This years marks the tenth anniversary of Concerts With a View,
part of the 2013 Portals Chamber Music Series at Hotchkiss School.

The natural beauty of the Northwest Corner is what draws so many of us to this area, but another alluring aspect is the richness of its arts and culture. Combining both of these attractions into one offering, is the popular Concerts With a View, part of the Hotchkiss Portals Chamber Music Series. Portals is one of the premiere summer chamber music programs in the United States. Held on the bucolic grounds of the Hotchkiss School campus in Lakeville, the magnificent Katherine M. Elfers Hall provides the perfect setting with views of Lake Wononscopomuc and the surrounding Litchfield Hills.

This year is particularly special as the Hotchkiss Portals Chamber Music Series is celebrating its 10th anniversary season. The fabulous concert series, featuring internationally acclaimed musicians, runs from June 24 to July 13.  Each concert is free to the public and Hotchkiss opens up its grounds for picnics prior to the performances. There is no other concert-going experience like it in a region that has a long tradition of summer music festivals.

The mission of the Portals program is to nurture and mentor the chamber music students of the future. The students (ages 12-15) who attend the summer program arrive from all over the country and internationally. Some of this year’s students are from China, Korea, and Hungary. They come to the Hotchkiss campus to study and practice with some of the most prominent chamber musicians playing today. The guest musicians, members of chamber quartets, are in residence for one week as teachers, then they culminate their residency with two performances.

The opportunity to listen to these musicians free of charge in such a beautiful setting is truly unsurpassed in our area. Additionally, student musicians often perform as a prelude to the visiting quartets. Those who have regularly attended Portals concerts over the years will tell you that listening to, and thereby supporting, these young artists is one of the unique joys of the Portals Chamber Music Series.

Melvin Chen, pianist, and Deputy Dean & Associate Professor of piano at the Yale School of Music, has been the artistic director of the Portals Chamber Music program since its inception. Mr. Chen completed a doctorate in chemistry from Harvard University and also holds a double master’s degree from The Juilliard School in piano and violin. Previously, he attended Yale University, receiving a bachelor of science degree in chemistry and physics. Mr. Chen served on the piano faculty of the Bard College Conservatory of Music, where he was also Associate Director. In 2012, Mr. Chen was appointed Associate Professor of piano and Deputy Dean at the Yale School of Music. Visit www.melvinchen.com for more on Melvin Chen.

Once again, an incredible roster of internationally acclaimed chamber quartets will perform. This year the series features the Miró Quartet, the Shanghai Quartet, the Brentano Quartet, the Michael Musillami Quartet, and Melvin Chen and the 2013 Portals Resident Quartet. (The Brentano’s recent recording of Beethoven’s late quartet, opus 131, was used in the feature film A Late Quartet, released to critical acclaim in November 2012, starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Christopher Walken.) As well, there will be pianist Luiz De Moura Castro, the Witkowski Piano Duo, Fabio and Gisele Witkowski, Ida Kavafian, and The Dessoff Choirs performing a vocal concert.

The opening concert is on June 24 with Melvin Chen and the 2013 Portals Resident Quartet. The 10th Anniversary Celebration is on July 5. There will be light refreshments on the Goodbody Terrace of Katherine M. Elfers Hall followed by the Shanghai Quartet, Ida Kavafian, and surprise guest artists. The chamber music finale is on July 13 with the Brentano Quartet, and the finale of the series is a piano concert featuring guest artists and selected piano students. Go to www.hotchkissportals.org for a full schedule.

This year’s concert series is sure to be spectacular. So bring a friend, grab a picnic basket, a bottle of wine, and a blanket—and head over to Hotchkiss for some heart-stopping music and majestic views.

Katherine M. Elfers Hall, Esther Eastman Music Center at Hotchkiss School: 11 Interlaken Road, Lakeville

For a full schedule and more information: 860.435.3775 or www.hotchkissportals.org or www.hotchkiss.org/arts or send an email to [email protected]