The harp is associated with many things, all of them good: heaven, cupid, Ireland and in particular, Irish beer. And the harp is one of the most ancient instruments with many appearances in classical Greek history and mythology. But in modern Western culture, perhaps the readiest association with the harp is the wedding ceremony. Our featured Artist, Elizabeth Landis, played her first wedding at the age of twelve. I wonder if the happy couple is still together. I bet they are! Because Liz is an artist of the highest pedigree.

From early studies at the Interlochen Arts Academy to the University of Toronto, Temple University, Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music and the Aspen Music Festival, Liz has traveled extensively in the music world. But she also brings a love of traveling in the wider world, and is a respected travel and food blogger. Epicure, traveler and purveyor of 47 strings and seven pedals, Liz approaches music in much the same way as she looks at the world — her oyster!

All selections will be announced from the stage.

Artists: Elizabeth Landis, harp

Tonight’s performance is made possible by the generosity of Kris and Tim Barry.

At first, you think you’re in for a wonderful recital by an extremely talented violinist. (Don’t worry. You are!) Then the question is posed to said violinist, in this case MingHuan Xu, “Have you ever been part of a sting operation?” And things shift a bit. What lurks beneath MingHuan’s polished exterior? Pure intrigue. She’s tough on crime by night, a virtuoso violinist by day.

Sounds more like a movie than a Portrait recital, right? And that’s fitting. Joined by pianist Winston Choi, MingHuan has a program of music featured on the big screen by composers John Corigliano, Dmitri Shostakovich, Carlos Gardel and more.

All works will be announced from the stage.

Artists: MingHuan Xu, violin; Winston Choi, piano

Tonight’s performance has been made possible by the generosity of Ron Van Yserloo, in honor of Barb, who loved playing the clarinet.

Kevin is not wrong in his musings about WWCMF and Brahms. So, it is only fitting that he brings us the first Festival performance of a Brahms clarinet sonata movement. What else might he have in mind for tonight’s Portrait recital? I went ahead and took a look through my extensive scrapbook of Kevin’s various musings to get a better idea.

“…a military march in reference to my military service.”

Sounds good. What’s next?

“…a reference to [the film] ‘Maestro.”

I’m intrigued. And?

“…a beautiful new piece, [then] one with a nice frilly fun ending.”

At WWCMF, we love nice fun frilly endings. Kevin makes his return to WWCMF after a season’s absence filled with solo sea voyages and much more. This evening’s performance provides a window into one of WWCMF’s most beloved performers.

All works will be announced from the stage.

Artists: Kevin Schempf, clarinet; Xiaohui Yang, piano

Tonight’s performance has been made possible by the generosity of Anne Haley and Jim Shepherd.

Instrumentalists — who are all jealous of singers, by the way— tend to tease singers about their counting abilities. Well, instrumentalists, you didn’t count on soprano, Jennifer Goltz-Taylor. The PhD in Music Theory should make you a little nervous. And then you learn she’s a multi-instrumentalist, at ease with an accordion, ukulele or seated at the piano. And then you hear hear voice. Was that a Schubert art song? Followed by cabaret? Followed by the crunchiest of atonal modernism? Eerie sprechstimme? Klezmer? French grand opera? Yes to all of the above.

There’s not much to tease, here. So best to embrace it and save your jokes for the viola. Tonight, Jennifer brings a recital of her favorite songs from the 20th century with pianist Ronaldo Rolim, featuring music of Rachmaninov, Barber, Poulenc, Debussy, Respighi, and more.

All works will announced from the stage.

Artists: Jennifer Goltz-Taylor, soprano; Ronaldo Rolim, piano

Tonight’s performance has been made possible by the generosity of Margo and Tom Scribner.

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. These are the prerequisites for a successful marriage, or at least wedding. And as we’ve learned before, there is perhaps no more perfect sonic marriage than that of the saxophone quartet.

Tonight, the something old is also the something borrowed, music originally written for string instruments by Edvard Grieg. As it happens, Grieg was born three years prior to the invention of the saxophone.

Something new? A huge portion of instrumental music composed in the 20th century was written for the saxophone. And that continues into our present time. There’s a reason. Saxophonists are both cool, and have voracious appetites for new music. Simply put, composers want to hear their works played and saxophonists are down. A work by composer, Karalyn Schubring, written in 2023 will do the trick nicely.

What about blue? Is there an instrument more associated with jazz than the sax? Jazz is all about the language of blue notes. Tonight, the blue notes are scented with pimentón, a smokey Spanish spice, in music by Pedro Iturralde.

Cerus Quartet are the 2024 WWCMF Emerging Artist Fellowship Quartet. They will appear throughout the Valley during their residency, performing for more than 1000 youngsters while presenting bilingually in English and Spanish.

All works will be announced from the stage.

