA)
Jackson, Biloxi, Hattiesburg (MS)
Daytona Beach, Pensacola, Lakeland, Melbourne, Lake Wales (FL)
Columbus, Macon, Albany, Statesboro, Augusta & Brunswick (GA)
UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES: Concerts & Residencies
Artists in Residence: Georgia State University (since 1991),
Artists in Residence: Kennesaw State University (since 1996)
Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN)
University of Kentucky (Lexington, KY)
Florida State University (Tallahassee, FL)
Auburn University (Auburn, AL)
Ole Miss (Oxford, MS)
Clemson University (Clemson, SC)
University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa, AL)
Tuskeegee Institute (Tuskeegee, AL)
University of Georgia (Athens, GA)
Berry College & Shorter College (Rome, GA)
The Artistic Director's report of the 2001 tour to France:
It certainly was an incredibly memorable 25th Anniversary Season for the Atlanta Chamber Players - featuring the release of our new Footeprints (music of Arthur Foote) and Sacred Theory of the Earth (music of Anne LeBaron) CDs, our three-part series at downtown Atlanta's beautiful Rialto Center for the Performing Arts, another fully-subscribed Soirée Series in private homes, and a thrilling performance in late May of Beethoven's Triple Concerto for violin, cello and piano with the excellent DeKalb Symphony Orchestra. Then after all those amazing events, we headed off to France for our first international concert tour.
On June 3rd, 2001, Christopher Pulgram, Laura Ardan, Brad Ritchie and I departed Atlanta for Paris, where we performed our "Timeless" concert program of Olivier Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time and Arthur Foote's Piano Trio at the American Cathedral on Avenue George V in Paris' 8th arrondissement. This gorgeous cathedral, with the 50 state flags suspended from on high, was an absolutely stunning setting for the major artistic concert of our tour.
We were able to spend a day in colorful Alsace, in Equisheim near Colmar, where we enjoyed Grünewald's Isenheim Altarpiece and even toured an afternoon through the Alsatian Route du Vin, sampling the remarkable cuisine and admiring storks nesting on chimney tops. Next we were on to Beaune, capital of the Burgundy region, where we performed in the 12th century Chateau de Vougeot in Nuits St. Georges for the Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, the international wine tasting brotherhood based in Burgundy. WHAT AN EVENING!! Fortunately we played between the first and 2nd courses (each with its own wine, of course) - out of 6 that evening! - so we were able to relax and enjoy the remarkable evening, complete with singing winemakers, folk band and authentic hunting horns. The 600+ black tie audience absolutely loved our salon selections (Brahms Hungarian Dance, Milhaud Suite and a Gershwin Prelude), even chuckled at my jokes in French and gave us all the warmest of welcomes!
We were fortunately able to remain a couple of days in Beaune, being hosted by a tour guide, an expert in the Burgundy region, who took us to to some "secret" locals-only restaurants and to "caves" to meet world-famous winemakers. We all came away with remarkable insight into the stunning beauty of Burgundy and that incredible cuisine!
Our final stop took us to the Loire Valley and the city of Orléans (where we did see "Joanie on her ponie") for a full-length soirée style concert of light works or movements of major works - everything from Beethoven clarinet trio to a Piazzolla Tango and Gershwin Preludes. Our concert attracted quite a bit of local media attention, including an official welcoming reception at City Hall and an interview and photo session with the local newspaper. The stunning Baroque concert hall, located across the plaza from Orleans' Sainte-Croix Cathedral, offered exciting acoustics in addition to crystal chandeliers. From the first piece of this rewarding concert, we musicians felt an electric connection with the attentive audience; we received a thunderous standing ovation at the conclusion and chose to play a poignant Schubert Serenade for an encore. We sold out of all the Soirée Sweets CDs we had brought with us and left quite a few people frustrated that we didn't have enough for all who wanted them. We were touched by the city's enthusiastic response to our chamber music.
I know I speak for Christopher Pulgram, Brad Ritchie, Laura Ardan, as well as myself, in saying this concert tour in France was truly a superb joy and an artistic highlight of an anniversary season of highlights. Sincerest thanks to all our Board of Sponsors members who generously endorsed the Atlanta Chamber Players' 25th Anniversary Season and made our dream of concertizing in France a critically-acclaimed reality.