Welcome to OICMF Scherzo (skert·sō/ noun:  a vigorous, light, or playful composition)
The monthly newsletter of the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival
Spring is coming, and things are happening !
It's that quickening time of year, and that is sure the case here at OICMF! We have monthly excitement throughout Spring, with concerts, workshops, yoga, pop-ups, and all kinds of musical fun.

First up, just days before the actual equinox (as featured in the last Scherzo ), Monique Mead with her son and accompanist Tino Cárdenes will be here March 16 th – 18 th , working with the public school students, offering a Strings Workshop for all ages, a Community Concert, and -- in a first for us -- a yoga session in collaboration with Tiffany Loney. Read all about this whirlwind visit here:

Dynamic and talented violinist Nikki Chooi , who was last here with Time for Three in 2016, will be treating us to a Salon Concert on Easter Sunday ! He will be playing a number of solo works followed by the Beethoven Violin Concerto, accompanied by our very own Lisa Bergman . Here’s more info on his visit:


We get Mak in May! Mak Grgić wowed us with his international guitar stylings and repartee as part of the Festival last August, and we are thrilled he will be joining us for three days this May. His visit will start with a Community Concert at OrcaSong Farm on May 10 th , followed by a multi-island tour on May 11 th (playing on the Interisland ferry, a stop on Shaw, and an evening Concert on Lopez ). On Tuesday May 12 th , you might just find him playing here, there, and everywhere around Eastsound . Here’s all the info on Mak’s visit:

We’ll blink and it'll be June, and the Miró Quartet will be here playing the Complete Beethoven String Quartets ( https://oicmf.org/news/miro-quartet-performs-the-complete-beethoven-string-quartets-june-17-25-2020/ ), then it'll be August and we’ll see you at the Festival ( https://oicmf.org/news/mark-your-calendars-the-2020-festival-dates-are-set/ ). Before you know it, we’ll be wishing you a happy 2021! But there are plenty of musical adventures of all sorts to be had before then, and we look forward to seeing you at each and every one!
Local Boy Makes Good
We were thrilled to see news about Oliver Aldort on the Musical America website! We have enjoyed watching Oliver grow into the wonderful musician (and overall human being)
he is today. While he was a Festival Artist in 2015 and 2017, he is first and foremost an Orcas Islander and, we like to think, our own success story. Congrats to Oliver and the whole Aldort family!



Young Cellist Gets a New Job
The Boston Symphony has named section cellist Oliver Aldort [pictured] to the position of assistant principal cello. Aldort, 26, joined the orchestra in 2015 at the age of 21. He will serve as principal of the Boston Pops orchestra when its season begins this spring, and as principal of the BSO during the February 27-March 3 concerts while BSO principal cello Blaise Dejardin is away.

Aldort earned his BM from the Curtis Institute of Music in 2015 and hasn’t stopped since. He’s already performed as a soloist with a number of North American orchestras and is a member of the newly formed Steans Piano Trio. He’s also played at Tanglewood, Verbier, and at his home town’s Orcas Island (WA) Chamber Music Festival.
We're Hiring!
We shall sadly be bidding our Production Manager Tracy McQueen farewell at the end of the month. If you or someone you know might be interested in joining us in producing all things OICMF, please contact me at anita@oicmf.org for a complete job description -- what an opportunity!
We look forward to sharing more OICMF news and events with you - keep your eyes peeled for next month's Scherzo !
All the best,
Anita Orne
Executive Director
Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival
Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival
Aloysia Friedmann, Artistic Director

917B Mount Baker Road • PO Box 646
Eastsound, WA 98245
(360) 376-6636 • toll-free 1-866-492-0003