2015 Savannah Music Festival Brochure

We are elated to present the 26th edition of the Savannah Music Festival, our largest and most unique festival to date.Connecting artists and audiences remains our raison d’être, and as our community’s visitor numbers continue to grow, so do we. As Georgia’s largest musical arts event and one of the most distinctive cross-genre music festivals anywhere, we always look for new ways to use historic Savannah as a backdrop for the thousands of festival attendees who travel to Savannah to experience our eclectic mix of musical styles.

Many visitors come to experience musical traditions indigenous to the South, and SMF has always delivered the finest artists within these traditions. Whether it’s bluegrass, blues, gospel, country, Cajun, Zydeco, Texas swing, New Orleans music, slave shout songs or the ever-evolving blend of Americana styles including rock ‘n’ roll, the profusion of amazing talent in 2015 has never been better.

One of the recurring questions we have been asked over the years has been “when are you going to produce an opera?” The answer is 2015, in collaboration with the Savannah Voice Festival, whose leadership under Sherrill Milnes and Maria Zouves has brought the experience and expertise required for such an undertaking. Together we are delighted to be staging original productions of Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi, two of the three one-hour operas from Puccini’s Il Trittico, featuring the Savannah Philharmonic and members of its chorus in the Lucas Theatre for the Arts.

Nearly all of our classical and jazz programming involves producing either original programs or one-time only productions. Our 2015 season includes ten world-class chamber music concerts, five stellar recitals, and a symphonic concert on the classical side, while the jazz programming includes a myriad of styles spread across eleven different events, most of which are projects conceived especially for SMF audiences.

As always, a wealth of artists from across the planet will showcase their extraordinary musical talents within the festival. This year’s event features musicians from Russia, Japan, England, South Africa, Germany, Canada, Montenegro, Ireland, Cuba, Austria, Iran, Sweden, Brazil, Italy, Ukraine and elsewhere, performing a vast range of styles and genres.

We stage our musical productions from morning until late night throughout the alluring historic district of downtown Savannah, allowing patrons the opportunity to travel by foot, bicycle or pedicab from one event to the next while relishing the weather of early spring. We invite you to participate and experience the reason that we live for live music!

Rob Gibson Executive & Artistic Director

WELCOMEKODO

Thursday, March 26 at 8 PM Lucas Theatre for the Arts

⊲ See page 20

1BOX OFFICE 912.525.5050 INFO & TICKETS savannahmusicfestival.org

THU 3/19

12:30 PM Balsam Range 50 CMC $20 4

5:30 PM Balsam Range/The Boxcars 120 CMC $35 4

6 PM CHAMBER MUSIC I : Around Beethoven 110 TUMC $47 5

7:30 PM The Wood Brothers/AJ Ghent Band 120 SOS $35 4

8 PM Balsam Range/The Boxcars 120 CMC $35 4

8 PM One True Vine: Mavis Staples 75 TT $25, $35, $45, $55 6

FRI 3/20

12:30 PM The Boxcars 50 CMC $20 7

7 PM Zydeco Dance Party: Buckwheat Zydeco 75 CMC $35 8

7 PM Southern Troubadours featuring Joe Ely, Ruthie Foster and Paul Thorn 70 TT $25, $35, $45, $55 7

7:30 PM Suor Angelica & Gianni Schicchi 120 LT $45, $65, $85, $105 9

8 PM Shovels & Rope/Shakey Graves 120 SOS $35 10

9 PM Zydeco Dance Party: Buckwheat Zydeco 75 CMC $35 8

SAT 3/21

12:30 PM McIntosh County Shouters 50 CMC $20 11

3 PM CHAMBER MUSIC II : Orchestral Masterworks by Mozart & Mendelssohn 110 LT $47 11

5 PM Blues in the Garden: Heritage Blues Orchestra 100 SOS $35 12

5 PM Come Rain or Come Shine featuring Kurt Ollmann, J.J. Hobbs & Rebecca Flaherty 85 CMC $35 12

7:30 PM Come Rain or Come Shine featuring Kurt Ollmann, J.J. Hobbs & Rebecca Flaherty 85 CMC $35 12

7:30 PM Earls of Leicester 90 TT $25, $35, $45, $55 13

8:15 PM Blues in the Garden: Heritage Blues Orchestra 100 SOS $35 12

SUN 3/22

2 PM Suor Angelica & Gianni Schicchi 120 LT $45, $65, $85, $105 14

5 PM Come Rain or Come Shine featuring Kurt Ollmann, J.J. Hobbs & Rebecca Flaherty 85 CMC $35 15

6 PM RECITALS I : Nikolai Lugansky, piano 100 TUMC $52 14

6:30 PM Pre-Concert Talk with Kurt Ollmann, J.J. Hobbs & Rebecca Flaherty 30 CMC FREE -


MON 3/23


6 PM CHAMBER MUSIC III : Brahms & His Influences 90 TUMC $47 16

7:30 PM The Barr Brothers/The Apache Relay 120 CMC $30 16

TUE 3/24

12:30 PM Dave Stryker Quartet 50 CMC $20 17

6 PM Arias & Encores 110 TUMC $35 17

7:30 PM The Barr Brothers/The Apache Relay 120 CMC $30 17

WED 3/25

12:30 PM Bouncin’ with Bud: Tardo Hammer plays Bud Powell 50 CMC $20 18

5:30 PM Warren Vaché Quintet plays Benny Carter/Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet 120 CMC $35 18

6 PM RECITALS II : Miloš Karadaglić, guitar 85 TUMC $52 19

8 PM Warren Vaché Quintet plays Benny Carter/Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet 120 CMC $35 18

THU 3/26

12:30 PM Warren Vaché Quintet plays Benny Carter 50 CMC $20 20

4 PM Jazz on the River 180 Rousakis FREE 47

6 PM CHAMBER MUSIC IV : Early Masters 95 TUMC $47 20

6:30 PM Sean Jones Quartet/Warren Wolf & Wolfpack 120 CMC $35 21

8 PM Kodo One Earth Tour: Mystery 120 LT $25, $35, $45, $55 20

9 PM Sean Jones Quartet/Warren Wolf & Wolfpack 120 CMC $35 21

FRI 3/27

12:30 PM Sean Jones Quartet 50 CMC $20 22

6 PM RECITALS III : Stephen Hough, piano 110 TUMC $52 23

7 PM The Louis Armstrong Continuum/Swing Central Jazz Finale 150 LT $22, $32, $42, $52, $62 22

8 PM Lúnasa 90 SOS $35 24

8:30 PM Lucinda Williams 75 TT $32, $42, $52, $62 25

10 PM Late Night Jam with Sean Jones Quartet featuring Wycliffe Gordon & Friends 120 CMC $30 22

APPROX. LENGTH

(IN MINUTES)

CONCERT VENUE

TICKET PRICING

PAGE NUMBER

SCHEDULE & INDEX

2 S AVA N N A H M U S I C F E S T I VA L MARCH 19 – APRIL 4, 2015

SAT 3/28

12:30 PM Marcus Roberts Trio 50 CMC $35 27

3 PM RECITALS IV : Murray Perahia, piano 90 TUMC $70 26

5 PM New Orleans Soul & Brass Party: Irma Thomas/Dirty Dozen Brass Band 130 SOS $40 27

7:30 PM Hot Rize 90 TT $25, $35, $45, $55 28

7 PM Pre-Concert Talk with Ken Meltzer 30 LT FREE -

8 PM Atlanta Symphony Orchestra with Lynn Harrell 110 LT $32, $42, $52, $65, $75 29

8 PM Latin Dance Party: Adonis Puentes & The Voice of Cuba Orchestra 90 CMC $35 29

8:30 PM New Orleans Soul & Brass Party: Irma Thomas/Dirty Dozen Brass Band 130 SOS $40 27

10:30 PM Latin Dance Party: Adonis Puentes & The Voice of Cuba Orchestra 90 CMC $35 29

SUN 3/29

3 PM CHAMBER MUSIC V : Emerson String Quartet 90 TMI $52 30

4:30 PM Giants of Texas Swing: Hot Club of Cowtown/Asleep at the Wheel 120 CMC $40 30

7 PM Giants of Texas Swing: Hot Club of Cowtown/Asleep at the Wheel 120 CMC $40 30

MON 3/30

12:30 PM Julian Lage & Jorge Roeder 50 CMC $20 31


6 PM CHAMBER MUSIC VI : Emerson String Quartet with Daniel Hope & Friends 90 TUMC $52 31


8 PM Kayhan Kalhor & Brooklyn Rider 100 LT $25, $35, $45, $55, $65 33

TUE 3/31

11 AM CHAMBER MUSIC VII : Vive la France 90 TUMC $30 34



7:30 PM Béla Fleck with Brooklyn Rider 100 LT $25, $35, $45, $55, $65 34

WED 4/1

11 AM CHAMBER MUSIC VIII : Brooklyn Rider 80 TUMC $30 35

12:30 PM Mike Marshall & Choro Famoso 50 CMC $35 35

6 PM RECITALS V : Paul Lewis, piano 80 TUMC $52 35

8 PM The Brazilian Soul: Mike Marshall & Choro Famoso/Clarice Assad/Off The Cliff 120 LT $25, $35, $45, $55, $65 36

THU 4/2

11 AM CHAMBER MUSIC IX : Bruch & Brahms 70 UUC $30 37

12:30 PM The World of Clarice Assad featuring Off The Cliff & Mike Marshall 50 CMC $25 37

6:30 PM South Africa meets the American South: Vusi Mahlasela/Dirk Powell & Riley Baugus 120 CMC $35 38

8 PM Josh Ritter 75 LT $22, $32, $42, $47, $55 39

9 PM South Africa meets the American South: Vusi Mahlasela/Dirk Powell & Riley Baugus 120 CMC $35 38

FRI 4/3

12:30 PM Dirk Powell & Riley Baugus 50 CMC $20 40

6 PM Acoustic Music Seminar Finale: Stringband Spectacular 130 LT $15, $25, $35, $45 40

7 PM Cajun Dance Party: The Band Courtbouillon 75 CMC $35 40

8 PM Dianne Reeves 70 TT $32, $42, $52, $62 41

9 PM Cajun Dance Party: The Band Courtbouillon 75 CMC $35 40

SAT 4/4

3 PM CHAMBER MUSIC X : Passionate Piano Quartets 100 ST $47, $57 42

7:30 PM Rosanne Cash 75 LT $32, $42, $52, $62, $75 43

9 PM Closing Night Party: DakhaBrakha 90 SOS $30 42

CONCERT VENUE KEY

CMC Charles H. Morris Center LT Lucas Theatre for the Arts SOS Ships of the Sea North Garden ST Savannah Theatre TMI Temple Mickve Israel TUMC Trinity United Methodist Church TT Trustees Theater UUC Unitarian Universalist Church

⊲ see page 51 for venue locations and more information

Our Supporters ................................................................................................................pages 44–45Music For Our Schools ............................................................................................................page 46Swing Central Jazz................................................................................................................... page 47Acoustic Music Seminar .......................................................................................................... page 47Support Us .................................................................................................................................page 48Tickets & Policies .....................................................................................................................page 49Area Map ................................................................................................................................... page 50Festival Venues .........................................................................................................................page 51Where to Stay ........................................................................................................................... page 52

CONCERT VENUE

TICKET PRICING

PAGE NUMBER

APPROX. LENGTH

(IN MINUTES)


12:30 PM

Balsam RangeCharles H. Morris Center | $20

Kicking off the 2015 festival at the Charles H. Morris Center, Balsam Range (above) arrives fresh off the 2014 International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards ceremony with more nominations than any other band in bluegrass music. Singer/fiddler Buddy Melton took home Male Vocalist of the Year, and the group was honored with the Vocal Group of the Year award and the prestigious Entertainer of the Year crown. Their collective experience is as extensive as it comes, with members having played with Ricky Skaggs, Doc Watson, Tony Rice, Ralph Stanley and many others. Bluegrass and acoustic music fans won’t want to miss this SMF debut!

5:30 & 8 PM

Balsam Range/ The BoxcarsCharles H. Morris Center | $35

This opening night double bill pairs two present-day powerhouses of bluegrass, whose origins straddle the Tennessee/North Carolina border where the Smokies meet the Blue Ridge Mountains. Both Balsam Range and The Boxcars have made their names playing real, authentic and soulful bluegrass.

