Classical music fest starts July 19

Tickets are now on sale for the inaugural season of the Valley of the Moon Music Festival, to be held over three weekends this summer at the Hanna Boys Center in Sonoma.

The event is thought to e the breaking event is the first ever in North America to present exclusively Classical and Romantic chamber music, played on the instruments for which it was written.

The concerts will be held Sunday, June 19; Saturday, July 25; Sunday, July 26; Friday, July 31; Saturday, Aug. 1; and Sunday, Aug. 2.

“Many people don’t realize that composers such as Beethoven, Mozart, and Schubert can sound very different when played on the instruments from their own period,” said pianist Eric Zivian, festival co-founder and music director. “There is a warmth and depth of sound that can be truly breathtaking.”

The musicians participating in the festival are drawn from the faculties of Juilliard, the Paris Conservatory and the San Francisco Conservatory, and include world-famous experts in historical performance such as Elizabeth Blumenstock, Monica Huggett and Eric Hoeprich.

“We are gathering some of the foremost experts in their instruments,” said cellist Tanya Tomkins, co-founder and artistic director. “We have also invited top young musicians from the best conservatories to participate in our apprenticeship program. They will receive coaching and get a chance to play with the resident artists. We want to create an atmosphere of collaboration that will be a great opportunity for in-depth exploration of an historically informed approach to great chamber music.”

Tickets can be purchased at valleyofthe-?moonmusicfestival.org/concerts or by calling 888-596-1027 (phone purchases will incur an additional fee of $5 per event).

The summer schedule includes:

• Sunday, July 19, 4 p.m., Clarinet Trios: Haydn Piano Trio in F sharp minor; Beethoven Clarinet Trio Weber Variations for Clarinet; and Fortepiano Glinka Clarinet Trio .

• Saturday, July 25, 4 p.m., Trout Quintet: Mozart Duo for Violin and Viola; Hummel Quintet for Fortepiano and Strings, and Schubert Trout Quintet.

• Sunday, July 26, 4 p.m., All Schubert: Schubert Sonatina for Violin and Fortepiano in A minor; Schubert Cello Quintet.

• Friday, July 31, 7:30 p.m., Young Artists, Free Apprentice Chamber Concert: Mozart Fortepiano Quartet in G minor; Schumann Violin Sonata in A minor; and Beethoven String Quartet in Eb Major, Op. 74 (“Harp”).

• Saturday, Aug. 1, 4 p.m., Mozart Viola Quintet: Mozart C Major Viola Quintet; and Schumann Fortepiano Quartet.

• Sunday, Aug. 2, 4 p.m., Mendelssohn Piano Trio: Mozart Sonata for Piano and Violin; and Mendelssohn C minor Fortepiano Trio. 

All concerts held at Hanna Boys Center, 17000 Arnold Drive, Sonoma. 

Programs may be subject to change. Check valleyofthemoonmusicfestival.org/concerts for more information.