Sebago-Long Lake Music Festival’s second concert of the 2023 season features Maine native violinist Jennifer Elowitch. Submitted photo

Violinist Jennifer Elowitch returns for the second season in a row to the Sebago-Long Lake Music Festival. Elowitch will perform with six other artists from across the United States, but she is the only one of them “born and brought up” in Maine. Most well known in the chamber music tradition is her founding and directing the Portland (Maine) Chamber Music Festival. Today she remains its Music Director Emerita.

The Program on Tuesday, July 18 features:

HAYDN: Divertissement in G Major for Flute, Violin and Cello, Hob. IV:7
KODÁLY: Duo for Violin and Cello, Op. 7
DVOŘÁK: Piano Quintet in A Major, Op. 81

The Haydn piece is one of six produced in 1784 when London was “awash in amateur flutists” seeking new pieces to play. And after years of producing works exclusively for the Hungarian House of Esterhazys’ “music-mad court,” Haydn was finally allowed to profit from his work. Prior to that, the Esterhazys owned everything he wrote.

Bela Bartok praised Kodaly as the “perfect embodiment of the Hungarian spirit.” As his compatriot, fellow ethno-musicologists and close friend, he was able to capture the authentic folk music of the Hungarian peasantry and make the folk heritage the basis of a genuine Hungarian musical style.

Dvorak did the same with his Slavonic musical heritage within the classical traditions of Beethoven, Schubert and especially Brahms. For years the composer wrote many of his famous compositions at his family’s peaceful retreat in a small village near Prague.

“We want to remind audiences, that those under 21 years of age are admitted to our concerts free of charge,” said Treasurer Lee Bearse of the SLLMF Board of Trustees. “As a former music teacher at Lake Region High School, I’ve long been an advocate for keeping music accessible to young people. So, I encourage folks to bring their children and grandchildren, even young neighbors. We are always so pleased to see youngsters in the audience.”

Sebago-Long Lake Music Festival performs Tuesdays at 7:30 pm at Deertrees Theatre in Harrison for the next four weeks: July 18 to Aug. 8. For more information about the festival, each concert, artists and to order tickets, go to sebagomusicfestival.org/concert-tickets-2023. Tickets can also be purchased the evening of the concert at the box office.