For more information about The Boxcars see page 7.

7:30 PM

The Wood Brothers/AJ Ghent BandShips of the Sea North Garden | $35

Back for their third SMF performance after opening for the Derek Trucks Band in 2010 and kicking off the SMF concerts at the Ships of the Sea North Garden in 2013, The Wood Brothers (above) have since added drummer and multi-instrumentalist Jano Rix as a full-time member. Brothers Chris (bass) and Oliver Wood (acoustic/electric guitar) leave it all on stage, performing a high-energy mix that includes elements of blues, jazz, reggae, rock and even gospel.

The AJ Ghent Band (right) fuses Southern rock, blues, soul and funk music, to create what frontman AJ Ghent calls “Southern Soul.” His father, great uncle and grandfather are all considered masters of the Sacred Steel gospel of the Pentecostal church, which exposed him to lap steel guitar at an early age. Often referred to by fans as Prince and James Brown’s musical love child, AJ Ghent and his singing slide guitar are guaranteed to get audiences moving.

THURSDAY MARCH 19


Schubert Adagio e Rondo Concertante, D. 487 for Piano Quartet

Beethoven Piano Trio No. 1 in E-flat Major, Op. 1

Schubert String Quintet in C Major, D. 956, Op. posth. 163

Daniel Hope, the Mr. & Mrs. Curtis G. Anderson Associate Artistic Director Chair, brings together some of his favorite musical colleagues from across North America and Europe in Savannah each SMF season. Bookended by two of Franz

Schubert’s great works (including his renowned cello quintet), this opening concert is centered around Beethoven’s innovative Piano Trio No. 1 in E-flat Major, Op.1, composed in 1793.

Daniel Hope, violin Benny Kim, violin Philip Dukes, viola Eric Kim, cello Keith Robinson, cello Sebastian Knauer, piano

THURSDAY MARCH 19

6 PM

C H A M B E R M U S I C I

Around Beethoven Trinity United Methodist Church

$47

“Hope is one of the most sought-after violinists of today, as comfortable and experienced

in the field of baroque music and historical performance as

he is versatile and convincing in classical and romantic repertoire.

In this concert all sides of his talent could be heard…Hope and the

Ensemble delighted the audience with great sensitivity, charm and

joyful music making resulting in frenetic standing ovations.”

– NEUE LUZERNER (LUCERNE, SWITZERLAND)


A National Heritage Fellowship Award winner, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement winner, Mavis Staples’ rich, raspy vocals and precise phrasing have been central to the definitive mark she has made on American music. In the six decades since her start within the delta-inflected gospel group The Staples Singers, Ms. Staples has continued

to cultivate a genuine and inspired take on the combination of gospel, soul and folk music. Her two most recent albums (produced by Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy), one of which won a GRAMMY Award, show that Mavis Staples is at the top of her game. Don’t miss this opening weekend concert featuring one of the greats of gospel, soul and R&B!

8 PM

One True Vine: Mavis Staples

Trustees Theater

Tickets start at $25

“More than half a century of American social history is

embodied in the warm, earthy voice of the great R&B gospel

singer Mavis Staples…her grainy, low-voiced, minimally

ornamented singing is rooted to a family tradition that spans more

than 60 years.”– THE NEW YORK TIMES

THURSDAY MARCH 19


7 PM

Southern TroubadoursFeaturing Joe Ely, Ruthie Foster and Paul ThornTrustees Theater | Tickets start at $25

Three distinctly different artists share the stage for an evening of song swapping. Joe Ely (above right), a founding member of The Flatlanders (who played at the Lucas Theatre during SMF 2011) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist whose music touches on honky-tonk, Texas country, Tex-Mex and rock and roll.

Those who have followed Ruthie Foster (right) know that she can burn down any stage with her combustible blend of soul, blues, rock, folk and gospel. Ruthie’s astonishing voice has taken her on an amazing ride, one that has included two SMF performances and house concerts over the past five years. Paul Thorn (above center) has been pleasing crowds for years with his muscular brand of roots music—bluesy, rocking and thoroughly Southern.

12:30 PM

The BoxcarsCharles H. Morris Center | $20

Led by 2014 IBMA Mandolin Player of the Year Adam Steffey and multi-instrumentalist Ron Stewart, The Boxcars (above) originated after the Dan Tyminski Band slowed down its touring in 2010. Teaming up with two leaders from Blue Moon Rising (Keith Garrett and Harold Nixon), The Boxcars began what is still a flourishing collaboration. The band recently welcomed dobro player Gary Hultman, a former student of Adam Steffey in the East Tennessee State University Bluegrass, Old-Time and Country Music program, and alumnus of SMF’s Acoustic Music Seminar (see page 47).

“[Foster] sounds long-suffering, forthright, resilient and

thoroughly at home.”– THE NEW YORK TIMES

FRIDAY MARCH 20


As the leading torchbearer of the classic sound of the late King of Zydeco, Clifton Chenier, Buckwheat Zydeco has performed for over three decades. After spending two years as organist in Chenier’s Red Hot Louisiana Band in the late 70s, Buckwheat took up the accordion, and within a year, he started his own band. He then became the first zydeco artist signed to a major label, and went on to play with Eric Clapton, Ry Cooder and Willie Nelson, among others. On a mission to bring the unique sound of zydeco into the musical mainstream, Buckwheat Zydeco combines traditional Creole tunes with blues and R&B in “one of the best bands in America… a downhome, high-powered celebration,” says The New York Times.

FRIDAY MARCH 20

7 & 9 PM

Zydeco Dance Party: Buckwheat Zydeco

Charles H. Morris Center

$35

“Musical magic in the form of R&B and zydeco music came to town

Sunday night from Lafayette, La., home to these phenomenal Creole

players who have made zydeco a major musical force since their 1979 debut. The whole spectacle

was thoroughly entertaining, and brought to mind the finest elements of showmanship that night during

the Buckwheat Zydeco concert.”– SHORELINE TIMES, NEW HAVEN, CT


7:30 PM

Suor Angelica & Gianni Schicchi

Music by Giacomo Puccini

Libretto by Giovacchino Forzano

Directed by Joachim Schamberger

Conducted by Eugene Kohn

Featuring the Savannah Philharmonic

Lucas Theatre for the Arts


Giacomo Puccini, composer of La Bohème, Tosca and Madame Butterfly, was a leading exponent of Italian “verismo” opera. In the debut of opera at SMF, two of the three one-hour operas from Puccini’s Il Trittico: Suor Angelica (a tragedy) and Gianni Schicchi (a comedy), make up an exciting co-production by SMF and the Savannah VOICE Festival (SVF), featuring the Savannah Philharmonic and members of its chorus under celebrated opera conductor Eugene Kohn.

Suor Angelica (sung by soprano Verónica Villarroel) is the tragic story of a young royal separated from her son by being exiled in a convent. As she awaits word about her life outside the nunnery, a visit from her Princess Aunt (sung by mezzo-soprano Susan Nicely) sheds light on the divergent paths of either eternal damnation or graceful redemption.

The story of Gianni Schicchi (sung by baritone Mark Delavan) is about family, fortune and a clever man from Florence. A spin-off from Dante’s Divine Comedy, the farce centers around the Donati family as they mourn the death of their wealthy uncle, Buoso. Finding he has left his fortune elsewhere, they scheme to recapture his wealth by asking Schicchi to devise a plan. Why should Gianni save them? Because his daughter, Lauretta (sung by Micaëla Oeste), is in love with their nephew!

Sung in Italian with projected English translations, this lavish production comes to life in a virtual set designed and directed by Joachim Schamberger. This special co-production is in honor of Sherrill Milnes’ (renowned baritone and Artistic Director of SVF) 80th birthday.

FRIDAY MARCH 20

A CO-PRODUCTION WITH SAVANNAH VOICE FESTIVAL

IN CELEBRATION OF SHERRILL MILNES’ 80TH BIRTHDAY


Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent forged singular paths as solo artists before connecting —both musically and personally—in Charleston, South Carolina. Since that moment, Shovels & Rope has been on an upward trajectory, performing their unique style of rowdy and rootsy folk-rock. Energetic and copious live shows have played a large part in building Shovels & Rope’s reputation among audiences and their peers—the latter of whom voted for the duo in for two 2013 Americana Music Awards, Emerging Artist of the Year as well as Song of the Year (for the vivid, semi-autobiographical “Birmingham”).

Recently described as “astonishing, unclassifiably original and frighteningly good” by NPR Music, Shakey Graves (pictured page 45) is one of those rare artists whose music inspires the kind of obsessive devotion that compels fans to spend hours searching for more. In his hometown of Austin, Texas, the Mayor has even given Shakey his own local holiday (February 9th is officially “Shakey Graves Day” in Austin). Armed with just a guitar and a homemade kick drum, Shakey Graves “makes the one-man band approach look effortless” (The New York Times).

8 PM

Shovels & Rope/ Shakey Graves

Ships of the Sea North Garden

$35

FRIDAY MARCH 20

“If there is an American rock movement of the now, this acoustic

twosome from Charleston, S.C., is close to the nerve center.”

– THE NEW YORK TIMES


12:30 PM

McIntosh County ShoutersCharles H. Morris Center | $20

The ring shout tradition of the Georgia coast was formed during times of slavery. A compelling fusion of dance, call-and-response singing and percussion (consisting of hand-clapping and beating a stick on the floor), the ring shout has African origins but also contains strong elements of Christian belief. National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) National Heritage Fellows, the McIntosh County Shouters (above) are the foremost practitioners of this tradition, and have become SMF favorites. They are also performing for local schoolchildren grades K-2 as part of SMF’s new Musical Explorers curriculum (see page 46), which uses regional musical traditions to incorporate music into general classroom studies.

3 PM

C H A M B E R M U S I C I I

Orchestral Masterworks by Mozart & MendelssohnFeaturing the Savannah Philharmonic, Daniel Hope, Benny Kim, Philip Dukes and Sebastian Knauer

Lucas Theatre for the Arts | $47

Mozart Piano Concerto No. 9 in E-flat Major, KV 271 “Jeunhomme”

Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in D minor for Violin and Strings

Mendelssohn String Symphony No. 10 in B minor

Mozart Sinfonia Concertante

In this collaborative chamber orchestra program, musicians from the Savannah Philharmonic perform with guest soloists from SMF’s critically acclaimed chamber music series. Featuring rich orchestrations of works by Mozart and Mendelssohn, the centerpiece of this program is Felix Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in D minor, which was written when the composer was just 13 years old. Initially

resurrected by violinist and former prodigy Yehudi Menuhin (Daniel Hope’s teacher and mentor), the concerto was edited for performance and received its US premiere at Carnegie Hall in 1952. Menuhin described the work as “full of invention... it exhibits remarkable freedom and elasticity of form.” The other Mendelssohn piece on this program, the String Symphony No. 10, was written when he was just 14 years old. Pianist and SMF favorite Sebastian Knauer opens the concert as soloist with the Savannah Philharmonic, performing the piano concerto that musicologist Alfred Einstein dubbed Mozart’s “Eroica” (No. 9 in E-flat Major, KV 271). The concert closes with Philip Dukes conducting Mozart’s most successful work in the cross-over genre between symphony and concerto, featuring violin soloist Benny Kim.

SATURDAY MARCH 21


5 & 7:30 PM

Come Rain or Come ShineFeaturing Kurt Ollmann, J.J. Hobbs & Rebecca Flaherty Charles H. Morris Center | $35

This is the first of three days of an original cabaret production featuring Kurt Ollmann, J.J. Hobbs and Rebecca Flaherty.

See page 15 for more information.

5 & 8:15 PM

Blues in the Garden: Heritage Blues OrchestraShips of the Sea North Garden | $35

The Heritage Blues Orchestra (above) is an inspiring testament to the enduring power, possibilities and boundless beauty of the blues. The grit of low-down country and urban blues with the hand-clapping fervor of gospel punctuated with fiery, haunting cries of work songs and pulsating drums that reach back to the roots of it all. Under the musical direction of Vincent Bucher, considered one of the most accomplished harmonica players anywhere, listeners journey across the Middle Passage, drive down Highway 49 from Clarksdale to New Orleans, go from chain gangs and juke joints to orchestra pits, church pews and even back porches.

