Press Releases
Northwest BachFest Zuill Bailey, Artistic Director
Northwest BachFest - Zuill Bailey, Artistic Director
Special Events
In Coeur d’Alene, Idaho – Saturday, December 14 at 3pm
In Spokane -- Sunday, December 15 at 3pm
featuring Rising Star Cellist, John Henry Crawford, with
Zuill Bailey, cello, and Victor Santiago Asuncion, piano
Corazón, Music of Latin America
Fall 2024
SPOKANE - Northwest BachFest announces two Special Events on Saturday, December 14 at 3pm in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, at the historic Northern Pacific Depot, 201 N. Third Street. On Sunday, December 15, 2024, the program repeats at 3pm at Barrister Winery, 1213 W. Railroad Avenue in Spokane. Community engagement activities will take place throughout the week preceding.
BachFest Artistic Director Zuill Bailey has invited rising star cellist, John Henry Crawford, with Victor Santiago Asuncion, longtime collaborator with legendary cellist, the late Lynn Harrell.
Both concerts feature the same program: Corazón, Music of Latin America
The mellow sounds of Hector Villa-Lobos, Alberto Ginnestera, Carlos Guastavino, Astor Piazzola, Ginncarlo0 Menotti and Manuel Maria Ponce’s Pore ti mi Corazón (For You, My Heart.)
(See full program below)
Saturday, December 14 at 3pm
Doors open at 2:15pm.
Historic Northern Pacific Depot
201 N. Third Street in Coeur d’Alene, ID
General Admission: $55
Limited seating. Coeur d’Alene Cellars will have wine for sale.
Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/corazon-music-of-latin-america-tickets-999576810147
Sunday, December 15 at 3pm
Barrister Winery, 1213 W. Railroad Ave. in Spokane
General Admissin: $55, Students: $10 (Student tickets only at the concert door).
Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beethoven-and-tchaikovsky-tickets-1038517442627
Barrister Winery is an All-Ages Venue, and Students are welcomed.
John Henry Crawford
It is Zuill Bailey’s honor to designate cellist John Henry as a Rising Star. Born in the Louisiana city of Shreveport, John Henry is lauded for his “polished charisma” and “singing sound” (Philadelphia Inquirer) and in 2019 was First Prize Winner of the IX International Carlos Prieto Cello Competition and named Young Artist of the Year by the Classical Recording Foundation. At age 15, Crawford was accepted into the legendary Curtis Institute of Music to study with Peter Wiley and Carter Brey and went on to complete an Artist Diploma at the Manhattan School of Music with Philippe Muller, a Master of Music at The Juilliard School with Joel Krosnick, and pursue further study in Chicago with Hans Jørgen Jensen. He now performs internationally as a featured guest artist. John Henry performs on a rare 200-year-old European cello smuggled out of Austria by his grandfather, Dr. Robert Popper, who evaded Kristallnacht in 1938. He also performs with a fine French bow by the revolutionary bowmaker Tourte “L’Ainé” from 1790. Before attending Curtis, Crawford studied with concert cellist Andres Diaz of Southern Methodist University. In addition to music, he enjoys reading about astrophysics, running, performing magic tricks and photography.
Victor Santiago Asuncion, hailed by The Washington Post for his “poised and imaginative playing,” Filipino American pianist Victor has appeared in concert halls in Brazil, Canada, Ecuador, France, Italy, Germany, Japan, Mexico, the Philippines, Spain, Turkey and the United States, as a recitalist and concerto soloist. He played his orchestral debut at age 18 with the Manila Chamber Orchestra, and his New York recital debut in Carnegie’s Weill Recital Hall in 1999. A chamber music enthusiast, he has performed with artists such as cellists Lynn Harrell, Zuill Bailey and other notable musicians. Festival appearances include Amelia Island, Highland-Cashiers, Music in the Vineyards, and Santa Fe Chamber Music Festivals. Thes concerts mark his second appearance at Northwest BachFest. Victor. is the Founder, and Artistic and Board Director of FilAm Music Foundation, a non-profit foundation that is dedicated to promoting Filipino classical musicians through scholarship, and performance. He received his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in 2007 from the University of Maryland at College Park under the tutelage of Rita Sloan. Victor Santiago Asuncion is a Steinway artist.