Artists: Cerus Quartet: Roberto Campa, soprano saxophone; Brian Kachur, baritone saxophone; Philip Kleutgens, tenor saxophone; Laura Ramsay, alto saxophone

Violinist Artur Girsky has led a fascinating life. It started in Riga, Latvia, in those days an SSR of the USSR (long since proudly restored to independence). He continued to Moscow where he trained at the renowned conservatory. Soon, Artur was a part of the Moscow Soloists, traveling Europe with leader and violist, Yuri Bashmet. On tour, Artur’s taste for adventure kicked in and he circuitously wound up in the USA, unbeknownst to the Moscow Soloists. Stints in New York, New Jersey and Florida followed. Eventually, he found his forever home with fellow violinist and WWCMF regular, Natasha Bazhanov, in Seattle, where both are members of the Seattle Symphony and the Girsky String Quartet. (ahem… about that name.)

Artur’s sense of adventure hasn’t waned in the least. And who knows, with a ravenous affinity for certain local brisket tacos, a “defection” to Walla Walla wouldn’t necessarily be a surprise. You’ll get to know Artur, find out where to get those tacos, and hear works by Arvo Pärt, Alfred Schnittke and JS Bach. Pianist Benjamin Hochman joins Artur for this special program. All works will be announced from the stage.

Artists: Artur Girsky, violin; Benjamin Hochman, piano; Timothy Christie, moderator

This event has been made possible by the generosity of Elizabeth Carr in memory of Rosalie Chantiny, chamber music mentor.

Cellist David Requiro has played at WWCMF for many years. He gave a Portrait of an Artist recital back in the days before the Walla Walla Piano Group provided a beautiful Steinway and the means to transport it around the valley.

In fact, a lot of things were different last time David played on the PoA series. He wasn’t married then, for example. He wasn’t a dad. Therefore, we are overdue for a check-in. We will find out what new musical revelations have shaped this, his middle period.

One thing is for sure. When David plays, it will a be heel-stomping good time. WWCMF Founder and Artistic Director Timothy Christie moderates the conversation.

Artists: Timothy Christie, moderator; David Requiro, cello; Ronaldo Rolim, piano

This event has been made possible by the generosity of Brad Anderson & Kay Mead.

When the four members of Seven)Suns play together, they explore dystopian music rooted in the language of avant-metal and hardcore. You’ll find out what that means on Thursday, June 22. But what happens when you take the quartet apart and hear each musician individually? Metal or Mendelssohn? Hardcore or Handel? Dystopia or Debussy? Each musician brings a unique perspective, and hopefully rejects the concept of alliteration.

The members of Seven)Suns, Jennifer DeVore, Fung Chern Hwei, Adda Kridler, and Earl Maneein are joined by pianist Ronaldo Rolim for this recital. WWCMF Founder & Artistic Director Timothy Christie moderates.

Artists: Jennifer DeVore, cello; Fung Chern Hwei, viola; Adda Kridler, violin; Earl Maneein, violin; Ronaldo Rolim, piano

This event has been made possible by the generosity of Margo & Tom Scribner.

Christina McGann first visited Walla Walla in 2008, violin in hand. She recruited board members to WWCMF just by practicing with the window open. The sound of Bartok and Tchaikovsky floating out over Palouse and Catherine Streets was both an invitation and a call to action.

Christina returns to WWCMF this season with not just her violin, but also her viola. Her recruiting efforts are going into overdrive. Who can resist the siren song of a viola played well? Christina is joined by Whitman College Visiting Assistant Professor of Music and Piano Tom Hicks, making his WWCMF debut.

WWCMF Founder & Artistic Director Timothy Christie moderates the conversation. Music by Schubert, Vieuxtemps and Wieniawski.

Artists: Timothy Christie, moderator; Tom Hicks, piano; Christina McGann, violin/viola

This event is made possible by the generosity of Michael Haight & Cathy Lee-Haight.

Cellist Rowena Hammill enjoys a varied career between Southern California and the Pacific Northwest. A year-round resident of Vashon Island, WA, naturally Rowena is Assistant Principal Cello of LA Opera.

She is an avid horseback rider, teaches cello at Pacific Lutheran University in Parkland, WA, and has appeared at WWCMF numerous times as cellist of the Girsky Quartet.

Just to put a finer point on the sheer variety of her life in music, Rowena coached actress Michelle Pfeiffer on how to play cello for her role as Claire Spencer in the film What Lies Beneath. With that title as directive, WWCMF Founder & Artistic Director Timothy Christie will ask the probing questions.

Artists: Timothy Christie, moderator; Rowena Hammill, cello; Thomas Rosenkranz, piano

This event is made possible by the generosity of Jim Johnson.

Violinist Jennifer Caine Provine performed in the inaugural season of WWCMF back in 2008 (and many times since). Fully 15 years later she now makes her PoA debut! Jennifer is violinist of the Volta Piano Trio (formerly Icicle Creek Piano Trio) and Associate Concertmaster of the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra. Add to that degrees in Slavic Languages and Literature from Harvard and Oxford Universities, and you begin to get the sense we have an iceberg on our hands.

WWCMF Founder & Artistic Director Timothy Christie, more of an Ice-Burg kind of guy, will join pianist Oksana Ejokina for an entertaining deep dive into what makes Jennifer tick, the mountain below the waterline.

Artists: Jennifer Caine Provine, violin; Timothy Christie, moderator; Oksana Ejokina, piano