Festival celebrates 48th season, presenting some of the finest chamber music in Northeast Ohio

The Kent/Blossom Music Festival celebrates its 48th
season with performances in July and August.

The Kent/Blossom Music Festival offers a special and unique program with unparalleled excellence in chamber music, private instruction and a terrific working relationship with the Cleveland Orchestra. It is an advance training institute for professional music training operated by Kent State University in cooperation with the Cleveland Orchestra and Blossom Music Center presenting public performances by distinguished artist faculty and talented young musicians. This year, the Kent/Blossom Music Festival again will feature its highly anticipated Faculty Concert Series, which features performances by some of the region’s most coveted musicians from the Cleveland Orchestra, as well as a variety of world-class soloists.

Highlights of the upcoming season include the Miami String Quartet in concert with Steinway Artist Spencer Myer; a program by Mark Kosower, principal cello of the Cleveland Orchestra; and a special free concert by Stanislav Khristenko, 2013 first-prize winner at the Cleveland International Piano Competition, presented in collaboration with Kent State’s Piano Institute. Opera returns to the Kent/Blossom Music Festival this year with a performance of La Cambiale di Matrimonio, a comic opera in one act by Gioachino Rossini. Additional highlights include guest performances by Kent State Assistant Professor of Music Danna Sundet, Hiram College Professor of Music Randall Fusco, Kent State Associate Professor of Music Jerry Wong, Kent State Associate Professor of Music Timothy Culver, members of the Cleveland Orchestra and more.

In collaboration with the Kulas Foundation, the Kent/Blossom Music Festival is excited to announce a special performance and masterclass by musician, teacher, writer, entrepreneur and life coach Jeff Nelsen as the Kulas Visiting Guest Artist. This program was established in 2013 to bring an artist of stature to spend one week of the five-week festival to work intensively with the group of talented students.

Additionally, the public is invited to enjoy the talents of some of the world’s finest young musicians performing in the Kent/Blossom Music Festival Student Concert Series, which is free and open to all. This year, 46 students from all over the world whose visit will culminate in a side-by-side performance with the Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom Music Center will join the Kent/Blossom Music Festival.

As in past seasons, the Kent/Blossom Music Festival will offer discounted concert subscriptions. A six-concert subscription is $72 for adults and $60 for seniors, with a total savings of $18 for the subscriber. A $30 subscription for college students with valid IDs also is available. Also, thanks to a generous donation from a long-time supporter and patron of the Kent/Blossom Music Festival, anyone 18 and under can attend the concerts for free, although a ticket must be reserved.

Subscriptions may be purchased by calling 330-672-2787 or in person at Kent State’s Performing Arts Box Office located in the lobby of the Roe Green Center, Center for the Performing Arts at 1325 Theatre Drive on the Kent Campus from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Single tickets also are available at $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and $5 for college students. The Ludwig Recital Hall Box Office will open one hour prior to the performance for walk-up sales and will accept Visa, MasterCard and Discover. Tickets and more information are available by calling 330-672-ARTS (2787) or visiting www.kent.edu/blossom.

Faculty Concert Series:

Concert 1
Wednesday, July 1, at 7:30 p.m.
Kulas Guest Artist Jeff Nelsen, horn

Concert 2
Monday, July 6, at 7:30 p.m.
Miami String Quartet with Spencer Myer, piano

Concert 3
Wednesday, July 8, at 7:30 p.m.
Mark Kosower, cello

Concert 4
Saturday, July 18, at 3 p.m.
Kent/Blossom Music Festival Opera

Special Free Concert
Sunday, July 19, at 7:30 p.m.
Stanislav Khristenko, piano
2013 first-prize winner at the Cleveland International Piano Competition
(Presented by Kent State’s Piano Institute in collaboration with Kent/Blossom Music Festival)

Concert 5
Wednesday, July 22, at 7:30 p.m.
Jung-Min Amy Lee, violin; Tanya Ell, cello; Daniel McKelway, clarinet; Barrick Stees, bassoon; Randall Fusco, piano; Jerry Wong, piano

Concert 6
Wednesday, July 29, at 7:30 p.m.
Stanley Konopka, viola; Richard Weiss, cello; Danna Sundet, oboe; Robert Woolfrey, clarinet; Joela Jones, piano

All faculty concerts take place in Kent State’s Ludwig Recital Hall, Center for the Performing Arts, located at 1325 Theatre Drive in Kent.

The Kent/Blossom Festival also provides students with the opportunity to perform throughout their residency. Below is the list of concerts, which are free and open to the public. Tickets are not required.

Student Concert Series:

Recital 1
Friday, July 10, at 7:30 p.m.
Ludwig Recital Hall

Recital 2
Saturday, July 11, at 2 p.m.
Ludwig Recital Hall

Recital 3
Sunday, July 12, at 2 p.m.
Hudson Library

Recital 4
Sunday, July 12, at 7:30 p.m.
Ludwig Recital Hall

Recital 5
Friday, July 24, at 7:30 p.m.
Ludwig Recital Hall

Recital 6
Saturday, July 25, at 2 p.m.
Ludwig Recital Hall

Recital 7
Sunday, July 26, at 2 p.m.
Hudson Library

Recital 8
Monday, July 27, at 7:30 p.m.
Ludwig Recital Hall

Performances at Blossom Music Center:

Tickets for this series are available through the Cleveland Orchestra by calling 216-231-1111.

Kent/Blossom Music Festival Chamber Orchestra
Saturday, Aug. 1, at 7 p.m.

Kent/Blossom Music Festival Side-by-Side With the Cleveland Orchestra
Saturday, Aug. 1, at 8 p.m.

For more information about the Kent/Blossom Music Festival, visit www.kent.edu/blossom.