Seven days of classical music

Music

The second annual Halcyon Music Festival is upon us, bringing world-class musicians to Exeter, Portsmouth, and Durham.

The chamber music festival kicked off with a free preview concert in Portsmouth on Wednesday, and it continues through Aug. 1 with a total of seven concerts at three churches, featuring work by Mozart, Schumann, Arensky, Brahms, and many others.

The 20 participating musicians will live, eat, rehearse, and perform together in a collaborative environment throughout the festival. Among the participants are David Hardy, cellist for the National Symphony Orchestra; Tatjana Mead Chamis, violist for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra; Abel Pereira, horn player for the National Symphony Orchestra; Irina Muresanu, violinist for the Boston Trio, and Ayano Ninomiya, violinist for the Ying Quartet. The festival’s artistic director is Heng-Ji Park, pianist for the Boston Trio.

Concerts take place at Phillips Church at Phillips Exeter Academy on July 23 at 7 p.m.; at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Portsmouth on July 24, 25, 30, 31, and Aug. 1 at 7:30 p.m.; and at the Community Church of Durham on July 29 at 7:30 p.m.

There is a suggested donation of $25 for each show. For tickets and more information, visit halcyonmusicfestival.org. — Matt Kanner

Top of page: Musicians David Hardy and Irina Muresanu. courtesy photo