Release Date: November 6, 2002

NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART ANNOUNCES 61ST CONCERT SEASON

Washington, DC -- Thirty-eight concerts by acclaimed American and international musicians make up the 61st season of free concerts at the National Gallery of Art, presented each Sunday from October 2002 through June 2003. Eight of this season's concerts feature programs chosen especially to highlight Gallery exhibitions.

SPECIAL CONCERTS IN HONOR OF EXHIBITIONS

Drawing on America's Past: Folk Art, Modernism, and the Index of American Design (November 27, 2002-March 2, 2003) will be celebrated by three concerts as part of the Gallery's 60th American Music Festival. On December 1, violinist Philip Quint and pianist David Riley will perform a program that includes Three American Pieces by Lukas Foss and Jascha Heifetz' transcriptions from Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. On December 8, the Washington Men's Camerata (Frank Albinder, music director) will perform American music for the holiday season by Conrad Susa, Richard Dirksen, Morten Lauridsen, and other composers. On December 15, the American Chamber Ensemble closes out the 60th American Music Festival with works for clarinet, piano, and strings by Robert Muczynski, George Kleinsinger, Nancy Deussen, and Peter Schickele.

Frederic Remington: The Color of Night (April 13-July 13, 2003) will be feted with concerts by pianists Louis Lortie, performing Ravel's Gaspard de la nuit, Liszt's La notte, Schumann's Nachtstücke, and other works on April 6, and Valerie Tryon, performing Chopin's Nocturnes and works by John Field on April 13. Jean-Antoine Houdon (1741-1828): Sculptor of the Enlightenment (May 4-September 7, 2003) will also be highlighted by two concerts: on May 4, duo-cellists Julius Berger and Hyun-Jung Berger will perform works for two cello by Mozart, Haydn, Boccherini, and Jean Barriére; and on May 11 the Aulos Ensemble will play a program entitled "Sentiment and Sensibility: Music in the Age of Enlightenment" that will include Rameau's Suite from "Les Indes galantes" and Pieces de clavecin en concerts, as well as other 18th-century works.

Thomas Gainsborough, 1727-1788 (March 2, 2003-June 1, 2003) will be highlighted by a vocal recital on February 23 by mezzo-soprano Julia Anne Wolfe, who will include music that Gainsborough would have heard in London, for example, arias by Handel, Bellini, and Donizetti, and canzonettas by Haydn.

WORLD-RENOWNED MUSICIANS

World-renowned musicians who will appear at the Gallery this season include: flutist Carol Wincenc, performing music by Bach, Debussy, Lukas Foss, and others (November 3); pianists Gary Graffman, performing works by Reinecke, Brahms, and Chopin (January 12); Navah Perlman, performing works by Scarlatti, Beethoven, and Prokofiev (February 2); Garrick Ohlsson, performing works by Liszt, Bach/Busoni, and Liszt/Busoni (March 2); Ralph Votapek, performing works by Debussy (March 30); and bass-baritone Jubilant Sykes and guitarist Christopher Parkening, performing music of Brazil (February 9).

NATIONAL GALLERY ORCHESTRA AND RESIDENT ENSEMBLES

The National Gallery Orchestra, under the direction of music director George Manos, opened the season on October 6 and will perform additional concerts on January 5 and June 1. The National Gallery Chamber Players String Quartet performs on June 15 and the National Gallery Chamber Players Wind Quintet on June 29.

HOLIDAY CONCERTS

Two traditional holiday concerts are planned. On December 22, for the Gallery's Christmas Concert, the Cantate Chamber Singers will perform Benjamin Britten's Laud to the Nativity, Ceremony of Carols, and Christmas Motets. On January 5, the National Gallery Orchestra will perform waltzes and polkas by Johann Strauss, Johann Strauss, the younger, Franz von Suppé, and Josef Strauss for its traditional Gala Viennese New Year Concert. Since these concerts are very popular and fill up quickly, early arrival is recommended.

CONCERT INFORMATION

Gallery concerts are free and open to the public on a first-come, first-seated basis. Performances are scheduled every Sunday through June 29, 2003, except April 20 (Easter Sunday). Seating begins promptly at 6:00 p.m. and concerts are performed in the West Garden Court of the West Building at 7:00 p.m. The Sixth Street and Constitution Avenue entrance remains open until 7:00 p.m. and the Garden Café is open until 6:30 p.m. Monthly listings of the concert programs can be obtained from the Gallery's Web site at www.nga.gov or by calling (202) 842-6941. A complete schedule is attached.

General Information

The National Gallery of Art and its Sculpture Garden are at all times free to the public. They are located on the National Mall between 3rd and 9th Streets at Constitution Avenue NW, and are open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The Gallery is closed on December 25 and January 1. For information call (202) 737-4215 or the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at (202) 842-6176, or visit the Gallery's Web site at www.nga.gov.

Visitors will be asked to present all carried items for inspection upon entering the East and West Buildings. Checkrooms are free of charge and located at each entrance. Luggage and other oversized bags must be presented at the 4th Street entrances to the East or West Building to permit x-ray screening and must be deposited in the checkrooms at those entrances. For the safety of visitors and the works of art, nothing may be carried into the Gallery on a visitor's back. Any bag or other items that cannot be carried reasonably and safely in some other manner must be left in the checkrooms. Items larger than 17 x 26 inches cannot be accepted by the Gallery or its checkrooms.

For additional press information please call or send inquiries to:

Press Office
National Gallery of Art
2000B South Club Drive
Landover, MD 20785
phone: (202) 842-6353 e-mail: pressinfo@nga.gov

Deborah Ziska
Chief of Press and Public Information
(202) 842-6353
ds-ziska@nga.gov

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