SATURDAY MARCH 21

“The Heritage Blues Orchestra are like a more potent Carolina

Chocolate Drops, their basic guitar, harmonica and handclap grooves

given further colour and character by bustling drums... Railroad shuffles, swampy slide-guitar

throbs, gospel call-and-response chants and a reggae-like take on

Rosco Gordon’s jump-blues slouch are applied. The results are never

less than infectious.”— THE INDEPENDENT (UK)


Born out of dobro master Jerry Douglas’ lifelong love of the music of Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, the play-on-words band name Earls of Leicester (pronounced “Lester”) is led by Douglas. The band also features acclaimed writer, producer and solo artist Shawn Camp on lead vocals and guitar, renowned Nashville banjoist Charlie Cushman, veteran songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and Hot Rize member Tim O’Brien, second-generation fiddle phenom Johnny Warren and bassist Barry Bales, Douglas’ longtime bandmate in Alison Krauss and Union Station.

7:30 PM

Earls of LeicesterFeaturing Jerry Douglas,

Shawn Camp, Charlie Cushman, Tim O'Brien, Johnny Warren

and Barry BalesTrustees Theater


SATURDAY MARCH 21

“...the silent pilot is the late Josh Graves, the dobro giant who drove

Flatt & Scruggs’ greatest records and served as Douglas’ foremost

formative influence. How epic it is to hear Graves’ royal inspiration edging on such dutiful subjects.”

– LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER


2 PM

Suor Angelica & Gianni SchicchiMusic by Giacomo Puccini

Libretto by Giovacchino Forzano

Directed by Joachim Schamberger

Conducted by Eugene Kohn

Featuring the Savannah Philharmonic



Co-produced by the Savannah Music Festival and Savannah VOICE Festival and featuring the Savannah Philharmonic, this matinée performance closes out the SMF debut of opera with two of the three one-hour operas from Puccini’s Il Trittico: Suor Angelica (a tragedy) and Gianni Schicchi (a comedy).


6 PM

R E C I TA L S I

Nikolai Lugansky, pianoTrinity United Methodist Church | $52

Schubert 2 Scherzos, D. 593

Schubert Sonata No. 19 in C minor, D. 958

Tchaikovsky Selections from The Seasons, Op. 37a: January: By the Hearth, August: The Harvest, November: On the Troika

Tchaikovsky Grand Sonata in G Major, Op. 37

Russian pianist Nikolai Lugansky’s 2011 SMF debut was without a doubt a festival highlight, featuring a primarily Chopin recital that included deft interpretations with dynamics and phrasing that ranged from the lilting and dreamy to the staunchly resolute. He has since performed recitals at venues including Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw, London’s Wigmore

Hall and Madrid’s Auditorio Nacional de Música, toured with the Russian National Orchestra and Mikhail Pletnev and the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Hannu Lintu. He has also appeared at some of the world’s most distinguished classical music festivals, including the BBC Proms, La Roque d’Anthéron, and the Verbier, Rheingau and Edinburgh International festivals. Nikolai Lugansky’s most recent recital recording, featuring Rachmaninov’s two Piano Sonatas, won the Diapason d’Or.

Piano lovers won’t want to miss what will be his triumphant return to Savannah.

SUNDAY MARCH 22


A mainstay of nearly every festival, this year’s original SMF cabaret production comes with the arrival of two new singers in Savannah. Musical theatre/opera star Kurt Ollmann (pictured center) first came to prominence singing on a recording of West Side Story under Leonard Bernstein with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, José Carreras and Marilyn Horne. Ollmann has since sung with leading opera companies and orchestras throughout America and Europe. Sharing this three-day run of “Come Rain or Come Shine” is another new Savannahian, J.J. Hobbs (pictured right), who performs in multiple styles and genres, from opera and art song to musical theatre and jazz. Hobbs has

worked with the Atlanta Opera under William Fred Scott, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus under Robert Shaw, and has performed lead roles with the Baltimore Opera Company and Atlanta Lyric Theatre. Ollmann and Hobbs will also be joined by special guest Rebecca Flaherty (pictured left), a classically-trained soprano who performs, teaches and advocates for the vocal arts throughout the Lowcountry. The program will range from the sultry, bluesy ballads of Harold Arlen to the urbane wit of Stephen Sondheim by way of old-time specialty songs like “Hard-Hearted Hannah (The Vamp of Savannah),” all with intimate conversational patter that is personal, comedic and endearing.

5 & 7:30 PM

Come Rain or Come Shine

Featuring Kurt Ollmann, J.J. Hobbs &

Rebecca Flaherty Charles H. Morris Center

$35

SUNDAY MARCH 22


6 PM

C H A M B E R M U S I C I I I

Brahms & His InfluencesTrinity United Methodist Church | $47

Dvořák Piano Quartet No. 2 in E-flat Major, Op. 87

Webern Langsamer Satz for String Quartet

Brahms String Quintet No. 2 in G Major, Op. 111

Johannes Brahms’ “Prater Quintet,” a viola quintet that the composer intended to be his swan song, anchors this Daniel Hope & Friends concert. The sensational reaction to the quintet’s premiere in 1890 led Brahms to reconsider his earlier declaration: “I have worked enough; now let the young fellows take over.” The program begins with Dvořák’s 2nd piano quartet, one of his most popular chamber pieces. In the words of the late British Dvořák scholar John Clapham: “[it] probably epitomizes more completely the genuine Dvořák style in most of its facets than any other work of his. Laughter and tears, sorrow and gaiety, are found side by side, as

well as many moods that lie between these two extremes.” Also on this program is an important work from one of the founding fathers of the Second Vienna School, Anton Webern.

Daniel Hope, violin Benny Kim, violin Philip Dukes, viola Carla Maria Rodrigues, viola Eric Kim, cello Keith Robinson, cello Sebastian Knauer, piano

12:30

Come Rain or Come ShineFeaturing Kurt Ollmann, J.J. Hobbs & Rebecca Flaherty

Charles H. Morris Center | $20

This is a special lunchtime performance and the last chance to see an original cabaret production at the Morris Center.


FINAL PERFORMANCE!

MONDAY MARCH 23

7:30 PM

The Barr Brothers/The Apache RelayCharles H. Morris Center | $30

Montreal meets Nashville in this two-night stand of folk-rock in the intimate Charles H. Morris Center. The Barr Brothers (above) are Brad Barr on guitar/vocals and Andrew Barr on drums, who began their musical career in Boston with the improvisational rock trio The Slip. They moved to Montreal where they were

joined by classical harpist Sarah Page (who Brad first heard playing through his apartment wall) and pianist/bassist Andrès Vial. They are fresh off an extensive European tour and a new recording, Sleeping Operator, which extends into cinematic and otherworldly territories while maintaining a campfire-like intimacy.

The Apache Relay (opposite page, bottom) came together on the campus of Belmont University in 2008. They toured in support of Mumford & Sons and soon found themselves playing major venues and festivals, including Bonnaroo, the Newport Folk Festival and Voodoo Music Experience, among others.


7:30 PM

The Barr Brothers/ The Apache RelayCharles H. Morris Center | $30

This is the second in a two-night run of folk-rock in the intimate Charles H. Morris Center. See opposite page for more information.

12:30 PM

Dave Stryker QuartetCharles H. Morris Center | $20

Jazz guitar great Dave Stryker (above) has made 25 recordings as a bandleader and as a sideman for such artists as Stanley Turrentine, Jack McDuff and Kevin Mahogany. He has been voted in the Top Ten Guitarists in the DownBeat readers’ poll, and a Rising Star in the DownBeat critics’ poll. Highly regarded as one of the finest jazz guitar instructors, Stryker has been on the faculty of Swing Central Jazz (page 47) since 2009, and has performed in the Finale concert every year. This is his first SMF performance as a leader, so come and find out why Pat Metheny calls Stryker a guitarist with “one of the most joyous feels around.” Stryker is joined by pianist Bill Peterson, bassist Rodney Jordan and drummer Jason Marsalis.

6 PM

Arias & Encores Featuring artists from the Sherrill Milnes VOICE ProgramsChristopher Cano, piano Directed by Maria Zouves

Trinity United Methodist Church | $35

As part of the operatic offerings of SMF and its collaboration with the Savannah VOICE Festival and VOICExperience, artists from Puccini’s Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi (see page 9) give

an exciting encore performance that includes favorites from the canons of opera, musical theater and song. Featuring the artists from the Savannah VOICE Festival’s 2014 season, this specially conceived program showcases some of the best new talent in opera and musical theatre.

TUESDAY MARCH 24


12:30 PM

Bouncin’ with Bud: Tardo Hammer plays Bud PowellCharles H. Morris Center | $20

For more than three decades, jazz pianist Tardo Hammer (above) has been a major figure in New York’s bebop scene, having played with Johnny Griffin, Art Farmer, Junior Cook and Lionel Hampton, among many others. In this special lunchtime concert, Hammer will showcase the compositions of Bud Powell, the great bebop pianist, who along with his colleague Thelonious Monk, took Charlie Parker’s musical language and adapted it to the piano. In an interview with JazzTimes, Hammer remarked: “Bud Powell has so much to say… His music, it just has everything—he can play a ballad and make you cry, romp an uptempo and swing his ass off, and play the blues.”

5:30 & 8 PM

Warren Vaché Quintet plays Benny Carter/ Jason Marsalis Vibes QuartetCharles H. Morris Center | $35

Trumpet player Warren Vaché (right) returns to Savannah with his own quintet, following his 2014 appearance in the SMF production of “Ladies Sing the Blues” featuring Catherine Russell and Charenee Wade. Warren Vaché’s style has been influenced by a great variety of the classic players—Louis Armstrong, George “Pee Wee” Erwin (with whom Vaché studied for many years), Roy Eldridge, Bobby Hackett, Clifford Brown, Blue Mitchell and Billy Butterfield, among others—while developing his own inimitable style. This program features the music of jazz giant Benny Carter, the multi-instrumentalist, composer, bandleader and distinguished NEA Jazz Master whose arrangements were featured on recordings by Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Count Basie and numerous Hollywood movie soundtracks. Vaché’s quintet features tenor saxophonist Houston Person (who wowed 2012 SMF audiences performing with Bill Charlap and leading his own quartet), pianist Tardo Hammer, bassist Nicki Parrott and drummer Leroy Williams.

Percussionist Jason Marsalis (above) has performed in nearly every Savannah Music Festival since 2004, in addition to working as a core clinician at Swing Central Jazz (see page 47) and serving as Music Director in last year’s finale concert, “Kind of Blue: Miles, Trane and Cannonball.” In recent years,

Marsalis has led his own band in which he performs on the vibraphone. Exploring a vast range of material that includes compositions by Bobby Hutcherson and Hermeto Pascoal, the quartet primarily focuses on Marsalis’ original compositions. While this band plays with the dynamic control and precision of a chamber ensemble, their bluesy authority and improvisational firepower leave no doubt as to why Jason Marsalis was named an NEA Jazz Master along with his father Ellis and his brothers Branford, Wynton and Delfeayo. He will be joined by Austin Johnson on piano, Will Goble on bass and Dave Potter on drums.

WEDNESDAY MARCH 25


Sor Introduction and Variations on a Theme by Mozart, Op. 9

Regondi Rêverie, Op. 19

Granados Danza No. 2, Oriental

Bach Chaconne, BWV 1004

De Falla Danza del Molinero (arr. Lewin)

De Falla Homenaje

De Falla Danza Española No. 1 (arr. Lewin)

Rodrigo Invocation and Dance

Velazquez Besame mucho (arr. Assad)

Ben Jor Mas que nada (arr. Assad)

Ginastera Sonata for Guitar, Op. 47

Since his sold-out 2012 SMF debut, 30-year old classical guitarist Miloš Karadaglić has become the pride of Montenegro, topping the UK classical charts and touring the world over as “the biggest classical-guitar phenomenon since

John Williams in the 1960s and Julian Bream a decade below” (Sunday Times, UK). Miloš’ passion for the guitar is matched with an intuitive sense of how to bring the instrument across to his public—whether it be for an audience of thousands in the Royal Albert Hall or an intimate chamber music performance for 100 people. He enjoys performing in major concert halls

as much as in non-traditional venues such as New York’s Le Poisson Rouge, London’s Camden Roundhouse (iTunes Festival) and Deutsche Grammophon’s Yellow Lounge club nights in London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Madrid, New York, LA, Miami and Seoul.

