In Tuesday’s (7/10) San Jose Mercury News (California), Richard Scheinin writes, “A decade ago, pianist Wu Han and cellist David Finckel—among the top power couples in classical music—tested the waters with the first Music@Menlo chamber music festival. It was a start-up, and who knew what would happen? Well, going into this summer’s 10th anniversary season later this month on the Peninsula (July 20-Aug. 11), it is now an institution: a hot ticket and one of the best chamber festivals in the nation. … As artistic directors of New York’s Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, they are influential in shaping the careers of the next generation of players. And they are technology-minded, too, comfortable with social media and operating their own Internet-based record label.” Finckel explains this year’s festival theme, “Resonance”: “When you think about what has been common to all the festivals so far—we came to the realization that it’s the experience of the listener. Our listeners have had really intense and interesting and sometimes life-changing experiences. Music’s ultimate destination is in the personal resonance of the listener; without that, it’s just sound waves in search of a home.”
Posted July 10, 2012
