Bay Chamber Concerts

"For the introduction of a new kind of music must be shunned as imperiling the whole state; since styles of music are never disturbed without affecting the most important political institutions."

- Plato

Bay Chamber Concerts was founded as a summer chamber music festival in 1961 by the late Andrew Wolf, pianist, and flutist Thomas Wolf. The two teenage brothers (pictured below) had summered in Rockport, Maine since early childhood. tom and andy

In organizing a concert series, they were following in the footsteps of famous musicians who had been associated with the Curtis Institute of Music summer music colony established in Rockport by the great philanthropist Mary Louise Curtis. From 1930 to 1945, illustrious musicians from all over the world came to the area to teach and to give concerts in a boat barn.

boris and lubo After Curtis discontinued its summer program in 1945, many musicians continued to come to Rockport with their students. In an effort to revive the musical tradition, the Wolf brothers established Bay Chamber Concerts with the inspiration and financial assistance of Mary Louise Curtis Zimbalist Bok, their grandmother (the violinist Lea Luboshutz, pictured) and their uncle (the opera impresario, Boris Goldovsky, pictured).

The early concerts, under the artistic direction of Thomas Wolf, were held in St. Thomas' Episcopal Church in Camden. with the Wolfs often appearing in Sunday services as well. At the same time, the Wolf brothers were instrumental in establishing the Fox Island Concerts on Vinalhaven, an island off Midcoast Maine. In 1970, Bay Chamber Concerts assisted in the founding of Machias Bay Chamber Concerts in a town 30 miles from the Canadian border. Under Bay Chamber Concerts' auspices each summer, numerous concerts are presented in both locations. andrew

Andrew Wolf became Bay Chamber Concert's Artistic Director in 1963. During his tenure, the concerts were moved to the newly renovated Rockport Opera House effectively doubling the seating capacity to 410 and securing a venue with marvelous acoustics. In 1974, Bay Chamber Concerts became a year-round organization presenting a mixed-genre musical series in the Rockport Opera House during the fall, winter and spring. Dance was added to this series in 2003.

Following the untimely death of Andrew Wolf in December 1985, Thomas Wolf took over once again as Artistic Director and an endowment was created to underwrite a national music award in Andrew Wolf's memory. Young American pianists under the age of forty who have made a major mark in chamber music have been recipients of the Andrew Wolf Chamber Music Award since its inception in 1987 - Jeffrey Kahane, Lydia Artymiw, Christopher O'Riley, Wu Han, Anne-Marie McDermott , Jeremy Denk, Jonathan Biss, Max Levinson and Inon Barnatan.

In 1993 Bay Chamber Concerts, along with the Town of Rockport and private contributors, raised $1,000,000 to restore the Rockport Opera House, improving the auditorium, adding meeting rooms and its hospitality facilities. The Rockport Opera House remains an important venue for Bay Chamber Concerts. We now also use the recently renovated 349 seat Strand Theatre in Rockland, the 514 seat Camden Opera House, and the 826 seat Strom Auditorium in Rockport. Few communities offer such a wealth of high quality venues.

Young Stars Since its inception, Bay Chamber Concerts has been committed to providing educational opportunities to students of all ages. For more than forty years, Bay Chamber Concerts has awarded annual prizes to young Maine musicians. Today the organization awards seven prizes, with prize-winners performing during the Summer Music Festival with a public concert. Since 1990, Bay Chamber Concerts has also sponsored Next Generation, a residential music program for young musicians from ages 10-20. Each session culminates in a public concert in the Rockport Opera House. The Odeon Strings Program offers ensemble instruction and performance experience for adults and youth alike.