“...a thoughtful, intelligent artist, as supple in his phrasing as he is

generous in his use of colour.”– GRAMOPHONE MAGAZINE

6 PM

R E C I TA L S I I

Miloš Karadaglić, guitar

Trinity United Methodist Church

$52

WEDNESDAY MARCH 25


12:30 PM

Warren Vaché plays Benny CarterCharles H. Morris Center | $20

This is an exclusive lunchtime performance by the Warren Vaché Quintet, featuring tenor saxophonist Houston Person, Tardo Hammer on piano, Nicki Parrott on bass and Leroy Williams on drums.


6 PM

C H A M B E R M U S I C I V

Early MastersTrinity United Methodist Church | $47

Schubert String Trio in B-flat Major, D. 471

Schumann Piano Quartet in C minor, WoO 32 (1829)

Borodin String Sextet in D minor

Mendelssohn Piano Sextet in D Major, Op. 110

Often times, the works in a composer’s formative period are the ones that propel and shape their career. In a look at the early masterworks of several great 19th century composers, this program brings together the nucleus of Daniel Hope’s European and U.S. colleagues. This concert marks the 2015

return of bassist Joseph Conyers, a Savannah native and Assistant Principal Bass of the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Daniel Hope, violin Benny Kim, violin Philip Dukes, viola Carla Maria Rodrigues, viola Eric Kim, cello Keith Robinson, cello Joseph Conyers, double bass Simon Crawford-Phillips, piano Sebastian Knauer, piano

8 PM

Kodo One Earth Tour: MysteryLucas Theatre for the Arts | Tickets start at $25

Excitingly varied, marvelously theatrical, fascinating from start to finish, with moments of vivid physical excitement, Kodo is a group of dancers and drummers from Japan who explore the limitless possibilities of the traditional Japanese “taiko” drum. Kodo is forging new directions for a vibrant musical and theatrical art form, and since the group’s debut at the Berlin Festival in 1981, Kodo has given over 3,700 performances on five continents. They spend about a third of the year overseas, a third touring in Japan and a third rehearsing and preparing

new material in their home on Sado Island. Of the “Mystery” program that will be performed in Savannah, Artistic Director Tamasaburo Bando remarks, “This time, I created this piece with the idea that theatre-goers would experience the mood of mystery that they meet at a temple or a shrine, or when you go into the forest—places that are removed from daily life. A feeling that emerges from deep darkness. At the end of the show, I’ll be happy if they leave with a sense of purification.” Audiences can expect a visual and aural delight at Kodo’s SMF debut!

THURSDAY MARCH 26


SMF audiences will remember trumpeter, bandleader, educator and composer Sean Jones (above) from when he performed at SMF 2012 with Jon Faddis or SMF 2010 with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (JLCO), but his current quartet is his finest project to date. Jones was originally a drummer but discovered the trumpet at the age of 10 upon hearing Miles Davis. He went on to hold the lead trumpet chair in the JLCO for six years, and toured with Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock on the “Tribute To Miles” tour, among many other musical accomplishments. He is presently the Brass Department Chair at Berklee College of Music. Jones will be joined by Orrin Evans on piano, Luques Curtis on bass and Obed Calvaire on drums.

Warren Wolf (right) first performed at SMF 2003 with Lewis Nash and has since made appearances here as a leader and as a sideman with Aaron Diehl and Walter Blanding. Endless possibilities open up when Wolf stands over the vibraphone, and his “Wolfpack” quartet plays with soul and fire. He has performed and/or

recorded with a wide variety of jazz musicians, including the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Nicholas Payton, Aaron Goldberg, Cyrus Chestnut, Willie Jones, Eric Reed, Mulgrew Miller, Ron Carter, Esperanza Spalding and many others. Wolf will be joined by Alex Brown on piano, Kris Funn on bass and Billy Williams, Jr. on drums.

THURSDAY MARCH 26

6:30 & 9 PM

Sean Jones Quartet/

Warren Wolf &

WolfpackCharles H. Morris Center

$35


12:30 PM

Sean Jones QuartetCharles H. Morris Center | $20

This is an exclusive lunchtime performance by the Sean Jones Quartet, featuring Orrin Evans on piano, Luques Curtis on bass and Obed Calvaire on drums.


10 PM

Late Night Jam with Sean Jones Quartet featuring Wycliffe Gordon & FriendsCharles H. Morris Center | $30

A highlight of every festival season has become the annual late night jazz jam, which wraps up our week with Swing Central Jazz in a fiery concert at the Charles H. Morris Center. This year, the Sean Jones Quartet provides the backbone to the jam and will welcome a variety of musicians including acclaimed soloists such as Wycliffe Gordon, Marcus Roberts, Warren Vaché and many others. A must-see for fans of swing and improvisation!

7 PM

The Louis Armstrong Continuum/Swing Central Jazz FinaleLucas Theatre for the Arts | Tickets start at $22

Following performances by the top three finalists from the Swing Central Jazz competition (see page 47 for more information about Swing Central Jazz), this original production will be an evening devoted to the legacy of Louis Armstrong, an American genius of 20th century

music. Groups led by Marcus Roberts, Warren Vaché and Wycliffe Gordon (above) will all be featured, performing such classics as “Dear Old Southland,” “On the Sunny Side of the Street,” “Mahogany Hall Stomp” and other treasures from the repertoire of Louis Armstrong.

FRIDAY MARCH 27

“Swing Central Jazz... an all-star galaxy.”

– JAZZ TIMES


Debussy La plus que lente

Debussy Estampes

Chopin Ballade No. 2 in F Major, Op. 38

Chopin Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23

Chopin Ballade No. 3 in A-flat Major, Op. 47

Chopin Ballade No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52

Debussy Children’s Corner

Debussy L’isle joyeuse

Named by The Economist as one of 20 Living Polymaths, British pianist Stephen Hough is a rare renaissance man of our time, and was conferred as a Commander of the British Empire

by Queen Elizabeth II. Over the course of a long and distinguished career as one of the world’s leading concert pianists, he has also excelled as a writer and composer. In 2001, he was the first classical performing artist to receive a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship. At the piano, he combines an exceptional facility and tonal palette with a uniquely inquisitive musical personality, and his musical achievements have resulted in many awards and accolades for his concerts and a discography of more than fifty recordings. He has appeared with almost all of the major European and American orchestras and plays recitals regularly in halls and concert series around the world.

6 PM

R E C I TA L S I I I

Stephen Hough, piano


$52

FRIDAY MARCH 27

“A virtuoso who begins where others leave off.”

– WASHINGTON POST


Named for an Autumn harvest festival, Lúnasa is without a doubt one of the most prolific and enduring bands in Irish music. Comprised of Seán Smyth (fiddle and low whistles), Kevin Crawford (flute, low whistles and tin whistles), Cillian Vallely (uilleann pipes and low whistles), Trevor Hutchinson (double bass) and the group’s newest member Ed Boyd (guitar), Lúnasa delivers music with a passion that informs every note and

continues to define and redefine the genre. Their innovative arrangements and unique approach to the music create a singular sound that has propelled Irish acoustic music from familiar ground into surprising and exciting new territory. Called “the hottest Irish acoustic group on the planet” by The New York Times, this is Lúnasa’s first SMF performance since their debut on St. Patrick’s Day in 2006.

8 PM

LúnasaShips of the Sea North Garden

$35

FRIDAY MARCH 27


American rock, folk, blues and country music singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams is one of a kind. She has been maneuvering down a musical path all her own for more than three decades since emerging from Lake Charles, Louisiana, a town with rich traditions of indigenous American music. Several years of playing the hardscrabble clubs of her adopted state of Texas gave her a solid enough footing to record a self-titled album that would become a touchstone for the Americana movement—

helping launch a thousand musical ships along the way. More than 30 years later, after having been named “America’s best songwriter” by TIME Magazine in 2002, Williams’ distinctive delta-infused country soul sound is as strong as ever. Though her songs offer poetry filled with pain and longing, Williams says, “People misunderstand me and think I’m this depressed person, and I’m not. At the end of the day, I’m an optimist.”

8:30 PM

Lucinda WilliamsTrustees Theater


FRIDAY MARCH 27

“She’s pithy and penetrating, bruised but steadfast, proud of the

grain and drawl of her voice. Her music places itself in a vanishing,

idealized Southland where country, soul, blues and gospel

all share a common spirit and a vocabulary of twang.”



Murray Perahia’s Savannah debut could be the most highly anticipated classical piano event in the history of SMF. In the more than 40 years that he has been performing on the concert stage, Perahia has become one of the most sought-after and cherished pianists of our time, performing in all of the major international music centers and with every leading orchestra. He is the Principal Guest Conductor of the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, with whom he has toured as conductor and pianist

throughout the world. He is the recipient of two GRAMMY Awards, for his recordings of Chopin’s complete Études and Bach’s English Suites Nos. 1, 3 and 6, and has won several Gramophone Awards. Perahia is an honorary fellow of the Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music, and he holds honorary doctorates from Leeds University and Duke University. In 2004, he was awarded an honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II, in recognition of his outstanding service to music.

3 PM

R E C I TA L S I V

Murray Perahia, piano


$70

“The qualities that make Perahia one of today’s leading artists of the keyboard lie in his ability to

shine a penetrating and personal light on such music, in such a

way that there is nothing at all ‘standard’ about it. In other

words, the commanding insights he brings to this repertory are more than enough to breathe freshness and distinction into

works we’ve heard many times before, but seldom played at this

inspired level.”– CHICAGO TRIBUNE

SATURDAY MARCH 28


12:30 PM

Marcus Roberts TrioCharles H. Morris Center | $35

SMF Associate Artistic Director Marcus Roberts (above) offers another extraordinary look into his original artistry with a rare full-concert SMF appearance with his trio featuring bassist Rodney Jordan and drummer Jason Marsalis. After nearly 20 years of performing together, the near telepathic sound of the Marcus Roberts Trio is one in which all the musicians share equally in shaping the direction of the music through changing its tempo, mood, texture or form, through a system of musical cues. As a result, each

trio member’s enormous individual talent is showcased along with the powerfully rhythmic group sound. One of the most enjoyable aspects of a Marcus Roberts Trio concert is that these three musicians are really having fun playing together, which means you’re in for a lunchtime set that is sure to be enjoyable and swinging.

5 & 8:30 PM

New Orleans Soul & Brass Party: Irma Thomas/ Dirty Dozen Brass BandShips of the Sea North Garden | $40

Internationally heralded as the “Soul Queen of New Orleans,” singer Irma Thomas (right) had her first hit single “You Can Have My Husband, But Don’t Mess with My Man” (1960) when she was just 19 years old. With a career spanning six decades, Thomas is a Louisiana Music Hall of Famer and GRAMMY Award winning artist. Growing up listening to Mahalia Jackson and Pearl Bailey, Thomas developed a rich vocal style with an awareness of what it means to be a true entertainer. She remains one of America’s most distinctive singers, a treasure from the golden age of soul music whose performances are as compelling and powerful as ever.

In 1977, The Dirty Dozen Social and Pleasure Club in New Orleans began showcasing a traditional Crescent City brass band. It was a joining of two proud, antiquated traditions at the time: social and pleasure clubs dated back over a century to when black southerners could rarely afford life insurance and the clubs would provide proper funeral arrangements. Brass bands, early predecessors of jazz, would often follow the funeral procession playing somber dirges, before

bursting into jubilant tunes as casual onlookers danced in the streets. By the late 70s, few of either existed. Thirty-seven years later, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band (DDBB; top) is a world famous music ensemble whose name is synonymous with genre-bending romps and high-octane performances. The DDBB has maintained an appetite for musicological adventure, a commitment to honor tradition while not being constrained by it, and a healthy sense of humor. Whether reinvigorating standards or looking beyond the New Orleans songbook, the DDBB remains a wellspring of musical inspiration and a living, breathing embodiment of the Crescent City sound.

“We call him ‘the genius of the modern piano,’ because he is.”

