QUILCENE — Concerts in the Barn will begin its third season of free performances today, continuing each weekend through July 21.
As in previous years, all concerts are free to the public and no tickets are required.
The farm opens to visitors at noon each concert day. At 1 p.m., the barn doors at 7360 Center Road will open so patrons can reserve their seats, either on comfortable pews or hay bales in the loft. Concerts begin at 2 p.m.
This year, Concerts in the Barn will feature the Carpe Diem String Quartet, of which The Washington Post recently wrote, “among these contemporary quartets … the Carpe Diem is the best one out there.”
Two members of the musical ensemble are well-known to patrons who have been coming to the farm for a decade or more — first violinist Charles Wetherbee and violist Korine Fujiwara. Joining them are second violinist Marisa Ishikawa and cellist Gregory Sauer.
Today, renowned mandolinist and composer Jeff Midkiff will join the Quartet to perform traditional folk and fiddling tunes as well as original compositions featured on Midkiff’s Gold Prize-winning CD, “Run for Your Life.”
On Saturday and Sunday, the Carpe Diem and Midkiff will perform Midkiff’s string quintet, “Gypsy,” commissioned by the quartet, as well as music composed by violist Korine Fujiwara, inspired by her beloved home, Montana.
To round off this all-American weekend, the Quartet also will perform Samuel Barber’s beloved American string quartet.
Midkiff and the Carpe Diem have performed together before, most recently in Carnegie Hall, which The New York Times described as “a fiery and flexible performance that was astonishingly free.”
Over the next two weekends, the Carpe Diem will perform an intriguing medley of chamber music that spans several continents.
On July 13-14, the Quartet will perform the breathtaking works of Finnish composer Rautavaara and Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg (interspersed with a Haydn quartet).
June 20-21, the Quartet will take on on the momentous works of Shostakovich and Tchaikovsky, two Russian giants in the composing world—with a romantic interlude of a Mendelssohn quartet twixt these giant opuses.
For the past 35 years, thousands of concertgoers have flocked to the farm — now known as Trillium Woods Farm — to hear the world’s greatest chamber music musicians perform the world’s greatest chamber music in this distinctly pastoral setting.
Concertgoers can sit inside the barn on comfortable pews or hay bales in the loft, or outside on the knoll, where music is aired outside.
Families are welcome. This is a great opportunity to introduce children to chamber music while they explore the farm.
Patrons with mobility issues are encouraged call the festival office at 360-732-0732 to make sure their needs will be easily accommodated.
Trillium Woods Farm owners Alan Iglitzin and Leigh Hearon encourage people to come early, pack a picnic and enjoy the farm environs before the music begins.
Inside the milking shed, patrons can purchase cider from Finn River Cidery and wines from Joe Euro’s The Wine Seller. Profits from all these beverages will go to fund Jefferson Youth and Music groups.
Free bottled water also is available.
“We can’t wait for the season to begin,” said Alan Iglitzin, the founder of the Olympic Music Festival and Concerts in the Barn.
“It’s always such a joy to greet our old friends who have been coming here for years and to make new friends, too.”
For more information, go to www.concertsinthebarn.org or call 360-732-0732.
Jeff Midkiff
