MusicWorks Farewell Concert
On Sunday, August 3, 2008 at 6:30 p.m., MusicWorks be holding its "Farewell and Thank to the Berkshires" concert. This festive evening will feature performances by members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Hawthorne String Quartet, Berkshire band "Shake and Bake" and artist Jim Schantz. MusicWorks and their supporters will celebrate 23 years of outstanding chamber concerts and music education programs in the Berkshires.In June 2007, Mark Ludwig, founding director of MusicWorks, notified the board of MusicWorks of his decision to step down as artistic director. At a board meeting, he shared his decision to make the 2007-08 MW season his final year as director. Over this past season, the MusicWorks board was given the opportunity to decide whether to select a successor or conclude their participation in the Berkshires cultural calendar.
Mr. Ludwig stated: "We all feel that MusicWorks has been an extraordinary experience with a special history and spirit. We treasure that and want to celebrate it. I am spending more time in Europe with my expanded professional commitments to the Prague Spring Festival, as well as musical projects with the Terezín Chamber Music Foundation and the Hawthorne String Quartet. As founding artistic director, I am grateful to our board, the performing artists and the Berkshires community for supporting our programs over the years.
Over the past 23 years we have covered a lot of musical territory by commissioning chamber music works, premiering and uncovering lost and obscure repertoire, experimenting with a variety of education programs and concert programming, like "At First Sight" and the P.E.A.C.E. programs - not to mention some unforgettable experiences with Ned Rorem, Lukas Foss, Christopher Hogwood, Simone Dinnerstein, Stefan Jacki, Bob Jaffe, Jim Schantz, André Watts and the 140 plus artists that performed on over 150 MusicWorks concert and education programs.
And special thanks to the Hawthorne String Quartet for all they have given over the years on the concert stage and to the Berkshire schools. Perhaps most of all, I am thankful for the relationships that have grown from this 23 year period. The board and I decided that this merited a celebration."
Admission to this event for adults is $30 per person, and pre-registration is required. The evening event will take place at 6:30 p.m. in the Barn at Stonover Farm in Lenox, MA. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Berkshire Music School. For further information, contact the MusicWorks information line at 413-698-2002 or see www.musicworksberkshires.org.