Northwest BachFest is a year-round presenter of classical music with BachFest concerts in February, March, May, outdoor Music in Manito Park concerts in July, September, and December. Special musical events are scheduled throughout the year. BachFest engages in the community with musical visits to hospitals, reaching neo-natal ICUs, Child/Adolescent Psychiatric Units, Cardiac Care Units, hospice settings and more along with educational programs in area schools. During restrictions for live events, BachFest turned attention to presenting high-quality “Across the Miles” concerts online via its YouTube channel as well as free of charge streaming programs to maintain community engagement. Musical “Postcards from Spokane” filmed in some of the city’s historic landmarks can be found at NWBachFest.com
Artistic Director Zuill Bailey, 2017 Triple Grammy Winner, is widely considered one of the premier cellists in the world. His rare combination of celebrated artistry, technical wizardry and engaging personality has secured his place as one of the most sought after and active cellists today. Praised for his “virtuoso technique, strong, richly expressive tone and bold, individual manner of playing” (Gramophone Magazine). Bailey, a top selling recording artist, music educator and award-winning musical innovator, is Artistic Director of music festivals in Texas, Alaska and Arizona as well as Artistic Director of Northwest BachFest.
Corazón, Music of Latin America
December 14 and 15, 2024
Brazil
Heitor Villa-Lobos
O canto de cisne negro Ondulando
Melodia
Marlos Nobre
Poema III
Argentina
Argentina
Alberto Ginastera
Danzas Argentinas
Carlos Guastavino
Pampamapa
Astor Piazzolla
Le Grand Tango
Mexico
Manuel Ponce
Por ti mi Corazón
Estrellita
USA/Italy
Giancarlo Menotti
Suite for Two Cellos and Piano
For information or to arrange an interview: gertrude@nwbachfest.com.
Northwest BachFest Zuill Bailey, Artistic Director
Northwest BachFest - Zuill Bailey, Artistic Director
Saturday, March 1 at 7pm
Sunday, March 2 at 3pm
featuring
Kurt Nikkanen, violin; Zuill Bailey, cello
Maria Asteriadou, piano
October, 2024
SPOKANE - Northwest BachFest Northwest BachFest continues in March 2025, with two concerts at Barrister Winery, 1213 W. Railroad Avenue in Spokane.
The first program on Saturday, March 1, features Ravel Duo for Violin, Debussy Cello Sonata, Fauré Violin Sonata. The second program on Sunday, March 2 presents Tchaikovsky Piano Trio and the Beethoven “Kreutzer” Sonata.
Please note that Student Tickets can only be purchased at the concerts starting one hour ahead of performances. For General Admission tickets, follow the links below.
Saturday, March 1 at 7pm
Kurt Nikkanen, violin; Zuill Bailey, cello; Maria Asteriadou, piano
Ravel, Debussy and Fauré
Maurice Ravel. Sonata for Violin and Cello; Claude Debussy, Sonata for Cello and Piano,
Gabriel Fauré, Violin Sonata No. 1 in A Major.
The premiere of the Gabriel Fauré Sonata No. 1 in 1877 in Paris at the Salle Playel was an outstanding success and marked a turning point in his career as the work quickly found its way into programming of the day.
Barrister Winery, 1213 W. Railroad Ave. in Spokane
General Admission: $65 Students: $10 (underwritten by Spokane City Credit Union)
Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ravel-debussy-and-faure-tickets-1038498235177
Sunday, March 2 at 3pm
Kurt Nikkanen, violin; Zuill Bailey, cello; Maria Asteriadou, piano
Beethoven and Tchaikovsky
Ludwig van Beethoven, Violin Sonata No. 9 in A Major, Op. 47 “Kreutzer”
Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Piano Trio in A minor, Op. 50
The Tchaikovsky trio was a marked change in the composer’s writing as he had previously focused on symphonic works. The trio premiered in Moscow and was first performed in the United States in 1891 during the composer’s visit to Washington, D.C. for a reception held in his honor at the Russian Embassy.
