Appalachian Chamber Music Festival Presents the Parlor Concert Series at Happy Retreat.

Seated in the intimacy of the parlors at Happy Retreat, audiences can enjoy chamber music played in a 19th Century parlor, where the acoustics of the space are perfectly suited to experience these dynamic and engaging performances. Curated by the Appalachian Chamber Music Festival, the concerts assemble high-caliber musicians of both regional and international renown. Only 50 tickets will be sold for each concert.

Hailed by the Denver Westword for his “acrobatic” and “robust” playing, Chris Jusell is a Philadelphia-based violinist. He is the principal second violinist of the Philadelphia Ballet orchestra, assistant principal second of the Central City Opera orchestra, and plays frequently with the Colorado Symphony. He began his studies on the violin at the age of 11, and holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Colorado State University, where he studied with Dr. Ron Francois; he also attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, studying with Dr. John Fadial.

Chris has toured and recorded with Nathaniel Rateliff, and formed an ambient jazz quartet with friends during the pandemic called Fuubutsushi, releasing five remotely-recorded albums to critical acclaim. Chris also teaches kids and adults how to play the violin, and conducted a youth orchestra in the mountains of Colorado for five years.

Hannah Rose Nicholas is a violist, songwriter, and teacher. She is the principal violist of the Philadelphia Ballet Orchestra and performs as a substitute violist with the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia. She has toured with the East Coast Chamber Orchestra (ECCO) and with the New World Symphony, where she was a fellow from 2014-17 under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas. In Philadelphia, Hannah has appeared on series including the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, the Network for New Music, LyricFest, and the Barnes Museum with the 2017 resident Barnes Ensemble.

Hannah was a featured artist with the O, Miami Poetry Festival from 2016-18. She has been a resident artist alongside composer-violinist Layale Chaker at the University of Texas El Paso as well as with the Chicago Folk Ensemble. She recently performed as guest violist with Garth Newel Piano Quartet in Virginia, and in the summer of 2021, Hannah started her own chamber music series, “Hannah Rose Presents.”

Hannah earned her Masters in Music at New England Conservatory, studying with Kim Kashkashian, and a Bachelor of Arts in Modern Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Pennsylvania. She teaches viola, songwriting, and chamber music at Penn, and teaches viola at Swarthmore College.

Program

Save the date!

Sunday, March 5:

“An Ibero American Portrait”

Works by Granados, Elizondo, Piazzola, and more!

Alan Saucedo, cello

Thomas Creek, guitar

Sunday, April 16:

Bach Gamba Sonatas, reimagined

Schuyler Slack, cello

Sam Suggs, bass

John Bullard, banjo