Festival Amadeus classical music festival returns

The Glacier Symphony presents the 14th annual Festival Amadeus, the region’s only week-long classical music festival, running Aug. 3-8.

The festival includes six chamber and orchestra concerts. The Festival Amadeus Orchestra will perform live during the festival at various indoor and outdoor venues around the Flathead Valley. Performances in Whitefish will happen at the beautiful facilities at Christ Lutheran Church, with additional concerts also in Kalispell and Bigfork.

The theme of this year’s Festival is Morning, Noon and Night, after the nicknames for the three Joseph Haydn symphonies which open the festivities. The week will be filled with chamber and orchestra concerts featuring the music of other classical and romantic era masters, Mozart, Schubert, Brahms and Beethoven.

The Festival Amadeus Orchestra will perform under the baton of founding Artistic Director John Zoltek This year two orchestra members will be featured as soloists, as principal clarinetist, Dinah Weimer, and principal horn, Paul Rossi, step up to perform two of Mozart’s most beloved solo concertos.

“We are thrilled to be able to perform for live audiences once again and bring the singular experiences of classical chamber and orchestral music back to the Flathead in this signature summer event,” says Zoltek. “Come out and taste the visual and musical beauty that only northwest Montana can offer.”

Returning this summer for the chamber concerts will be a festival favorite, the Fry Street Quartet, which the New York Times hails as "a triumph of ensemble playing.” These chamber performances will take place both in Whitefish at Christ Lutheran Church on Friday, Aug. 6 at 7:30 p.m. and at St. John Paul II Catholic Church in Bigfork on Thursday, Aug. 5 at 7:30 p.m.

The festival opens on Tuesday, Aug. 3 at Christ Lutheran Church in Whitefish at 7:30 p.m. with Morning, Noon and Night. The orchestra along with the Fry Street Quartet will perform.

The orchestra will perform again for Mozard and “Little” Schubert on Thursday, Aug. 5 at 7:30 p.m. at Christ Lutheran Church in Whitefish.

The weekend finale concerts will take place for the first time at a popular symphony setting at Rebecca Farm in Kalispell.

On Saturday, Aug. 7 audiences will experience a concert of all-Baroque music including Handel’s Music for the royal fireworks. The concert begins at 7 p.m.

On Sunday, Aug. 8 the Mozart and Beethoven finale will be an outdoor finale for the festival at Rebecca Farm. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m.

Details about the concerts and the week of music can be found at https://glaciersymphony.org/festival-amadeus-2/.

Camp Festival Amadeus, operated by North Valley Music School, will also be in session for aspiring young musicians in grades seven through 12.

Each day, campers will participate in orchestra sessions, small ensembles, sectionals and elective classes taught by musicians from the festival orchestra.

Campers will attend workshops and Musical Journey talks with the festival’s guest musicians, and this year with Zoltek. The presentations are open to the public. Each evening, campers will receive complimentary tickets to the festival concerts, courtesy of the Glacier Symphony. Registration for the music camp can be found on the school’s website http://northvalleymusicschool.org/camp-festival-amadeus/.

Further information and tickets are available for Festival Amadeus by calling the box office at 406-407-7000 or on the Glacier Symphony website https://glaciersymphony.org/.