Barrister Winery, 1213 W. Railroad Ave. in Spokane
General Admission: $45 Students: $10 (underwritten by Spokane City Credit Union)
Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beethoven-and-tchaikovsky-tickets-1038517442627
About The Guest Artists:
Kurt Nikkanen, violin, is a graduate of the Juilliard School and is Concertmaster of the New York City Ballet Orchestra with a private teaching studio in New York. He is an often-featured soloist and chamber musician at engagements around the world. Kurt lives in Manhattan with his wife, pianist Maria Asteriadou.
Maria Asteriadou, piano, is a native of Greece. Maria holds a Doctor of Music Arts Degree from from the Manhattan School of Music after a master’s degree from the Julliard School. Winner of prestigious awards around the world, Maria and husband, Kurt Nikkanen, often collaborate on projects internationally.
Doors open one hour prior to the performances. If an event is not sold out, a limited number of tickets will be available for purchase at the door.
Northwest BachFest is a year-around presenter of classical music with BachFest concerts in February/March, May, August/September, December as well as concerts in Manito Park in July. Special musical events are scheduled throughout the year. BachFest engages in the community with musical visits to retirement communities, hospitals, hospice settings and more along with educational programs in area schools. Short music videos, “Postcards from Spokane,” can be found on the NWBachFest.com website.
Artistic Director Zuill Bailey, cello, 2017 Triple Grammy Winner, is widely considered one of the premier cellists in the world. His rare combination of celebrated artistry, technical wizardry and engaging personality has secured his place as one of the most sought after and active cellists today. Praised for his “virtuoso technique, strong, richly expressive tone and bold, individual manner of playing” (Gramophone Magazine). Bailey, a top selling recording artist, music educator and award-winning musical innovator, is Artistic Director of music festivals in Texas, Alaska, and Arizona as well as Artistic Director of Northwest BachFest.
For information or to arrange an interview: gertrude@nwbachfest.com.
Northwest BachFest Zuill Bailey, Artistic Director
Musical “Postcards from Spokane” Project
August 10, 2020
SPOKANE – Northwest BachFest prepares to launch an exciting new project on August 17, “Postcards from Spokane,” through digital marketing platforms reaching thousands of people. Goals for the project are to keep Spokane in focus as a desirable cultural destination when regular travel resumes, to further BachFest’s position as a presenter of classical music with extremely high-quality performances, and to give viewers short selections of some of the world’s most beautiful music being performed in some of Spokane’s unforgettable historic venues.
“Postcards from Spokane” was initiated in mid-July 2019 and was originally considered a longer-term endeavor pending available staff time to develop funding for production and distribution. Artistic Director Zuill Bailey proposed doing some musical video vignettes in historic Spokane venues to be called “Postcards from Spokane” to keep BachFest in public focus between its regularly scheduled concert series taking place every three months.
By August 2019, Executive Director Gertrude Harvey had selected and reserved five iconic locations for the Postcards, and with the artistry and support of Don Hamilton and Lorna St. John of Hamilton Studio in Spokane and their talented crew, videotaping began the end of August 2019 in the Historic Davenport Hotel’s Isabella Room, Hall of Doges, and the Grand Lobby along with the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist and Barrister Winery’s barrel room. Participating guest musicians, in Spokane for the BachFest Summer Classics August 2019 concerts, Kurt Nikkanen, violin, Concertmaster of the New York City Ballet Orchestra, and Dr. Scott Rawls, a noted violist from Greensboro, N.C., joined Artistic Director Zuill Bailey, a world-renowned cellist, to perform Beethoven’s String Trio No. 1, Op. 3 in each of the five locations.
When live concert cancellations began in March 2020, staff time became available to focus on developing “Postcards from Spokane.” Each of the six movements of the Beethoven String Trio was assigned a specific location, and post-production began with a video postcard template designed by Harvey. Realizing that the Postcards were too appealing to reach only a relatively small population, fund raising began to allow for extensive digital marketing distribution. KSPS Public TV also agreed to air the six Postcards during its fall/winter programming.
