Portland Chamber Music Festival to Present Concert in South Portland on Saturday, May 15th

For immediate release
Contact: Jennifer Elowitch (800) 320-0257

The Portland Chamber Music Festival and Congregation Bet Ha’am will present an Evening of Chamber Music in a program to benefit both groups. The concert, Saturday, May 15 at 8 p.m., will be held in the recently opened Congregation Bet Ha’am sanctuary at 81 Westbrook Street in South Portland.

Cellist Marc Johnson, former cellist of the internationally renowned Vermeer Quartet, will join PCMF Artistic Directors violinist Jennifer Elowitch and pianist Dena Levine in a program featuring piano trios of Haydn and Rebecca Clarke. New York violist Stefanie Taylor will join the group in a performance of the Brahms C minor Piano Quartet
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“We are delighted to welcome these distinguished artists,” said Sharon Newman, past President of the Board of Trustees of Congregation Bet Ha’am. “Now that Bet Ha’am has an architecturally distinguished space that can accommodate classical music so beautifully, it seems an excellent way to share our resources for the benefit of the entire Greater Portland community. The concert will take place just over twelve months from the day we held our first worship services in the new building, so this is a lovely way to celebrate.”

The new building was designed by internationally renowned Shim-Sutcliffe Architects of Toronto and features sculptural wood interior surfaces and a curving wood ceiling reminiscent of a tent as well as a reflecting pool and garden.

Cellist Marc Johnson performed with the Grammy nominated Vermeer Quartet for thirty-five years, appearing regularly in the world’s musical capitals and during the group’s residencies at Northern Illinois University and Rockport’s Bay Chamber Concerts.
Violinist Jennifer Elowitch is the Assistant Principal Second Violinist of the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra and performs often with the Boston Symphony. Pianist Dena Levine is Associate Professor of Piano and Director of Instrumental Music at Seton Hall University. Violist Stefanie Taylor performs frequently with the New York Philharmonic and the American Symphony Orchestra.

General admission is $25, though people 21 and under may attend free of charge. Tickets may be purchased at the door, online at www.pcmf.org/wsconcerts.php, or by calling the Portland Chamber Music Festival at 1(800) 320-0257. The concert is sponsored by Key Private Bank.