– WYNTON MARSALIS

SATURDAY MARCH 28


For a dozen years beginning in 1978, the band Hot Rize was arguably the most influential bluegrass band of its time. While their name was a knowing nod to Flatt & Scruggs’ long-time flour mill sponsor, Hot Rize’s music was and is equally informed by a taste for the music of Leadbelly and Freddie King, swing, old-time Appalachia and more in ways that mirror the broad sweep of Bill Monroe’s influences. So when Hot Rize retired in 1990, it was natural for members to go on to distinguished careers of their own, although there was an occasional group reunion. Now, 24 years after their last studio album, this

incredible foursome brings an even deeper strength to bear with a new recording and tour. Multi-instrumentalist and singer Tim O’Brien, who closed out SMF 2014 with Darrell Scott at the Acoustic Music Seminar finale, performs alongside early members Pete Wernick and Nick Forster. Renowned flatpicker Bryan Sutton, in place of the late Charles Sawtelle, says “Nobody’s been a bigger Hot Rize fan than me, and that’s a perspective I’ve tried to maintain as a member of the band. I’m excited about this new record, and I can’t wait to introduce new fans to the Hot Rize experience.”

7:30 PM

Hot RizeTrustees Theater


SATURDAY MARCH 28


“Original compositions richly imbued with tradition; superb arrangements

with an international flavor; and a world-class band that delivers with

great precision.”– LATIN JAZZ NETWORK

8 PM

Atlanta Symphony OrchestraRobert Spano, Music Director Lynn Harrell, celloLucas Theatre for the Arts | Tickets start at $32

Dvořák Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104, B. 191 Lynn Harrell, cello

Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36

In their tenth consecutive SMF appearance, the world-renowned Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (above) brings a powerful program of symphonic masterworks. Music sometimes expresses feelings better than words. Dvořák’s Cello Concerto captures all of the grandeur of a big symphonic concerto and conveys the composer’s grief at the loss of his sister-in-law, Josefina, with whom he was deeply in love (in spite of being married to her sister). Tchaikovsky once wrote, “an artist lives a double life: an everyday human life and an artistic life, and the two do not always go hand in hand.” His Fourth Symphony is a clear expression of that struggle to find his artistic voice, and it remains one of the most frequently performed symphonies of the late 19th century, while also ranking as one of Tchaikovsky’s finest.

8 & 10:30 PM

Latin Dance Party: Adonis Puentes & The Voice of Cuba OrchestraCharles H. Morris Center | $35

Fronting a dynamite ten-piece band, Cuban born Adonis Puentes (above) is a GRAMMY-nominated singer and bandleader who opens up the marvelous world of Cuban music with syncopated rhythms, propulsive bass lines, nuanced horn arrangements and melodic piano and guitar. Back in the dance-friendly environs of the Charles H. Morris Center, audiences can expect joyful performances of hip-shaking song at this year’s Latin Dance Party. Come dance the night away!

SATURDAY MARCH 28


4:30 & 7 PM

Giants of Texas Swing: Hot Club of Cowtown/Asleep at the WheelCharles H. Morris Center | $40

This three-day run at the Charles H. Morris Center brings together two of the most influential bands playing western swing today, Hot Club of Cowtown (above)and Asleep at the Wheel (page 32). With similarities to gypsy jazz, western swing is a toe-tapping, danceable amalgamation of a variety of styles including cowboy country, polka, folk, Dixieland jazz and swing, whose most notable exponent was Bob Wills & the Texas Playboys.

3 PM

C H A M B E R M U S I C V

Emerson String QuartetTemple Mickve Israel | $52

Beethoven String Quartet No. 12 in E-flat Major, Op. 127

Beethoven String Quartet No. 15 in A minor, Op. 132

Making their fifth appearance at SMF (and first since the 2012 season), this all-Beethoven concert marks the first time Savannah audiences can see the renowned Emerson String Quartet (above) with new cellist Paul Watkins in action. The arrival of Watkins in 2013 has had a profound effect on the Emerson Quartet. Watkins, a distinguished soloist, award-winning conductor and devoted chamber musician, joined the ensemble in its 37th season, and his dedication and enthusiasm have infused the Quartet with a warm, rich tone and a palpable joy in the collaborative process. The reconfigured group has been greeted with impressive accolades.

Eugene Drucker, violin Philip Setzer, violin Lawrence Dutton, viola Paul Watkins, cello

SUNDAY MARCH 29

“One of the characteristics of the Emerson Quartet is that its

players all have the ability and the instruments to produce a sweet and glossy sound—but do so sparingly. Instead, they establish a chromatic

scale of timbres that range from dry and tart over clean and zesty all the

way to lustrous and singing.”– THE NEW YORK TIMES


MONDAY MARCH 30

6 PM

C H A M B E R M U S I C V I

Emerson String Quartet with Daniel Hope & FriendsTrinity United Methodist Church | $52

Ravel String Quartet in F Major

Liebermann String Quartet No. 5, Op. 126

Bruch Octet for Strings in B-flat Major (Op. posth.)

The Emerson String Quartet opens this concert with Ravel’s String Quartet in F Major, one of the most widely performed works in the chamber music repertoire. Despite early pushback from the Parisian press and academia, in addition to criticisms of the work by Gabriel Fauré (to whom it was dedicated), the Quartet in F Major was a pivotal point in Ravel’s career and marks the start of his rise from obscurity. Liebermann’s String Quartet No. 5 was commissioned by Music Accord for the Emerson String Quartet. This program concludes with the Bruch Octet for

Strings performed by Daniel Hope & Friends with three members of the Emerson: Eugene Drucker, Lawrence Dutton and Paul Watkins. The octet was one of Bruch’s final works, and was lost after his death until 1996, when it premiered.

Lorenza Borrani, violin Eugene Drucker, violin Daniel Hope, violin Benny Kim, violin Philip Setzer, violin Lawrence Dutton, viola Carla Maria Rodrigues, viola Paul Watkins, cello Joseph Conyers, double bass

12:30 PM

Julian Lage & Jorge RoederCharles H. Morris Center | $20

Guitarist, composer and arranger Julian Lage (above) is often categorized as a jazz musician, though his music is also rooted in traditional and acoustic forms. In addition to five prior SMF performances both solo and with a variety of collaborators including Mark O’Connor, Martin Taylor, Mike Marshall and Casey Driessen, Julian Lage has served on the faculty of SMF’s Acoustic Music Seminar (see page 47) since its inception in 2012. For this special lunchtime concert, Lage is joined by Jorge Roeder, one of the most versatile bassists on the New York jazz scene. Roeder was awarded first prize at the 2007 International Society Of Bassists Jazz Competition, was a semi-finalist at the 2009 Thelonious Monk Jazz Bass Competition, and has played with such luminaries as Steve Lacy, Gary Burton and Kenny Werner. In this duo project, Julian Lage and Jorge Roeder display incredible musicianship, creative improvisation and boundless creativity.


Hot Club of Cowtown’s influences have always been as much the musette music of the smoky bistros of 1930s Paris as they are the hoedowns and Western swing of the mythic American West. Praised for their “down-home melodies and exuberant improvisation” (The Times of London), the Hot Club has set up camp “at that crossroads where country meets jazz and chases the blues away” (The Independent), and “conscious always that above all else, the music is for dancing and an old-fashioned good time” (The New York Times).

Asleep at the Wheel (above) has seen miles and miles of Texas. They got their kicks on Route 66, and in 2010, the band clicked another milestone on the odometer—their 40th anniversary. Altogether, they have won nine

GRAMMY Awards since their 1970 inception. In their career, they have released more than twenty studio albums, and have charted more than twenty singles on the Billboard country charts. The band continues to introduce the western swing genre to new generations of listeners. Taking a page from Bob Wills’ book, the band has constantly toured at a national level throughout its history, with anywhere from 7 to 15 of the finest players that founder Ray Benson could talk into jumping on the bus to play a string of dates. The alumni roster is over 80+ members, and includes an impressive list of musicians who have gone on to perform with artists such as Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Lyle Lovett and many more.

5 & 7:30 PM

Giants of Texas Swing: Hot Club of Cowtown/

Asleep at the WheelCharles H. Morris Center

$40

MONDAY MARCH 30


Kayhan Kalhor is an acclaimed Persian musician and a founding member of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble. A virtuoso on the kamancheh (spike fiddle), his performances of traditional Persian music and his unique collaborations have attracted audiences around the globe. In his SMF debut, Kalhor will be performing with the string quartet Brooklyn Rider (pictured page 34 with Béla Fleck and on back cover), an adventurous, genre-defying string quartet that combines a wildly eclectic repertoire with a gripping performance style that is attracting legions

of fans and drawing critical acclaim from music reviewers from all genres. NPR credits Brooklyn Rider with “recreating the 300-year-old form of string quartet as a vital and creative 21st-century ensemble.” The musicians play in concert halls and clubs, in venues as varied as Joe’s Pub in New York City, the San Francisco Jazz Festival, Todai-ji Temple in Japan, the Library of Congress and SxSW. In addition to multiple performances, Brooklyn Rider will be teaching young musicians during SMF’s Acoustic Music Seminar (see page 47).

8 PM

Kayhan Kalhor &

Brooklyn RiderLucas Theatre for the Arts


MONDAY MARCH 30


11 AM

C H A M B E R M U S I C V I I

Vive la FranceTrinity United Methodist Church | $30

Ravel Sonata No. 1 for Violin and Piano (posthume)

Saint-Saëns Piano Quartet No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 41

Milhaud Sonatine for Violin and Viola, Op. 226

Chausson Piano Quartet in A Major, Op. 30

This all-French program spotlights two of the great works in the piano quartet literature. Though Saint-Saëns and Chausson both wrote opera and song, areas of primary focus for many of their contemporaries, the two composers stood out with their substantial contributions to the chamber music repertoire.

Lorenza Borrani, violin Daniel Hope, violin Benny Kim, violin Carla Maria Rodrigues, viola Eric Kim, cello Keith Robinson, cello Simon Crawford-Phillips, piano

5 & 7:30 PM

Giants of Texas Swing: Hot Club of Cowtown/Asleep at the WheelCharles H. Morris Center | $40

This is the last of three nights of this double bill of hot Texas Swing at the Charles H. Morris Center.


7:30 PM

Béla Fleck with Brooklyn RiderLucas Theatre for the Arts | Tickets start at $25

Banjoist/composer Béla Fleck has performed on seven different occasions at SMF, each time with distinctly different projects. His 2015 appearance will be no exception, as he joins forces with the acclaimed string quartet Brooklyn Rider (see page 33) during their 2015 SMF residency. Of this new collaboration, Béla Fleck remarks: “After doing my research on string quartets, a powerful tide pushed me towards Brooklyn Rider, one of the very special groups playing in this format today. They play a lot of new music, and the format of banjo with string quartet was so compelling that we decided to create a whole night of music and tour with it.” Fleck has written several new compositions for the ensemble, which will be showcased at this concert.

TUESDAY MARCH 31

FINAL PERFORMANCE!


11 AM

C H A M B E R M U S I C V I I I

Brooklyn RiderTrinity United Methodist Church | $30

Celebrating its 10th anniversary together, Brooklyn Rider is one of today’s most technically accomplished string quartets, attracting legions of fans and drawing critical acclaim from classical, world and rock critics. Their latest recording Almanac is a multi-disciplinary project for which the quartet commissioned 15 new works, each inspired by a respective artistic muse, by composers ranging from Wilco’s Glenn Kotche of indie rock fame to jazz icon Bill Frisell, to singer-songwriter Aoife O’Donovan. The quartet charged the composers with an inspired framing device: Each work should take the output of another creative muse of the last 50 years as its inspiration. This concert will feature a selection of works from Almanac.

Johnny Gandelsman, violin Colin Jacobsen, violin Nicholas Cords, viola Eric Jacobsen, cello

12:30 PM

Mike Marshall & Choro FamosoCharles H. Morris Center | $35

Associate Director of SMF’s Acoustic Music Seminar (see page 47), Mike Marshall is one of the world’s most accomplished mandolinists. Marshall began his love affair with the music of Brazil after a visit there, before embarking on an in-depth study of the roots of the Brazilian choro (see page 36). This obsession has led to recordings and concerts with some of Brazil’s finest musicians, including Hamilton de Holanda,

Danilo Brito, Jovino Santos Neto and Hermeto Pascoal. His group Choro Famoso has helped spearhead a wave in the U.S. for this infectious style and features clarinetist/soprano saxophonist Andy Connell, 7-string guitarist Colin Walker and percussionist and pandeiro player Brian Rice. Their new recording, Segunda Vez, spans virtually the entire history of the choro from 1870 to the present, forming the repertoire of this concert.

