Peter and the Wolf - A Family Concert to be Held May 22

Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival
Press Release
Contact: Eric Sakurai
e.sakurai@aicmf.com
May 11, 2021

On Saturday, May 22nd a Four-Hand Piano and Dance Performance of Peter and the Wolf will be performed at the Amelia Community Theatre. The Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival and the Amelia Island Dance Festival collaborated on this music and dance production. This family concert is for all ages and the 11 am and 2 pm performances can be attended in-person or via live stream. This concert is developed in association with the Chamber Music Festival’s Young Patrons. This children’s theatre composition is based on the Russian folk tale by composer Sergei Prokofiev. Pianists Julie Coucheron and Elizabeth Pridgen will perform a four-hand version of the iconic composition. Dancers include Brady Massey, Zoe Gilsenan, Marco Tacandong, Skye Palmer, Stella Urbano, Jules Bouchard, and Lacey Mickler, who are all Fernandina Beach residents from the Amelia Island Dance Festival, and they will perform under the direction of Susan Dodge, founder, and president.

Christopher Rex, the Chamber Music Festival’s General and Artistic Director and producer of this performance said, “Engaging children and families in music and dance grows their appreciation and love for the performing arts. These are gifts that bring lifelong pleasure and another dimension into all our lives.”Julie Coucheron is an award-winning pianist who tours internationally. She began playing the piano at age four and later earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees with honors from the Royal Academy of Music in London. She is the Artistic Director of the Fjord Cadenza Festival and the Kon Tiki Chamber Music Festival, both in Norway. Pianist Elizabeth Pridgen is a distinguished soloist and chamber musician. As Artistic Director of the Atlanta Chamber Players, Ms. Pridgen performs regularly at the Rome (Italy) Chamber Music Festival, the Strings Music Festival in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival, and the Aspen Music Festival. A graduate of the Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, and a Summa Cum Laude graduate in Dance Performance from Southern Methodist University, Susan Dodge has taught at multiple dance universities and dance companies across the U.S. and was a co-founder of the Dance Project of Washington Heights. She currently teaches at the Royal Amelia Dance Academy and is a member of the board of the Florida Ballet of Jacksonville.

A familiar figure at Amelia Community Theatre, Frank O’Donnell who is narrating the performanceand portraying the grandfather, is locally best known for his iconic roles including Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird” and as “Scrooge in Scrooge! The Musical”. Amelia Community Theatre, located on Cedar Street in Fernandina Beach, has been staging artistic performances on Amelia Island since 1981. The Theatre opened the Main Stage in its current location in 2010.

“I look forward to the Festival’s collaboration with the Amelia Island Dance Festival and the Amelia Community Theatre. Bringing together three partners who whole-heartedly support the arts is very gratifying and will provide a special treat for the audience,” said Chamber Music Festival President Emma Mills Bledsoe. Peter and the Wolf is Sergei Prokofiev’s most frequently performed works. He is considered one of the greats of 20th Century music and his works range from ballets, including Cinderella and Romeo and Juliet, to film music.

Peter and the Wolf has been recorded many times including Disney’s animated versions in 1946 and 2020 with narration by David Bowie. Every major orchestra throughout the world has included Peter and Wolf in their repertoire. The Young Patrons of the Chamber Music Festival, who helped develop this concert, are guided by a group of Amelia Island business and professional women who have collaborated with the Festival Board to introduce children to classical music through special concerts. Led by Lauren Templeton, owner of the Amelia Art Studio, members include Carrie Mays, owner of the Amelia Music Studio, Ktimene Axtelle, vice president of Insights and partner at Arrivalist, and Amelia Island Little Blooms partners Jennifer Bauer and Trang Weist.

Also on the committee are Emma Mills Bledsoe, Barbara Gant, and Vicki Whittemore. Membership in the Young Patrons is free and like-minded Islanders are welcome to get involved. The Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival, one of the nation’s most renowned classical music festivals, celebrates its 20th season with a wide array of internationally recognized award-winning superstars. Respecting the safety of both musicians and the audience, the Festival has arranged for both socially distanced live and virtual venues. Information about all concerts and tickets is available at www.AICMF.com or 904-261-1779.

The Festival is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival1405 Park Avenue, Suite 101 – Fernandina Beach Florida 32034 – www.AICMF.com