Dear friends,

It’s rare Portland Ovations engages with the same artist in subsequent years given the wealth of talented artists in our midst. However, working with Dr. Thomas Wolf on his The Nightengale Sonata series is a special gift. This dynamic series – which changes program, instrumentation and guest musicians with each sharing – offers us virtuosic playing, entertaining storytelling, the rich legacy of classical music, Jewish history and a deep connection to Maine.

Nightingale’s Encores is an entirely new program that is fun, funny, and displays the kind of instrumental fireworks only brilliant musicians such as international prize-winning violinist Blake Pouliot and Avery Fisher Career Awardee, pianist Henry Kramer (originally from Cape Elizabeth) can deliver. It is the kind of program that brings audiences to their feet expressing their joy and admiration.

As Wolf notes: The original Nightingale program from a couple of years ago was a story of my family based on the book I wrote. It featured Franck’s violin sonata. This program is completely different.  It is based around famous encores – that is, short, brilliant pieces that musicians play at the end of the program by popular demand. The concert features ten of these great show pieces and the stories behind them – many including my family. Indeed, one of the pieces was actually written for and dedicated to my grandmother in 1903 when she was a brilliant teen-aged violin prodigy.   

The music and storytelling continues on March 22^nd at the Maine Jewish Museum. We hope you will join us – whether for the first time, or for the continuation of this unique series.