The upcoming Norfolk Chamber Music Festival season celebrates the memory of their patroness, Ellen Battell Stoeckel, who passed away 75 years ago. Connecticut Public Television (CPTV) has recognized the significance of her contribution to the arts by including the Music Shed on its list of “Connecticut’s Cultural Treasures”. David Bibbey produced a video for the festival that can be seen on CPTV as part of that series.

This summer’s programming focuses on the theme of old and new side-by-side. Restoration work has begun on the old Music Shed that Stoeckel and her husband, Carl, commissioned E.K. Rossiter to design in 1905. The Brentano Quartet, the festival’s new ensemble in residence, performs on both Friday, July 18, and Saturday, July 19. They will play their signature piece, Beethoven’s String Quartet in c sharp minor, Op. 131, at the Saturday performance.

The Yale Choral Artists, under Jeffrey Douma, perform three Renaissance and Baroque works on Saturday, June 21. Another highlight of the upcoming season will be the final concert on Saturday, August 10. Former Director Joan Panetti composed a new fanfare, in honor of the special anniversary season, which features Brahms’ Horn Trio and Dvorak’s Piano Quintet.

The festival will be holding a contest this summer to further celebrate Battell Stoeckel’s legacy. Every program in the Friday and Saturday Main Series, beginning July 4, will include at least one work that dates from her lifetime (1851-1939). There will be one exception. The festival will give away two free tickets to the final concert on August 10 to everyone who can identify the Main Series program that did not contain a work from 1851 to 1939. The programs are listed on the website, www.norfolkmusic.org. Entries must be sent to Norfolk@yale.edu.

Photo by Peter Schaaf.