About Music@Menlo
Music@Menlo is an internationally acclaimed chamber music festival and institute in the San Francisco Bay Area. Founded by David Finckel and Wu Han as a program of Menlo School, Music@Menlo features unique immersive programming, a roster of world-class artists, and a Chamber Music Institute for emerging and pre-professional musicians. Intimate performance venues and signature offerings such as AudioNotes CDs, Café Conversations, and the Encounter lecture series offer a wide range of opportunities for aficionados and newcomers of all ages to connect with chamber music in new and innovative ways.
Music@Menlo was inaugurated in 2003 at Menlo School with concerts, lectures, a training program for aspiring professional musicians, young performers concerts, open-to-the-public master classes, and a daylong open house offering behind-the-scenes access for the entire community. Following the course charted by the inaugural season, and spurred by its great success, all festival seasons have been constructed around well-defined themes in chamber music history:
2003 Season: The Unfolding of Music
A comprehensive overview of the development of Western classical chamber music in five units: Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Early Twentieth Century, and Contemporary. Order Recordings»
2004 Season: Origin/Essence: A Musical Odyssey
A comprehensive overview of the geographic variety of Western chamber music in six units: Italy, France, Germany, Vienna, Russia, and Eastern Europe. Order Recordings»
2005 Season: Beethoven: Center of Gravity
An in-depth study of Beethoven’s life, work, and contribution to Western classical music in his three major compositional periods. Order Recordings»
2006 Season: Returning to Mozart
A celebration of the redemptive qualities of Mozart’s chamber music through juxtaposition with music of other composers. Order Recordings»
2007 Season: Bridging the Ages
An exploration of five critical sources of inspiration shared by chamber music composers across time and place. Order Recordings»
2008 Season: The Unfolding of Music II
Traversing nearly 400 years of great music, we heard the world’s newest chamber work in the form of Music@Menlo’s first commission and world premiere. Order Recordings»
VIDEO: Watch highlights from Music@Menlo’s 2008 festival.
2009 Season: Being Mendelssohn
A celebration of the Felix Mendelssohn bicentennial featuring performances by a roster of the world’s finest chamber musicians, the festival’s eighth season showcased Mendelssohn’s greatest chamber works alongside works by his predecessors, contemporaries, and artistic heirs. Order Recordings»
VIDEO: Watch highlights from Music@Menlo’s 2009 festival.
2010 Season: Maps and Legends
A multidimensional journey through several distinct musical cultures, the ninth season examined how music has reflected and defined the experiences of exceptional times and places. Order Recordings »
VIDEO: Watch highlights from Music@Menlo’s 2010 festival.
2011 Season: Through Brahms
An exploration and celebration of the music and legacy of composer Johannes Brahms, showcasing his essential chamber works in the company of music by his chief influences, including Bach and Mozart, as well as those inspired by him, including Schoenberg and Leon Kirchner.
VIDEO: Watch a video highlighting scenes from Music@Menlo’s 2011 festival.