Flute Fest at the Cooperstown Summer Music Festival Set for 8/2

The Cooperstown Summer Music Festival will present Flute Fest at the Otesaga on Thursday, August 2 at 7:30 pm. The concert, which is free and open to all, will feature the flute choir from the NY Summer Music Festival's prestigious International Flute Institute. Several of the Institute's instructors also will perform, including Guo-Liang Han, Principal Flute of the China National Symphony Orchestra; Henrik Wiese, Principal Flute of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra; and Linda Chesis, Festival flutist, and professor of flute and chair of the woodwind department at the Manhattan School of Music.

The concert is the culmination of two weeks of intensive study. The winner of the Institute's Concerto Competition also will perform. The program features works by Handel, Mozart, Delibes, and Fauré.

"The Flute Fest has become a Festival tradition," says Ms. Chesis, who is also the founder and artistic director of the Festival. "To listen to a flute choir, and see the dedication and talent of these young flutists is inspiring." She noted that children are very welcome to attend. "I love the idea that this concert may encourage someone to learn to play the flute." She noted that there are three more free performances as part of the Festival's Pro Am series, which pairs professional musicians (Ms. Chesis and the Horszowski Trio) with talented non-career musicians.

The Flute Fest will be held in the ballroom of the Otesaga Resort Hotel, 60 Lake Street in Cooperstown. No reservation or ticket required. Starting at 7 pm, there will be a free craft activity for children.

Season continues through August 24 with leading classical artists, free performances, and jazz
The Cooperstown Summer Music Festival continues August 5 at 7:30 pm at the Otesaga, when the Horszowski Trio and Linda Chesis perform works by Saint-Saens, Schubert and Nino Rota. The Trio and Ms. Chesis will lead the Festival's Pro Am Seminar, with free performances offered 7 pm on August 6 at Pathfinder Village in Edmeston, 7:30 pm on August 7 at Grace Church in Cherry Valley, and 7:30 pm on August 8 at Christ Episcopal Church in Cooperstown.

Jazz comes to Cooperstown August 12, when the California-based Tierney Sutton Band performs at the Otesaga at 7:30 pm. Their 2011 album American Road received the band's fourth consecutive Grammy Nomination for "Best Vocal Jazz Album."

On Sunday, August 19 at 3 pm, Laurie Carney, violin, Daniel Avshalomov, viola; Shirley Irek, piano; William Grubb, cello; and Linda Chesis will perform in a concert titled "The Grand Tour: Vienna, Madrid and Paris." The concert, which features the sumptuous Fauré Piano Quartet No. 1 in C minor, will be held at the Otesaga Hotel.

The Festival finale will be August 24 with the Juilliard String Quartet performing an all-Beethoven in a 7:30 pm concert at The Farmers' Museum.

For more information, call 877/666-7421, visit the Festival's web site, www.CooperstownMusicFest.org.