MasterWorks Fest Concludes This Weekend
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
WINONA LAKE - If Patrick Kavanaugh had his druthers, he'd shred the current three-year MasterWorks Festival contract to appear in town - and replace it with one binding the group here for the next 200 years.
"We are in love with Winona Lake," the artistic director said. "We're all thinking of quitting our jobs, retiring and moving here.
"It's just lovely here. I've been overwhelmed by the hospitality and the grateful spirit I encounter everywhere I go."
The MasterWorks Festival, a division of the Christian Performing Artists' Fellowship, is a four-week training program for select college- and high school-age performing artists.
The students, staff and administrators have been housed at Grace College since June 23. The festival ends with a concert Sunday evening in Rodeheaver Auditorium - or "Rodie," as Kavanaugh casually refers to the hall.
Kavanaugh and administrator Richard Lambert are pleased with the audience numbers here.
"There are lots of people here," Lambert said. The festival used to be housed at Houghton College in New York, a very rural area. The audiences were small.
Lambert expects the crowds to grow when they publicize more throughout the region.
"I talked to people from the Goshen and South Bend area who just heard about the concerts," Lambert said. "They hadn't seen any publicity. We'll be ahead of where we are next year."
More than 170 students took part in the MasterWorks program this year in six programs - orchestra, piano, intensive study, opera, dance and theater.
The kids spend the majority of their time in recitals, rehearsals, private lessons and master classes, learning from a faculty comprising the country's finest professionals.
This year the students have had an opportunity to work with Larry Dutton of the Emerson String Quartet; Dan Williams, principal cellist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra; violinist Stephen Clapp, dean of The Juillliard School; and Steve Hendrickson, trumpet player with the National Symphony Orchestra.
Students give small group performances each weekday at 2 p.m. in the Village at Winona.
The students and faculty have presented orchestral concerts on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays either at "Rodie" or the Hillside Auditorium.
Kavanaugh said the Saturday matinees aren't that big of a draw, though.
"Its hard to compete with the recreation - skiing and boating - offered by Winona Lake," he said.
Next year, he plans more evening concerts.
Kavanaugh has been MasterWorks' artistic director since its inception six years ago. He has every intention of spending the next few summers at Winona Lake.
"We initially signed a three-year contract," he said. "Coming back here won't be an issue - a 200-year contract will be more like it."
Kavanaugh said one of his favorite concerts was the one presented outdoors just west of the Hillside Ampitheatre that he conducted July 6. More than 3,000 people attended the event.
Asked if more outdoor concerts would be planned, he said the organization would go broke building the stage every day.
One of the things the group gave up to come here was a multimillion-dollar performing arts center.
"We'll just build a new one," he said confidently.
After all, they do plan to be back for a few more years.
In addition to daily performances, the MasterWorks Festival concludes this weekend with performances in Rodeheaver Auditorium and in the Little Theatre at Grace College:
Parisian John Nelson conducts the MasterWorks Orchestra Friday at 7:30 p.m. in Rodeheaver Auditorium, featuring violin soloist Margaret Blades and viola soloist Larry Dutton. The program includes Schubert: Symphony No. 8 ("Unfinished"); Dvorak: Slavonic Dances; and Mozart: "Symphonie Concertante."
Saturday at 2 p.m., The MasterWorks Theatre Troupe presents scenes, exercises, etc. in the Little Theatre, Philethea Hall, Grace College.
Nelson also conducts the MasterWorks Orchestra Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. featuring pianist Mia Chung. The program repeats Friday night's selections.
For more information, call 372-5111 or toll free, 888-836-2723. [[In-content Ad]]
Latest News
E-Editions
WINONA LAKE - If Patrick Kavanaugh had his druthers, he'd shred the current three-year MasterWorks Festival contract to appear in town - and replace it with one binding the group here for the next 200 years.
"We are in love with Winona Lake," the artistic director said. "We're all thinking of quitting our jobs, retiring and moving here.
"It's just lovely here. I've been overwhelmed by the hospitality and the grateful spirit I encounter everywhere I go."
The MasterWorks Festival, a division of the Christian Performing Artists' Fellowship, is a four-week training program for select college- and high school-age performing artists.
The students, staff and administrators have been housed at Grace College since June 23. The festival ends with a concert Sunday evening in Rodeheaver Auditorium - or "Rodie," as Kavanaugh casually refers to the hall.
Kavanaugh and administrator Richard Lambert are pleased with the audience numbers here.
"There are lots of people here," Lambert said. The festival used to be housed at Houghton College in New York, a very rural area. The audiences were small.
Lambert expects the crowds to grow when they publicize more throughout the region.
"I talked to people from the Goshen and South Bend area who just heard about the concerts," Lambert said. "They hadn't seen any publicity. We'll be ahead of where we are next year."
More than 170 students took part in the MasterWorks program this year in six programs - orchestra, piano, intensive study, opera, dance and theater.
The kids spend the majority of their time in recitals, rehearsals, private lessons and master classes, learning from a faculty comprising the country's finest professionals.
This year the students have had an opportunity to work with Larry Dutton of the Emerson String Quartet; Dan Williams, principal cellist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra; violinist Stephen Clapp, dean of The Juillliard School; and Steve Hendrickson, trumpet player with the National Symphony Orchestra.
Students give small group performances each weekday at 2 p.m. in the Village at Winona.
The students and faculty have presented orchestral concerts on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays either at "Rodie" or the Hillside Auditorium.
Kavanaugh said the Saturday matinees aren't that big of a draw, though.
"Its hard to compete with the recreation - skiing and boating - offered by Winona Lake," he said.
Next year, he plans more evening concerts.
Kavanaugh has been MasterWorks' artistic director since its inception six years ago. He has every intention of spending the next few summers at Winona Lake.
"We initially signed a three-year contract," he said. "Coming back here won't be an issue - a 200-year contract will be more like it."
Kavanaugh said one of his favorite concerts was the one presented outdoors just west of the Hillside Ampitheatre that he conducted July 6. More than 3,000 people attended the event.
Asked if more outdoor concerts would be planned, he said the organization would go broke building the stage every day.
One of the things the group gave up to come here was a multimillion-dollar performing arts center.
"We'll just build a new one," he said confidently.
After all, they do plan to be back for a few more years.
In addition to daily performances, the MasterWorks Festival concludes this weekend with performances in Rodeheaver Auditorium and in the Little Theatre at Grace College:
Parisian John Nelson conducts the MasterWorks Orchestra Friday at 7:30 p.m. in Rodeheaver Auditorium, featuring violin soloist Margaret Blades and viola soloist Larry Dutton. The program includes Schubert: Symphony No. 8 ("Unfinished"); Dvorak: Slavonic Dances; and Mozart: "Symphonie Concertante."
Saturday at 2 p.m., The MasterWorks Theatre Troupe presents scenes, exercises, etc. in the Little Theatre, Philethea Hall, Grace College.
Nelson also conducts the MasterWorks Orchestra Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. featuring pianist Mia Chung. The program repeats Friday night's selections.
For more information, call 372-5111 or toll free, 888-836-2723. [[In-content Ad]]