The White Lake Chamber Music Festival announced this week that Chicago cellist Marina Hoover is the new artistic director, starting in the 2024 season.
Robert (Bob) Swan, retired principal violist of the Chicago Symphony, was the Festival’s artistic director since 2010, guiding the evolution and advancement of great classical music in the White Lake area. Bob will continue to serve on the White Lake Music Society’s Board, bringing his expertise and talent to benefit the Society’s endeavors.
A two-time Grammy nominee, Hoover was the founding cellist of the St. Lawrence String Quartet, which rocketed to international prominence after winning both the Young Concert Artists auditions and the Banff International String Quartet Competition. In her 13 years with the St. Lawrence, Hoover performed at The White House, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 92nd Street “Y,” The Kennedy Center (for the Emperor of Japan,) Wigmore Hall (London,) Concertgebouw (Amsterdam) and Theatre De Ville (Paris). In addition, the quartet made regular appearances at Tanglewood, the Newport Festival, Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, as well as over one thousand other appearances throughout North and South America, Europe, Japan, Australia and Vietnam. The St. Lawrence quartet, with Marina Hoover as the cellist, was the resident quartet at Spoleto USA for seven years. The quartet’s recordings can be heard on EMI, Angel Records and Naxos.
Following her time with the SLSQ, Hoover held the position of Visiting Professor of Cello at the University of Toronto, Artist-in-residence at the Banff School of Fine Arts and Distinguished Artist at the University of Alberta. She has coached chamber music as part of the Chicago String Quartet at Northwestern University and coached quartets at the Music Institute of Chicago Academy. Her piano trio, Trio Voce, released two CDs on the Con Brio label - In a New Light and Inscapes. Hoover was a member of the judging panel at the Banff International String Quartet Competition, Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra Association Stranger Young Artists Auditions, The Jules M Laser Chamber Music Competition, and in Canada, National Music Festival, The Shean String Competition, and collaborating quartet for the Honens International Piano Competition.
As the Festival’s new artistic director, Hoover plans to take the Festival to new heights with her background, experience and passion for great chamber music.
This year’s eight-day festival is packed with offerings: No-cost daily 4 p.m. Salon Concerts at The Book Nook and Java Shop, a children’s concert, a children’s recital, meet and greets, and a “Cabaret Night.” There will once again be the world’s greatest music wonderfully played, combined with the soft summer weather, beaches and spectacular sunsets. All of this makes the White Lake Chamber Music Festival a vacation destination for an ever-growing audience from near and far.
The generous support of individuals and businesses makes it possible to bring great artists and great music to the White Lake area. For sponsorship opportunities, contact director Sondra Cross (231-329-3056).
For a schedule of this year’s Festival events, please visit www.whitelakemusic.org.
