Set in the natural beauty of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, the chamber music ensemble Sixth Floor Trio takes up residence again through Jan. 18 as the artistic directors of the third Garden Music Festival with programs that explore musical relationships and innovations across genres and time periods.
The Sixth Floor Trio — Teddy Abrams, Harrison Hollingsworth, and Johnny Teyssier — and the 2015 GardenMusic guest artists will perform genre-defying programs that range from classical chamber music to folk, rock, and Latin jazz. This year’s festival will be centered around four evening concerts, each carefully and thematically curated with guest artists.
The festival is adding a second Music Up Close children’s concert this year. There will be one on Saturday, Jan. 10, and another on Saturday, Jan. 17 — each with unique, engaging programming for young people.
As Teddy Abrams of the Sixth Floor Trio has explained, “Our aim is to pair one of Miami’s most beautiful settings with world-class music making, bringing together tremendously talented and engaging musicians from around the world in a schedule of programs that cross the spectrum of time and musical styles.”
The GardenMusic Festival is a winner of a 2012 Knight Arts Challenge award from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
Schedule:
Friday, Jan. 9, 7 p.m.—Opening Night Concert featuring Aoife O’Donovan and Jeremy Kittel. This concert will showcase the talent and versatility of the GardenMusic resident artists, and will feature rising stars of folk music: Aoife O’Donovan (vocalist on the Grammy-winning Goat Rodeo Sessions album with Yo- Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Chris Thile, and Stuart Duncan) and violinist/fiddler Jeremy Kittel (long-time member of the Grammy-winning Turtle Island Quartet). The evening will include a Dvorák Piano Quintet, Chick Corea’s Spain, classic rock arrangements, and a folk set curated by Jeremy Kittel.
Sunday, Jan. 11, 7 p.m. — The Sacred, Profane, and Spiritual Composers across the centuries have explored timeless themes of spirituality, piety, and irreverence. Come be transported beyond the gardens to other realms; from Jewish mysticism in Osvaldo Golijov’s The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind and profound reverence in a Bach motet, to devils and witches in Liszt’s Mephisto Waltz and Berlioz’s Symphony Fantastique.
Saturday, Jan. 17, 7 p.m. — Experimentation: Making the New Out of the Old. New works of music — even highly revolutionary ones — are impacted by the music that precedes them. Some composers weave older works into their compositions, such as the melodic use of folk tunes; others create art to react against the norm and set new standards and expectations for their audiences. Experience an evening of music that explores the breadth of ways that music has been revitalized and expanded upon — from folk tunes to modern reinterpretations of Baroque works to new compositions by the GardenMusic artists themselves.
Sunday, Jan. 18, 7 p.m. — A Gozar! Grooves in the Garden featuring Tiempo Libre. Join in for an exciting final concert, with three-time Grammy-nominated ensemble Tiempo Libre bringing their incredible talents and high-energy timba music. The concert will include new jazz works performed and composed by the GardenMusic artists.
Saturday, Jan. 10, and Saturday, Jan. 17, 10:30 a.m. — Music Up Close: A Children’s Concert. An intimate, fun-filled hour of musical education, engagement and enjoyment for children of all ages. This presentation is free for Fairchild members and is included with regular garden admission for non-members.
Pre-Concert Events with the Artists — Audience members can enjoy the performances either in the Concert Tent or on the lawn, and are invited to pre-concert programs at 6 p.m. (prior to the 7 p.m. performances) that include a special introduction to the main event and preview performances by the GardenMusic resident artists.
In addition to the main performances in the Concert Tent, GardenMusic will fill the Fairchild garden space with music-making throughout the festival. Visitors to Fairchild in January will experience short concerts throughout each day of GardenMusic, Random Acts of Culture, open rehearsals, and daily educational activities with the GardenMusic artists for every student who visits the Garden.
Ticketing as Teddy Abrams has stated, “The Sixth Floor Trio strongly believes in making great music accessible and engaging to the broadest of audiences. We start our ticket prices for the evening performances at just $5 for general admission, and are free for Fairchild members.” Tickets are available on line by visiting www.fairchildgarden.org/gardenmusic.
Fairchild is located at 10901 Old Cutler Rd. in Coral Gables. For more information, call 305-667-1651 or visit www.fairchildgarden.org.
