This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Colorado Music Festival. With Music Director Peter Oundjian serving at the helm for his eighth season, the festival features a variety of talented performers such as pianist Yuja Wang, violinist Njioma Grevious, trumpeter Maximilian Morel, the Danish String Quartet, and many more.
Although the stage is set in Chautauqua Auditorium, the music performed there has origins from around the world: Tchaikovsky’s Souvenir de Florence, Mahler 3 and The Soldier’s Tale are just a few of the many pieces annotating the festival’s figurative passport. There are also musicians and compositions commemorating local legends and talent such as the Boulder Children’s Chorus and Composer Carter Pann’s new piece in memoriam of Ralph “Chris” Christofferson, a stalwart supporter of the festival. Carter is also a professor at the University of Colorado Boulder College of Music and the chair of its composition department.
Chris passed away in September of last year, and those who knew him believed he should be honored by way of one of his favorite passions: music. “He had this sort of insatiable interest to be around the arts and artists, and it just translated into music,” says Carter. Peter also knew Chris well, describing him as “creative,” “brilliant,” and “generous.”
Carter’s piece I Remember Chris—which serves as the festival’s opener—showcases Chris’ enduring legacy while emphasizing the tones and accents of the music he championed. Carter made sure to include a quartet in the piece, an homage to Chris’ love for the Boulder-based Takács Quartet. The experience of writing I Remember Chris for Carter was cathartic: “I only have incredibly wonderful memories of Chris and so that’s how I wanted to feel while writing this piece.”
Everyone who is a part of the Colorado Music Festival has a great passion for what they do, celebrating the art of music and the community that forms when people come together to celebrate it. Both Peter and Carter have made indelible marks on the music industry, the former a music director for orchestras across the globe, the latter a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Music.
This talent and care for the craft reverberates through the halls of Chautauqua Auditorium. “Conducting is a fascinating art form,” says Peter. Everyone has a role to play—literally. In describing the amalgamation of musicians and sounds on a stage, Peter stresses the importance of unity. “They [orchestra] need to be able to express themselves in one voice. And that’s what a conductor’s job is… kind of live the music in such a way that everybody knows how to make the gestures.”
The Colorado Music Festival is being held this year from July 9 to August 9. You can learn more by visiting their website at ColoradoMusicFestival.org.