6 PM

R E C I TA L S V

Paul Lewis, pianoTrinity United Methodist Church | $52

BeethovenSonata No. 30 in E Major, Op. 109Sonata No. 31 in A-flat Major, Op. 110Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111

Paul Lewis’ (above) cycles of piano works by Beethoven and Schubert have received unanimous critical and public acclaim across the globe, solidifying his reputation as one of the world’s foremost interpreters of European classical repertoire. His numerous awards have included the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Instrumentalist of the Year, two Edison awards, three Gramophone awards, the Premio

Internazionale Accademia Musicale Chigiana, and others. Lewis performs regularly as soloist with the world’s greatest orchestras, and as a recitalist in the major halls of Vienna, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin, Zurich, Barcelona and Sydney. He is also a frequent guest at festivals including Lucerne, Mostly Mozart, Tanglewood, Salzburg, Edinburgh, La Roque d’Antheron and The BBC Proms.

“There are many prized recordings of the Beethoven sonatas from

past masters and current artists. But if I had to recommend a single

complete set, I would suggest Mr. Lewis’ distinguished recordings.”


WEDNESDAY APRIL 1


When French composer Darius Milhaud first heard Brazilian pianist Ernesto Nazareth playing in downtown Rio de Janeiro, he stated that it gave him a deeper insight into the Brazilian soul. Nazareth was a formative figure in the development of the Brazilian choro, the instrumental popular Brazilian music that originated in 19th century Rio, which will be showcased on this evening by the group Choro Famoso, featuring mandolinist Mike Marshall (above right), clarinetist Andy Connell, 7-string guitarist Colin Walker and percussionist and pandeiro player Brian Rice. A native of Rio de Janeiro, Clarice Assad (above left) was born into one of Brazil’s most famous musical families

(she is the daughter of Sergio Assad, one of today’s preeminent guitarists and composers), and has performed professionally since the age of seven. Versatile, sophisticated and accomplished, Clarice Assad is a sought after symphonic composer, arranger, producer, jazz pianist and vocalist of musical depth and ability. Off The Cliff is Assad’s group that mixes Brazilian music with other styles featuring drummer/percussionist Keita Ogawa and João Luiz Rezende on guitar, bass, cavaquinho and banjo. They will perform original interpretations of works by such Brazilian composers as Milton Nasciemento, Caetano Veloso and others, all comprising the Brazilian soul.

8 PM

The Brazilian Soul Featuring

Mike Marshall & Choro Famoso Clarice Assad Off The Cliff



WEDNESDAY APRIL 1


11 AM

C H A M B E R M U S I C I X

Bruch & Brahms Hosted by SMF Associate Artistic Director Daniel HopeUnitarian Universalist Church | $30

Bruch Selections from Eight pieces for Violin, Viola and Piano, Op. 83

Brahms Piano Quartet No. 2 in A Major, Op. 26

In a recent article in The Guardian (UK) entitled “The Best of Brahms: Lesser-Known Treats,” SMF Associate Artistic Director Daniel Hope remarked, “Brahms plays such an important role in my musical life. Curiously, his Piano Quartet No. 2 in A Major, Op. 26, has fallen somewhat from grace over the years. And yet during Brahms’ lifetime this was the more often performed of his three piano quartets. Its ‘divine length’ at 50 minutes, and its

appreciation of Schubert, make it a rewarding and inspiring piece to study and perform.” Bruch’s “Eight Pieces” are a product of the 19th century cultural climate, epitomizing the aspects of Romantic thought that glorified the sensual, the emotive and the sentimental.

Lorenza Borrani, violin Carla Maria Rodrigues, viola Eric Kim, cello Simon Crawford-Phillips, piano

12:30 PM

The World of Clarice AssadFeaturing Off The Cliff & Mike MarshallCharles H. Morris Center | $25

A visionary composer and virtuoso pianist who draws on Heitor Villa-Lobos and Hermeto Pascoal in equal measure, and an overall practitioner of vocalese, Brazilian native Clarice Assad (above) is as comfortable performing with a symphony orchestra as with her ancient-to-future unit Off The Cliff, which, as she puts it, “uses different combinations of instruments from song to song so that it never sounds the same.”

THURSDAY APRIL 2


Vusi Mahlasela (above right) is simply known as “The Voice” in his home country, South Africa, and is celebrated for his distinctive, powerful voice and his poetic, optimistic lyrics. His songs of hope connect Apartheid-scarred South Africa with its promise for a better future. Vusi Mahlasela has shared the stage with Dave Matthews Band, Sting, Josh Groban, Paul Simon, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Hugh Masekela, Angelique Kidjo, Ray LaMontagne, Amos Lee and many more. His captivating performance during the SMF 2009 presentation of the Béla Fleck Africa Project was remarkable, and his return to SMF features some of South Africa’s most revered musicians. Bassist Bakithi Kumalo played on the original “Graceland” tour with Paul Simon, with whom he has toured regularly since 1986, and has also collaborated with Herbie Hancock and Gloria Estefan. Ian Herman is widely considered to be South Africa’s most gifted drummer and has backed Paul Simon, George Duke and many others. Mongezi Chris Ntaka was the former lead guitarist with Lucky Dube and the Slaves (Africa’s top selling artist), and is known for his strong rhythm playing and warm tone.

Learning guitar from his father and banjo and fiddle from his grandfather, Dirk Powell

(above left) has expanded on the deeply rooted sounds of his Appalachian heritage to become one of the preeminent traditional American musicians of his generation. Having recorded and performed with artists such as Emmylou Harris, Levon Helm, Jack White, Joan Baez, Steve Earle, Kris Kristofferson and Linda Ronstadt, his ability to unite the essence of traditional culture with modern sensibilities has also led to work with such film directors as Ang Lee, Anthony Minghella, Spike Lee and Victor Nuñez. He was a founding member of the Cajun group Balfa Toujours and has been a regularly featured artist in the BBC series The Transatlantic Sessions. Powell’s soulful and emotionally fearless music has carried him to a unique place in today’s musical landscape—one where tradition, innovation and inspiration meet without borders. Riley Baugus (see page 40) represents the best of old-time American banjo and song. Starting on the fiddle, Baugus quickly moved on to the banjo, building his first instrument from scrap wood with his father. When not teaching or building banjos, Baugus can be found out on the road performing. As solo performers, Dirk Powell and Riley Baugus are each superb. Together, they are an old-time music dream.

“I’ve seen [Vusi] perform around the world and he never fails to connect with sparkling results

and joyous energy.”– TAJ MAHAL

6:30 & 9 PM

South Africa meets the American South:

Vusi Mahlasela/ Dirk Powell & Riley BaugusCharles H. Morris Center

$35

THURSDAY APRIL 2


BOX OFFICE 912.525.5050 INFO & TICKETS savannahmusicfestival.org

THURSDAY APRIL 2

Since 1997, American songwriter, guitarist and author Josh Ritter has been creating some of the best folk-rock music to hit the airwaves. He has seen tremendous growth as an artist, and his unique style has been treasured by an ever-growing fan base. In 2006, Josh was named one of the 100 Greatest Living Songwriters by

Paste Magazine. Currently on an acoustic world tour, Ritter has put together new arrangements spanning his entire collection of works. With a distinctive Americana style and unforgettable narrative lyrics, Josh Ritter never fails to captivate audiences.

8 PM

Josh RitterLucas Theatre for the Arts


“How refreshing and inspiring it is to encounter a young artist whose

achievements match his ambitions.”– THE WASHINGTON POST


FRIDAY APRIL 3

12:30 PM

Dirk Powell & Riley BaugusCharles H. Morris Center | $20

This is an exclusive lunchtime performance by two masters of old-time music Dirk Powell and Riley Baugus (above).


6 PM

Acoustic Music Seminar Finale: Stringband SpectacularFeaturing Mike Marshall, Casey Driessen and Julian LageLucas Theatre for the Arts | Tickets start at $15

After five days of collaborations and instruction by some of the world’s finest acoustic musicians, the 16 participants of the 2015 Acoustic Music Seminar (AMS) present their latest compositions in an original program. This fourth annual “Stringband Spectacular” will feature performances by Casey Driessen, AMS

Associate Director Mike Marshall and lead clinician Julian Lage. This momentous event is the culmination of a week of hard work and has become one of the crowd favorites of SMF. For more information about SMF’s Acoustic Music Seminar, see page 47.

7 & 9 PM

Cajun Dance Party: The Band CourtbouillonCharles H. Morris Center | $35

Three is the magic number when you’re counting Cajun music virtuosos in this GRAMMY winning supergroup. In their Savannah debut, The Band Courtbouillon (left)—Wayne “Le Boss” Toups, Steve Riley (of the Mamou Playboys) and Wilson Savoy (of the Pine Leaf Boys)—will let the good times roll the old-fashioned, two-stepping way. This promises to be one of the great SMF Cajun Dance Parties.


Returning for her fourth SMF appearance and her first since the 2011 double bill with Brazilian guitarist Chico Pinheiro, jazz singer Dianne Reeves is among the preeminent jazz vocalists of the past three decades. A multiple GRAMMY winner, Reeves has recorded and performed extensively with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra featuring Wynton Marsalis, who said of Reeves, “She has one of the most powerful, purposeful and accurate voices of this or any time.” Reeves has also recorded with the Chicago

Symphony Orchestra conducted by Daniel Barenboim and was a featured soloist with Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic. In addition, she was the first Creative Chair for Jazz with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the first singer to ever perform at the famed Walt Disney Concert Hall. Reeves appeared throughout George Clooney’s award winning film, Good Night and Good Luck, and performed every song on the GRAMMY-winning soundtrack.

8 PM

Dianne ReevesTrustees Theater


FRIDAY APRIL 3

“Dianne Reeves is one of our generation’s definitive jazz masters, a vocal stylist of extraordinary skill

and vivacity.”– THE HUFFINGTON POST


SATURDAY APRIL 4

3 PM

C H A M B E R M U S I C X

Passionate Piano QuartetsSavannah Theatre | Tickets start at $47

Mahler Piano Quartet in A minor

Schumann Piano Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 47

Brahms Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25

This collaboration of four extraordinary musicians was born out of the incredible success at a 2012 Chamber Music Society (CMS) of Lincoln Center performance in New York that explored the influence of violinist Joseph Joachim. Revered by the composers of his day for his virtuosity and musical integrity, Joachim actually introduced Johannes Brahms to Robert and Clara Schumann. Three members of CMS, including Co-Artistic Directors David Finckel and Wu Han along with Paul Neubauer, join forces with SMF Associate Artistic Director Daniel Hope to present a powerful program of

Romantic era masterworks, including arguably the greatest piano quartet in the chamber music repertoire. Perhaps the most prolific cultural institution promoting the growth of chamber music, CMS “has been expanding its activities at a dizzying pace. Since taking over the organization in 2004, the husband and wife team of cellist David Finckel and pianist Wu Han has forged it into an unstoppable entity—an exploding star in the musical firmament. Its directors seem incapable of anything but success” (The Wall Street Journal).

Daniel Hope, violin Paul Neubauer, viola David Finckel, cello Wu Han, piano

9 PM

Closing Night Party:DakhaBrakhaShips of the Sea North Garden | $30

DakhaBrakha (above)—meaning “give/take” in the old Ukrainian language—is a world music quartet from Kyiv, Ukraine. The band creates a universe of unexpected new music in a variety of native melodies and rhythms. Founded by former underground theater performers, DakhaBrakha has mesmerized audiences across the globe, from last year’s Roskilde Festival to globalFEST 2014. In Rolling Stone’s “Best Things We Saw at Bonnaroo 2014” recap article, DakhaBrakha was deemed “Best Breakout” with the following description: “Ukrainian folkdrone Björkpunk quartet DakhaBrakha went into Bonnaroo as unknowns but ended up with one of the most receptive crowds of the weekend. They got cheers for mournful accordion and apocalyptic cello sawing. Animal noises and bird whistles and howls got the audience to return favor, turning the tent into a happy menagerie.” Join us to close out the 2015 festival with a bang!


