The 2023 Sunflower Music Festival celebrates the canon of western art music from the classical to the contemporary.

Our project has won multiple endorsements and grants from the National Endowment of the Arts. Browse our programming below to see all Sunflower will be celebrating.

June 16, 2023 - 7:30pm

OPENING CELEBRATION - MOZART AND BEETHOVEN

7:00PM PRE-CONCERT SERIES: TO BE UPDATED

DISCUSSIONS, INTERVIEWS AND EXPOSÉS TO ENRICH YOUR CONCERT EXPERIENCE OFFERED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BLANCHE BRYDEN INSTITUTE AND FOUNDATION

Marriage of Figaro Overture

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 – 1791)

Concerto for Two Pianos K. 365

Allegro
Andante
Rondeau: Allegro

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 – 1791)

Cynthia Raim & David Allen Wehr, Piano

Intermission

Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92

Poco sostenuto, Vivace
Allegretto
Presto
Allegro con brio
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)

JUNE 17, 2023 - 7:30pm

CHAMBER ENSEMBLES

Après un Rêve, Op. 7, No. 1

Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924)

Sicilienne, Op. 78

Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924)

Rita Costanzi, Harp

Alex Klein, Oboe

Aria in Classic Style

Marcel Grandjany (1891-1975)

Rita Costanzi, Harp

Eric Tanner, Violin

Sasha Mandl, Violin

Orlando Wells, Viola

Andante and Variations, Op. 46

Andante Expressivo

Un poco più animato

Piu animato

Piu lento

Animato

Robert Schumann (1810-1856)

David Allen Wehr, Piano I

Cynthia Raim, Piano II

John Waltz, Cello I

Claudio Jaffe, Cello II

James Thatcher, French Horn

Intermission

String Octet

Max Bruch (1838-1920)

Ole Bohn, Violin I

Eric Tanner, Violin II

Sasha Mandl, Violin III

Jesse Thompson, Violin IV

Jonathan Moerschal, Viola I

Orlando Wells, Viola II

Jonathan Tortalano, Cello I

Beideth Brinceno, Cello II

Quartet No. 8 in C minor, Op. 111

Largo

Allegro molto

Allegretto

Largo

Largo

Dmitri Shostakovich (1906 – 1975)

Zhan Shu, Violin I

Philip Manning, Violin II

Jonathan Moerschel, Viola

Claudio Jaffe, Cello

Following Concert: Musician ‘Talk-Back’ Session

June 19, 2023 - 7:30pm

Jazz Night Celebrates Juneteenth

A TRIBUTE TO BLACK FEMALE COMPOSERS WITH CITY LIGHT JAZZ ORCHESTRA

Sponsored by Liz Stratton

Featuring David Basse, vocals, with the City Light Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Angela Ward, piano.

This year’s show takes listeners on a musical journey that includes compositions by trombonist, Melba Liston, as well as singers Billie Holiday and Nina Simone. Many Black women composers went unnoticed in their lifetime because of a male dominated and segregated world.

Jazz Night again features vocalists, Angela Hagenbach and David Basse, performing music written by orchestra members and compositions that are by now a part of the fabric of the Great American Songbook.

City Light Jazz Orchestra

Angela Ward, piano

June 20, 2023 - 7:30pm

CHAMBER ENSEMBLES

Aria for Flute, Oboe, Cello & Harp

Michael Cohen (b. 1938)

Karen Bogardus, Flute
Alex Klein, Oboe
Claudio Jaffe, Cello
Rita Costanzi, Harp

Quintet for Piano & Winds in E-flat, K452

Largo – Allegro moderato
Larghetto
Allegretto

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-91)

Cynthia Raim, Piano
Jonathan Gunn, Clarinet
Alex Klein, Oboe
Greg Miller, Horn
, Bassoon

Intermission

String Quintet in G minor, K. 515

Allegro
Menuetto: Allegretto
Adagio ma non troppo
Adagio – Allegro

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 – 1791)

Jeanyi Kim, Violin I
Sascha Mandl, Violin II
Jonathan Moerschel, Viola I
Rafael Gargate, Viola II
Jonathan Tortolano, Cello

Following Concert: Musician ‘Talk-Back’ Session

June 21, 2023 - 7:30pm

CHAMBER ORCHESTRA

ANTONY WALKER, CONDUCTOR

Pelleas et Melisande Suite

Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924)

Carnival of the Animals

Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921)

Introduction and Royal March of the Lion
Hens and Roosters
Wild Donkeys – Swift Animals
Tortoises
The Elephant
Kangaroos
Aquarium
Characters with Long Ears
Cuckoo in the Depths of the Woods
Aviary
Pianists
Fossils
Pianists
The Swan
Finale

Intermission

Symphony No. 104 in D major “London”

Adagio: Allegro
Andante
Menuetto
Finale
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)

June 23, 2023 - 1:00pm

Blanche Bryden Outreach Concert

June 23, 2023 - 7:30pm

CHAMBER ENSEMBLES

7:00P PRE-CONCERT SESSION: 'MUSICALLY SPEAKING' WITH ALEX KLEIN, PRINCIPAL OBOIST

DISCUSSIONS, INTERVIEWS, AND EXPOSÉS TO ENRICH YOUR CONCERT EXPERIENCE. OFFERED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BLANCHE BRYDEN INSTITUTE AND FOUNDATION

Deux Interludes for Oboe Violin, and Harp
Andante espressivo
Allegro vivo
Jacques Ibert (1890-1962)

Alex Klein, Oboe
Charles Stegeman, Violin
Rita Costanzi, Harp

Johann Sebastian Bach(1685-1750)

Michelle Sung, Flute
Jonathan Gunn, Clarinet
Alex Klein, Oboe
Joe Merchant, Bassoon
James Thatcher, French Horn
Robert Skavronski, Double Bass (1843 – 1913)

Claudio Jaffe, Cello I
Jonathan Tortolano, Cello II
Beideth Briceno, Cello III
David Allen Wehr, Piano

Intermission

Piano Quintet in F minor
Molto moderato quasi lento – Allegro
Lento con molto sentimento
Allegro non troppo ma con fuoco
Cesar Franck (1822-1890)

David Allen Wehr, Piano
Charles Stegeman, Violin I
Rachel Stegeman, Violin II
Basil Vendryes, Viola
John Walz, Cello

Following Concert: Musician ‘Talk-Back’ Session

June 24, 2023 - 3:00pm

Blanche Bryden Student Ensembles

STRING QUARTET

Victoria Sicola, Violin
Aaron Tseng, Violin
Sophia Monroe, Viola
Andrew Anderson, Cello

WOODWIND QUINTET

Elizabeth Schaefer, Flute
Mayzie Mangos, Oboe
Sydney Watson, Clarinet
Tessa Berry, Bassoon
Hannah Allen, Horn

BRASS QUINTET

Miles Cusick, Trumpet
Julian Ramcha Trumpet
Angelina Naseem, Horn
Timothy Heil, Trombone
Amanda Hull, Tuba

HARMONY PROJECT STRING QUARTET

John Crow, Violin
Luis Alvarado, Violin
Erik Alvarado, Viola
Benjamin Tovar, Cello

June 24, 2023 - 7:30pm

Special Guest Conductor - Anthony Walker

Fidelio Overture, Op. 72

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Gabriel’s Oboe

Ennio Morricone (1928-2020)

Alex Klein, Oboe

Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73 “Emperor”

Allegro

Adagio un poco mosso

Rondo: Allegro ma non troppo

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

David Allen Wehr, Piano

Date: June 16, 2023 - June 24, 2023

Location: Various Venue

Click Here to view more Information