The first financial support came from Spokane Arts with a grant for Postcards from SAGA funding in Round Two; next was City of Spokane Lodging Tax Fund whose committee, chaired by Councilwoman Betsy Wilkerson, allowed funds previously awarded for 2020 concert marketing to be used for Postcards. Two businesses, Triple Nine Digital, a subsidiary of The Spokesman-Review, and Phase 3 Digital, a subsidiary of KXLY TV, have provided generous In-Kind matching gifts to further extend reach of the Postcards. KSPS Public TV, a collaborator with Northwest BachFest, also extended In-Kind valuation. Melissa Huggins, Executive Director of Spokane Arts and Shelly Wynecoop, Grants Administrator, elicited Visit Spokane and Spokane Downtown Partnership to join with Spokane Arts, using CARES Act funding to promote Spokane, to further expand online distribution of the “Postcards from Spokane.”
On Monday, August 17, just less than a year from beginning the videotaping, “Postcards from Spokane” will be launched on digital platforms reaching hundreds of thousands of people in a promotion that will run through September 30. A second launch phase will begin November 9 and run through December 2020.
Don Hamilton and Lorna St John of Hamilton Studio, long-time supporters of Northwest BachFest and many, many other community organizations, have also filmed selected BachFest concerts for several years. With this video library, “Postcards from Spokane” can be expanded into dozens of different musical vignettes in the years ahead pending funding for distribution.
Announcing a new concert series – Northwest BachFest debuted a new concert series, Across the Miles, in June and July 2020, with monthly online concerts, first featuring Artistic Director Zuill Bailey in a cello performance from his home in El Paso, Texas, in June, and in July, the acclaimed classical jazz pianist Matt Herskowitz from his home in Toronto, Ontario, along with Artistic Director Zuill Bailey in split screen followed by a video of Herskowitz premiering his arrangement of George Gershwin’s Rhapsody In Blue that had been videotaped at Hamilton Studio in 2019.
August 2020 concerts will feature the Amazing World of Pianist Awadagin Pratt, available online August 25-31 with a link that will be live on those dates on NWBachFest.com. In addition, Artistic Director Zuill Bailey is developing several short student enrichment programs specifically for BachFest’s current program area that can be used to enhance online learning.
Across the Miles continues October 2020 - May 2021 with concerts through links that will be available only for specified dates each month, performers and dates soon to be announced. Artistic Director Zuill Bailey, a consummate musical collaborator and award-winning Musical Innovator (2016 Musical America award) is scheduling some of his colleagues from the world of guest artist musicians to bring Front Row Seat concert experiences right to the comfort and safety of viewers’ homes. Each of these events will be preceded by virtual Happy Hour Talks with Zuill Bailey.
Online programs will serve to expand Northwest BachFest’s reach in several ways. Concerts will now be accessible for those who cannot attend public performance as well as those who will not feel safe returning to live events for some time post-COVID 19. In addition, the audience for Across the Miles can now be literally anywhere in the world. Skills learned by BachFest staff with the Postcards project will assist with global marketing of future musical offerings. The Across the Miles series furthers the message of “Postcards from Spokane: Music Brings Us Together.”
Northwest BachFest presented by Connoisseur Concerts is a year-around presenter of classical music concerts with BachFest in February/March and May, Mozart On A Summer’s Eve in July, August Summer Classics, December Winter Classics and special events throughout the year. BachFest is actively engaged in the community with musical visits to hospitals reaching neo-natal ICUs, Child/Adolescent Psychiatric Units, Cardiac Care Units, hospice settings and more along with educational programs in area schools. During restrictions for live performances, BachFest has turned attention to presenting specially-designed, high-quality concerts each month via its private You Tube channel with links posted on the NWBachFest.com website in a new series, Across the Miles.
Artistic Director Zuill Bailey, 2017 Triple Grammy Winner, is widely considered one of the premier cellists in the world. His rare combination of celebrated artistry, technical wizardry and engaging personality has secured his place as one of the most sought after and active cellists today. Praised for his “virtuoso technique, strong, richly expressive tone and bold, individual manner of playing” (Gramophone Magazine). Bailey, a top selling recording artist, music educator and award-winning musical innovator, is Artistic Director of music festivals in Texas, Alaska and Arizona as well as Artistic Director of Northwest BachFest . zuillbailey.com
For information or to arrange an interview: gertrude@nwbachfest.com.