For more than three decades, Rosanne Cash has been one of the most compelling figures in country music. The eldest daughter of Johnny Cash and stepdaughter of June Carter Cash of the legendary Carter Family, Rosanne’s musical and family legacy is rooted in the origins of American country music with its deep cultural and historical connections to the South. Her own thoughtful, genre-blurring approach,

which encompasses country, rock, roots and pop influences, has garnered her a GRAMMY Award, twelve GRAMMY nominations and eleven No. 1 singles. Leading publications such as The New York Times, Rolling Stone, The Oxford American and New York Magazine have published her essays, columns and fiction. Whether she’s writing prose or lyrics, Cash is a natural born storyteller who cuts to the bone.

7:30 PM

Rosanne CashLucas Theatre for the Arts


SATURDAY APRIL 4

“Ms. Cash has a voice both dark and sweet, with a gentle and reliable

vibrato, and she knows how to convey the quiet sting of heartache.”



OUR SUPPORTERS

CORPORATE & GOVERNMENT SUPPORTERS

FOUNDER

DIAMOND

PLATINUM

GOLD

SILVER

BRONZE

Major Funding for the Savannah Music Festival is provided by the City of Savannah through the Department of Cultural Affairs


CONCERT CIRCLE CONTRIBUTORS

FOUNDER Bob & Jean Faircloth

DIAMOND Mr. & Mrs. Curtis G. AndersonNancy & Larry FullerCharles & Rosalie Morris Ron & Susan Whitaker

PLATINUM Julius & Danyse EdelDayle & Aaron Levy Wilson & Linda Fisk MorrisDave & Sylvaine Neises Shelby G. SchavoirThe Alice M. & Thomas J. Tisch Foundation Anne P. West

GOLDAnonymousDavid & Linda Bush Charles A. Frueauff FoundationCourtney Knight Gaines Foundation Marla & Morris GeffenThe Hodge FoundationMr. and Mrs. Robert S. Jepson, Jr. Tom & Ruth McMullinJackie & Stephen RabinowitzThomas V. & Susan G. ReillyPamela & Peter Voss

SILVER Byck-Rothschild Foundation The Chatham FoundationMr. and Mrs. Timothy E. Coy Don & Kay GardnerKole Family FoundationRobert M. & Diane v.S. LevyDick Miller in memory of Ann MillerBarbara & Michael RuddyMaureen & David SmithMr. & Mrs. John L. TuckerThe Solomons FamilyGail & Paul WickesHarold & Peggy Yellin

BRONZE Bob & Jane AnspachJoan & Gary CapenKarin & Richard CountsWilliam J. DonahueFriends of Savannah Music FestivalSally HeadleyMr. Robert Hochstetler & Ms. Jill KammermeyerWillard & Jean HollandMrs. Toby W. HollenbergGeorge & Ann HubbsJoan & Jim HunterThe Hunter Foundation Frances & John KaneDr. David Lake & Dr. Linda WrightRichard K. LaneKenneth & Nancy LarsenPhilip & Judith LattavoThe Marjorie E. & B.H. Levy, Jr. Charitable FundJim & Sandy MurphyElizabeth C. PeeplesDon & Phyllis PowellDr. & Mrs. Andrew T. Sheils, Jr.Marti & Austin SullivanThe Sussman Family in memory of Seymour SussmanThe Albert Tenenbaum Family Fund Drew & Julie WadeDoug & Lamar Webb

MEDIA SPONSORS

www.savannahnow.com

OUR SUPPORTERS

SHAKEY GRAVES

Friday, March 20 at 8 PM Ships of the Sea North Garden

⊲ See page 10


EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Music education remains a cornerstone of SMF’s mission. Music for Our Schools produces free stage shows and in-school residencies throughout the year for children from Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade.

As part of SMF’s year-round efforts, we are proud to launch Musical Explorers, a new comprehensive K-2 program produced in partnership with Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute. In 2014-15, over 9,000 students and more than 200 teachers from Savannah and

surrounding counties embark on an interactive musical journey through the Georgia and South Carolina Lowcountry, exploring ring shout, jazz, bluegrass, blues, opera and African American spirituals.

Musical Explorers builds basic music skills inside every classroom and enhances curricula in literacy, writing, social studies, math and other core subject areas. Through lessons and creative extensions for year-long coursework, children learn songs from different cultures, reflect on their communities and develop listening and singing skills.

SMF is nurturing a new generation of musicians and music lovers all across the region!

“It has been so rewarding to see the smiles on my students’ faces during

Musical Explorers! I can’t wait to bring music into the classroom just

for the sheer joy of it!”– SAVANNAH TEACHER

“Musical Explorers is such fun, and a rich celebration of musical artists

in our Lowcountry community! ”– BETH GREEN, HILTON HEAD, SC

MUSICAL EXPLORERS FEATURES: → free classroom

resources, including a 100-page teacher guide with accompanying CD and interactive website

→ semester-end concerts featuring local musicians

→ professional development workshops for all participating teachers

2014-15 MUSICAL EXPLORERS ARTISTSMcIntosh County Shouters (Ring Shout)

Kim Polote (Jazz)

Jimmy Wolling (Bluegrass)

Eric Culberson (Blues)

Rebecca Flaherty (Opera)

Huxsie Scott (African American Gospel and Spirituals)

Music for Our Schools Sponsored by Gulfstream Aerospace Corp.

“Musical Explorers is changing lives for these children!”

– ERIN SHELDON, SAVANNAH, GA


EDUCATION PROGRAMS

In this unique workshop and competition, twelve high school jazz bands from across the country spend three days immersed in the world of swing and big band jazz. More than 300 high school students learn about

improvisation, instrumental techniques and big band repertoire from some of the world’s finest jazz performers and educators. Led by pianist/composer/educator and SMF Associate Artistic Director Marcus Roberts, this year’s clinicians include Sean Jones, Dave Stryker, Rodney Whitaker and Jason Marsalis, among others. Prizes are awarded to the top three finalists at the Swing Central Jazz Finale on Friday, March 27 at the Lucas Theatre for the Arts (page 22).

Sixteen of the world’s most talented young string players, all under the age of 22, travel to Savannah for a week of hands-on instruction and performances during this groundbreaking mentorship program, led by acclaimed multi-instrumentalist Mike Marshall. Selected from a competitive pool of pre-professional young musicians, this year’s Acoustic Music Seminar (AMS) students will learn from a team of

diverse faculty including Béla Fleck, Clarice Assad, Kayhan Kalhor and Daniel Hope.

The program concludes with Stringband Spectacular at the Lucas Theatre for the Arts on April 3 (page 40). AMS students perform their own compositions and arrangements alongside Mike Marshall, Casey Driessen and Julian Lage.

Acoustic Music Seminar Sunday, March 29 through Friday, April 3, 2015

“I learned more in an hour than I have in my entire time playing jazz.”

– BRETT MAXSON, 17, TARPON SPRINGS, FL

“It was incredible to have such knowledge and passion for music

together in one room.”– JAKE HOWARD, 18, MUNROE FALLS, OH

FREE PUBLIC PERFORMANCES: JAZZ ON THE RIVERThursday, March 26, 4 – 7 PM Rousakis Plaza on River Street

SWING CENTRAL JAZZ COMPETITIONFriday, March 27, 9 AM – 3 PMLucas Theatre for the Arts

Swing Central Jazz Wednesday, March 25 through Friday, March 27, 2015


SUPPORT US

Join us in presenting a world of music

Your tax-deductible gift to the Savannah Music Festival ensures world-class artistic presentations for audiences of all ages and innovative music education programming for local schoolchildren.

To support SMF you can:

• Become a Festival Friend

• Gain access as a Festival Insider

• Join the Concert Circle

• Sponsor the festival through your business

• Support music education in local schools

Savannah Music Festival’s commitment to the highest standard of musical arts is made possible by sponsorships and the generosity of charitable individuals and foundations.

Festival benefits for supporters include:

☑ Personalized ticketing service assistance

☑ Access to preferred theater seating

☑ Early entry to select venues

☑ Entry to donor lounge

☑ Pre/post-concert donor receptions

S AVA N N A H M U S I C F E S T I VA L






YOURNAME

Festival Friend

YOURNAME

Festival Friend

TIMCOY

Board Member

SCOTTCENTERBoard Member

DONGARDNERBoard Member

BILLDICKINSONBoard Member

To learn more about becoming a supporter, please visit savannahmusicfestival.org/support or call the Development office at 912.234.3378.


TICKET INFO & POLICIES

Festival Samplers & Ticket Bundles

Give yourself flexibility and a taste of the SMF experience with a festival sampler,

which allows you to create an individualized series that suits your own

particular interests and schedule, or choose from a selection of unique ticket

bundles and save.

To take advantage of festival samplers and ticket bundles, visit

savannahmusicfestival.org/2015deals.php or call the box office at 912.525.5050.

PICK 5 SAMPLER

Purchase five or more 2015 performances and receive a 10% discount.

Offer expires December 31, 2014.

PICK 10 SAMPLER

Purchase ten or more 2015 performances and receive a 15% discount.

Offer expires December 31, 2014.

FESTIVAL EXPLORER BUNDLES

Choose from a variety of unique ticket bundles and save.

Limited availability.

GET YOUR TICKETS

ONLINEsavannahmusicfest ival .orgChoose performances and seats 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Print-at-home option available.

BY PHONE912.525.5050Monday to Friday, 10 AM – 5 PM

IN PERSONSavannah Box Off ice 216 East Broughton StreetMonday to Friday, 10 AM – 5 PM

ONE HOUR PRIOR TO SHOWTIME AT THE PERFORMANCE VENUESubject to availability.

NO CANCELLATIONS OR REFUNDS Savannah Music Festival does not refund tickets. Tickets can be exchanged or donated to the festival for resale. Tickets for donation must be received by the SMF office at least 24 hours before the scheduled performance. Exchanges are subject to availability and exchange fees. In the case of a ticket donation, you will receive written acknowledgment for tax deduction purposes.

HOUSE RULES The photographing, videotaping or sound recording of any performance or the possession of any device for such use inside any venue, without the permission of SMF management, is prohibited by law. Food and smoking are not permitted inside venues. Cell phones and all other mobile devices must be turned off.

LATE SEATING Patrons arriving late to a performance and those who exit the theater during a performance will be seated only at the house manager’s discretion and at an appropriate interval. In certain circumstances, late admission will not be permitted.

All programs, artists and venues are subject to change.

Senior, Student & Military DiscountsSenior citizens over the age of 65, students and military may receive a 10% discount on single ticket purchases with valid ID. To receive these discounts, ticket purchases must be made in person at the box office. Limited to one ticket per person per performance.

Group SalesDiscounted rates are available at select performances for groups of 15 or more. For more information, please call SMF Patron Services at 912.234.3378 ext. 111.

E Please call the box office at 912.525.5050 to request handicap accessible seating.

ConnectGet the latest on SMF artists, performances, ticket deals and giveaways, go behind the scenes and share your SMF experience with us!

facebook.com/SavannahMusicFestival

twitter.com/SavMusicFest

instagram.com/savannahmusicfestival


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CITY PARKING GARAGES

BRYAN STREET GARAGE912.651.647724 hours a day, 7 days a week

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STATE STREET GARAGE912.651.6473Sun–Fri 5 AM–1 AM; Sat 24 hours

WHITAKER STREET GARAGE912.525.282024 hours a day, 7 days a week

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TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH127 Barnard StreetLocated on Telfair Square, the Trinity United Methodist Church is SMF’s primary venue for classical music. The sanctuary provides wonderful acoustics, plentiful sight lines and a simple, elegant interior. Parking is limited to city-operated garages and on-street spaces.

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH311 East Harris StreetLocated on beautiful Troup Square, the historic Unitarian Universalist Church was home to SMF’s “Music at 11” chamber music series in 2011 and Asif Ali Khan in 2014. The sanctuary creates an intimate concert setting for 175 people. Parking is limited to on-street spaces.

TRUSTEES THEATER216 East Broughton StreetRecently renovated, SCAD’s Trustees Theater is one of SMF’s primary performance halls, seating over 1,100 patrons. Non-alcoholic beverages and snacks are available in the lobby. Parking is limited to city-operated garages and on-street spaces.

