Stephen F. Austin State University

NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS- Season tickets are now available for the 2006 Chamber Music in the Pines Festival presented by the Stephen F. Austin State University College of Fine Arts and School of Music Friday, July 8, through Saturday, July 16, in Cole Concert Hall.

Subtitled "Mozart and More," this year's festival celebrates the 250th anniversary of the composer's birth.

"Each of the four concerts will open with a piece by the great composer," said John W. Goodall, SFA professor of music and the festival's director. "And as each concert's title indicates, the musicians will be presenting beautiful chamber music by other composers as well."

The opening concert, " . . . With Ripper and Brahms," will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 8, and will feature Mozart's String Quartet in G Major, K387, João Ripper's Kinderszenen for oboe, cello and piano and Johannes Brahms' Piano Quartet in F minor, Op 34.

". . . With Schubert and Brahms" will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 11, and will feature Mozart's Flute Quartet in D Major No. 285, Franz Schubert's String Trio in B-flat Major, D. 582 and Brahms' Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op. 115.

The third concert, ". . . With Britten, Loeffler and Mendelssohn," will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 14. Included on the program are Mozart's Piano Trio No, 4 in C Major, K. 548, Benjamin Britten's Phantasy Quartet for Oboe and Strings, Op. 2, Charles Loeffler's Two Rhapsodies for oboe, viola and piano and Felix Mendelssohn's Piano Quartet in C minor, Op. 1.

The festival will conclude at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, July 16. ". . . With Beethoven and Dvorák" will feature Mozart's Sonata for Piano and Violin in E minor, K. 304, Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Trio No. 7 in B-flat Major, Op. 97 and Antonin Dvorák's Piano Trio in F minor, Op. 65.

Guest artists Ivo Ivanov, violinist for the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, and Nikolay Ivanov, principal violist of the Irving and Plano Symphony Orchestras, will join SFA musicians in presenting the concerts. Musicians from the SFA music faculty include Christina Guenther, flute; John W. Goodall, oboe; Christopher Ayer, clarinet; Jennifer Dalmas, violin; Evgeni Raychev, cello; Andrew Parr, piano; and Linda Parr, piano. Also performing on piano will be Kae Hosoda-Ayer, instructor in the SFA Music Preparatory Division.

The Chamber Music in the Pines Festival is sponsored in part by Ed and Gwen Cole.

Season tickets are $30 for adults, $22.50 for seniors and $15 for students. Single event tickets are $10 for adults, $7.50 for seniors and $5 for students.

For tickets or more information, please call (936) 468-6407 or 888-240-ARTS.