Join Music Director Alasdair Neale and guest curator and violinist Benjamin Beilman for a conversation as they prepare for the Music Festival’s upcoming Winter Season concerts at the Argyros. Praised for his passionate performances and distinctive tone — described by The New York Times as “muscular with a glint of violence” — Beilman is an accomplished chamber musician. He and Maestro Neale will discuss this Winter Season’s concert program along with other artistic topics.

The Music Festival celebrates the 150th anniversary of Maurice Ravel’s birth with a special concert on Domingo, Agosto 10.  While Ravel never embraced the label of “Impressionist,” he certainly became famous for music that evokes images through music. He was also a master orchestrator, crafting soundscapes of exquisite sensitivity and – to many listeners – instantly recognizable as his own.  In this edition of Upbeat, Maestro Neale discusses Ravel’s enduring appeal and offers some listening hints for the upcoming concert.

This summer, the Music Festival offers music spanning nearly 250 years, from 1784 – Joseph Haydn’s Symphony No. 80 – to 2025 – Mason Bates’s Silicon Hymnal, completed earlier this year. While the combination of Time for Three and Mason Bates will likely draw a large (if not HUGE) crowd, there are some other new(ish) works this season that might not generate so much attention. Join Maestro Neale for a discussion highlighting several hidden gems in the coming programs – pieces you’ve likely not heard, but that are more than worthy of your listening time.