Violinist and pianist start Bloedel's summer concerts June 24th (WU-354)

The beautiful lawns and meadow of Bloedel Reserve will again this year be the venue for three concerts over the summer, two classical ones wrapped around a rockin’ high energy concert in the middle of the summer.

Tickets for this Saturday evening June 24th concert are available at this Bloedel Reserve webpage. Doors open at 6pm for the outdoor concert behind the mansion overlooking Puget Sound. You may bring a picnic but not alcoholic beverages. Sales of wine and beer that night at the concert will benefit Bloedel's programs. 

In this podcast, Shayla Miles, Programs and Events Manager of Bloedel Reserve tells BCB about the summer concert series, titled “Music with a View.”  She is joined in the interview by the featured violinist of the June 24th opening concert. We meet Dr. Quinton Morris, who is described as having “a multifaceted career as concert violinist, educator, entrepreneur, and filmmaker.”

As the opening concert, Quintin Morris will begin the series setting a high standard.  He will perform three sonatas for violin and keyboard by Chevalier de Saint-Georges, accompanied by Erin Chung on the piano.  There will also be a film screening of “The BREAKTHROUGH”, which premiered at the Seattle Art Museum and the Louvre in Paris among other distinguished locations. “The film explores the music and history of the Chevalier de Saint-Georges, a musician of African origin who, against all odds, rose to become one of the most prolific and forgotten figures of the 18th century.” The film has been featured in film festivals in Las Vegas and New York, and it won the “Diamond Award” top prize at the European Independent Film Awards in Paris and the bronze award at the Global Music Awards in Los Angeles.

In celebration of the 270th anniversary of the birth of Joseph Boulogne (better known as the Chevalier de Saint-Georges), Quinton Morris created "The BREAKTHROUGH": a short film telling a modernized story of the 18th century athlete, concert violinist, and composer. Quinton performs Saint-George’s three violin sonatas and makes his acting debut as the historical violinist in this visionary film capturing key aspects of musician’s life.

Sebastien Quequet, Head of Cultural Programs at Les Arts Decoratifs at the Louvre Museum at the Paris Premiere of "The BREAKTHROUGH", January 21, 2016, described the film as:

“Creative and innovative—combining an academic lecture with a stellar performance and film with the lecturer as the musician, actor, and filmmaker should inspire everyone to aim towards success.”

Credits: BCB host: Channie Peters; BCB audio editor and social media publisher: Barry Peters.