ROUSAKIS PLAZA ON RIVER STREET

Savannah’s breezy, cobblestone-lined River Street is home to Swing Central Jazz’s Jazz on the River, featuring free open-air performances by the twelve high school big bands participating in the Swing Central Jazz competition. Parking is very limited.

TEMPLE MICKVE ISRAEL 20 East Gordon StreetLocated on Monterey Square, Temple Mickve Israel opened in 1878, and is Georgia’s oldest Jewish congregation. The Gothic Revival building seats 300 people, and hosts the 2015 performance of the Emerson String Quartet. Parking is limited to on-street spaces.

LUCAS THEATRE FOR THE ARTS32 Abercorn StreetThe Lucas Theatre is one of SMF’s primary performance halls with seating for over 1,200 patrons. Beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages are available in the lobby. Parking is limited to city-operated garages and on-street spaces.

SAVANNAH THEATRE222 Bull StreetFirst opened in 1818, the Art Deco style Savannah Theatre is located on Chippewa Square in Savannah and is one of the United States’ oldest continually-operating theaters. Concessions are available in the lobby. Parking is limited to on-street spaces.

CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER 10 East Broad StreetThe Charles H. Morris Center is SMF’s premier club-style venue. Flexible seating accommodates dance parties, concerts and cabaret performances. Craft beer, wine and beverage service is available. On-site parking is limited.

SHIPS OF THE SEA NORTH GARDEN 41 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.Constructed in 2012, this indoor/outdoor covered space is home to concerts on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during the festival. Craft beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages are available at this venue. On-site parking is very limited.

JOHNNY MERCER THEATRE301 West Oglethorpe AvenueLocated at the Savannah Civic Center, the Johnny Mercer Theatre holds just over 2,500 patrons, making it SMF’s largest venue. Beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages are available in the lobby. On-site parking is available.

SAVANNAH BOX OFFICE216 East Broughton StreetPhone: 912.525.5050savannahmusicfestival.org

The Savannah Box Office, located outside of the Trustees Theater, acts as the prima-ry box office for SMF ticket purchases and is open Monday–Friday from 10 AM–5 PM.

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FESTIVAL VENUES


WHERE TO STAY

HOTELS

SAVANNAH VACATION RENTALS

TYBEE ISLAND VACATION RENTALS

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ANDAZ SAVANNAH14 Barnard Street | 912.233.2116savannah.andaz.com

With its artful decor, warm hospitality and prime downtown location, Andaz delights with new south sophistication. Sample sensational farm to table dining or sip a signature cocktail at Andaz’s 22 Square Restaurant and Lounge. An easy walk to SMF events. Rates starting at $209.00.

EMBASSY SUITES HISTORIC SAVANNAH

605 W. Oglethorpe Ave. | 912.721.6900 savannah.embassysuites.com

All 150 rooms are two room suites that include: complimentary “cooked to order” full breakfast, complimentary evening reception, Historic District location, walking distance to all attractions and SMF venues, and an on-site restaurant and bar.

THE HAMPTON INN201 E. Bay Street | 800.576.4945savannahlodging.com

The Hampton Inn Historic District features traditional Savannah style and an unmatched location, just steps away from all SMF venues. Ask about specials offered exclusively to SMF patrons. Packages include your stay in a deluxe guestroom, hot breakfast, complimentary drinks and discounts from local businesses.

HILTON SAVANNAH DESOTO 15 E. Liberty Street | 912.232.9000desotohilton.com

Special rates available. Located in the Center of Historic Savannah, surrounded with garden squares, historic mansions, restaurants & pubs, and more. Rooms with beautiful views of Savannah, full-service restaurant and bar.

THE HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS HISTORIC DISTRICT

199 E. Bay Street | 888.231.9006savannahlodging.com

The Holiday Inn Express is an award winning contemporary hotel located just steps away from all SMF venues. Exclusive specials and packages for SMF patrons are available and include your stay in a deluxe guestroom, hot breakfast, complimentary drinks and discounts from local businesses.

PLANTERS INN 29 Abercorn Street | 800.554.1187plantersinnsavannah.com

The Planters Inn on Reynolds Square, in the heart of Savannah’s Historic District, is a 200-year-old boutique hotel offering a thoroughly modern hotel experience. As one of the most popular Savannah hotels, Planters Inn is the perfect choice for your Savannah Music Festival lodging needs. Use discount code SAVMUSIC15 when booking.

SPRINGHILL SUITES SAVANNAH HISTORIC DISTRICT150 Montgomery Street | 912.629.5300springhillsavannah.com

SpringHill Suites by Marriott is an all suites hotel and is centrally located within walking distance to everything the Historic District has to offer. Offering free hot breakfast buffet and welcoming service, it is the perfect place to rest your head while creating lasting memories in Savannah.

STAYBRIDGE SUITES301 E. Bay Street | 912.721.9000bit.do/staybridge

Located in the heart of historic downtown Savannah, Staybridge Suites offers amenities including: full hot breakfast, wireless internet, kitchens in all guest rooms, complimentary guest laundry, 24 hour fitness & business center and evening receptions.

STAY SAVANNAH VACATION RENTALS888.919.0008staysavannahvacationrentals.com

The largest locally owned and operated vacation rental agency in Savannah, Georgia. Over 60 luxury vacation rental homes located in the Historic District on our beautiful squares of Savannah.

OCEANFRONT COTTAGE RENTALS800.786.5889 oceanfrontcottage.com

Come experience Southern hospitality. Homes ranging from 1-7 bedrooms, featuring hot tubs and pools (some heated). Located 20 minutes from Historic Downtown Savannah, Oceanfront Cottage Rentals welcomes you to the hostess city!


SAVANNAH MUSIC FESTIVAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Ron Whitaker, ChairmanDave Neises, SecretaryStephen Rabinowitz, Treasurer

Jennifer AbshireChristopher CayScott CenterTim CoyBill DickinsonBarbara Eschenbach Ruddy Bob FairclothDon Gardner Marla GeffenDayle LevyJoe MarinelliRuth McMullinDick MillerHenry MonseesDavid Paddison Thomas ReillyShelby Schavoir David SmithDavid SolanaTrip Tollison Andrew WadeAnne WestGail WickesHarold Yellin, Immediate Past Chairman

More than 300 dedicated volunteers contribute to the success of each annual Savannah Music Festival. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please email [email protected] or call the SMF office at 912.234.3378. Thank you!

SMF ARTISTIC & ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM

Rob Gibson Executive & Artistic Director

Daniel Hope Mr. & Mrs. Curtis G. Anderson Associate Artistic Director Chair

Marcus Roberts Associate Artistic Director

Mike Marshall Acoustic Music Seminar Associate Director

Erin Tatum Director of Artist Relations

MARKETING & PRODUCTION

Ryan McMaken Marketing & Managing Director

Larissa Thut Davidson Marketing & Graphic Design Manager

Halle Rubnitz Marketing & Patron Services Associate

FINANCE & HUMAN RESOURCES

Sharon Peake-Jones Chief Financial Officer

DEVELOPMENT

Christine Beddia Development Director

Joshua Hildebrandt Development & Grants Associate

Samantha Pogorelsky Development Associate

EDUCATION

Jenny Woodruff Education Director

Katie Griffith Education Assistant

PHOTO CREDITSCover: 2015 season Savannah Music Festival poster illustration by illustrator Mark SmithInside cover and pg. 1: Kodo by Takashi Okamotopg. 4: Balsam Range courtesy of the artist | Wood Brothers by Ayano Hisa AJ Ghent Band courtesy of the artistpg. 5: Daniel Hope by Bailey Davidsonpg. 6: Mavis Staples courtesy of the artistpg. 7: The Boxcars courtesy of the artist | Paul Thorn courtesy of the artist | Joe Ely courtesy of the artistRuthie Foster by Ayano Hisapg. 8 : Buckwheat Zydeco by DraganTasicpg. 9: Opera production image courtesy of Opera Tampapg. 10: Shovels & Rope by Leslie Ryan McKellarpg. 11: McIntosh County Shouters by Frank Stewart | Daniel Hope and Symphony by Frank Stewartpg. 12: Rebecca Flaherty, Kurt Ollmann and JJ Hobbs by Bailey Davidson |Heritage Blues Orchestra courtesy of the artistpg. 13: Earls of Leicester courtesy of the artistpg. 14: Opera production image courtesy of Opera Tampa | Nikolai Lugansky by Marco Borggreve/Naave Ambroisepg. 15: Rebecca Flaherty, Kurt Ollmann and JJ Hobbs by Bailey Davidsonpg. 16: Philip Dukes by Peter MacDiarmid | The Barr Brothers by John Londonopg. 17: Dave Stryker by Frank Stewart Arias & Encores singers by G. Konstantinidis | The Apache Relay courtesy of the artistpg. 18: Tardo Hammer by Safidy Andrianantenaina | Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet by Frank Stewart | Warren Vaché courtesy of the artistpg. 19: Miloš Karadaglić by Lars Borges/Mercury Classicspg. 20: Benny Carter by William Gottlieb | Chamber Musicians by Frank Stewart | Kodo by Takashi Okamotopg. 21: Sean Jones by Frank Stewart | Warren Wolf by Ayano Hisapg. 22: Sean Jones by JimmyKatz | Wycliffe Gordon and Ron Westray by Ayano Hisa | Late Night Jam by Ayano Hisapg. 23: Stephen Hough by Jonathan Beckerpg. 24: Lúnasa by Con Kelleherpg. 25: Lucinda Williams courtesy of the artist

pg. 26: Murray Perahia by Nana Watanabepg. 27: Marcus Roberts by Ayano Hisa | Dirty Dozen Brass Band courtesy of the artist | Irma Thomas courtesy of the artistpg. 28: Hot Rize by Nathan Ristpg. 29: ASO by Frank Stewart | Lynn Harrell courtesy of the artist | Adonis Puentes courtesy of the artistpg. 30: Emerson String Quartet by Lisa-Marie Mazzucco | Hot Club of Cowtown courtesy of the artistpg. 31: Asleep at the Wheel by Mary Keating-Brutonpg. 32: Julian Lage by Ayano Hisa Daniel Hope and Benny Kim by Frank Stewartpg. 33: Kayhan Kalhor by Ali Boustanpg. 34: Chamber Musicians by Frank Stewart | Béla Fleck and Brooklyn Rider by Shervin Lainezpg. 35: Paul Lewis by Josep Molina Harmonia MundiMike Marshall & Choro Famoso courtesy of the artistpg. 36: Clarice Assad by Maria Camillo | Mike Marshall by Bailey Davidsonpg. 37: Lorenza Borrani and Simon Crawford-Phillips by Frank Stewart | Clarice Assad courtesy of the artistpg. 38: Dirk Powell courtesy of the artist | Vusi Mahlasela by Frank Stewartpg. 39: Josh Ritter by Laura Wilsonpg. 40: Riley Baugus by Abigail Seymoure | Acoustic Music Seminar by Ayano Hisa | The Band Courtbouillon courtesy of the artistpg. 41: Dianne Reeves by Jerris Madisonpg. 42: Daniel Hope and Wu Han by Frank Stewart | DakhaBrakha by Yevhen Rakhnopg. 43: Rosanne Cash by Clay Patrick McBridepg. 45: Shakey Graves courtesy of the artistpg. 46: Schoolchildren by Ayano Hisa | Illustration by Sophie Hogarth Musical Explorer artist images courtesy of the artistspg. 47: AMS and SCJ images by Frank Stewart and Ayano Hisapg. 48: Images by Bailey Davidson, Ayano Hisa and Frank StewartInside back cover: Jazz on the River by Ayano HisaBack cover: Brooklyn Rider by Sarah Small

JAZZ ON THE RIVER

Thursday, March 26 at 4 PM Rousakis Plaza on River Street

⊲ See page 47

200 East Saint Julian Street, Suite 601Savannah, Georgia 31401

savannahmusicfestival.org

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDSAVANNAH, GAPERMIT NO. 301

The Kennickell Group is an official sponsor of the Savannah Music Festival

DO YOU NEED TO UPDATE OR CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS?Contact [email protected]

BROOKLYN RIDER

Monday, March 30 at 8 PM Tuesday, March 31 at 7:30 PM Wednesday, April 1 at 11 AM

⊲ See pages 33, 34 and 35

Documents

2015 Savannah Music Festival Brochure