The festival, which offers performances in venues in Warren and Hunterdon counties, runs through May 27.
Rosanna Hunt and John Perry were in Venice, listening to Vivaldi, when Perry had a thought: "It's doesn't sound as good as it does in Hunterdon County."
Now in its 28th year, the Raritan River Music Festival has brought world-class musicians to western New Jersey for a concert series featuring classic, world and original music. Hunt and Perry, who met at the festival about 20 years ago and now sit on its Board of Directors, credit festival co-founders/Artistic Directors Michael Newman and Laura Oltman for creating a unique and intimate musical experience.
"You can't compare it, this wonderful music washes over you in waves," Hunt said. "It's so different and rich."
The month-long festival begins May 6, with concerts every Saturday in May. Each is held in a different venue in Hunterdon or Warren County. Featured performers include the Adam Tully Trio, cellist Raman Ramakrishnan and violinist Grace Park. The venue changes each week, with shows at Stockton's Prallsville Mills, Flemington's Stanton Reformed Church, Stewartsville's Old Greenwich Presbyterian Church and Clinton Presbyterian Church in Clinton. Each venue holds between 150-300 people. Each concert features a post-performance talk with the musicians.
"The audience gets to hear the same performers they might hear at Carnegie Hall or Lincoln Center., but they're right there," said Newman, teaches at The New School's Mannes College of Music for 40 years and more recently began teaching at The College of New Jersey. "It's a much more personal experience."
In an effort to introduce more young people to classical music, students 26 and under can attend any concert for free. The festival organizers has adopted the slogan "Change Your Music, Change Your Mind," and they're serious about that.
"Some people are being told classical or chamber music is not for everybody, only a certain elite crowd, and we certainly don't think that's the case," said Oltman who teaches classical guitar at Lafayette College and Princeton University, where she's worked for more than 30 years. "We're looking to expand our audience but we're not changing what we're doing."
It began about three decades ago, when Newman and Oltman, both professional musicians, left New York City for western New Jersey. The move allowed them more space and was commuting distance to Manhattan.
The couple were soon introduced to The Soclair Music Festival, which locals June and Ira Kapp hosted in their barn for many years. They saw there was an audience for chamber music in their rural area, an audience that didn't want to drive far for a show.
"We had this idea of having concerts in these great locations, these historic buildings," Oltman said. "We were interested in recreated a more historical experience. Traditional chamber music ... was played in homes. People like Schubert and Chopin didn't play in concert halls."
The festival began with a single concert at a single venue. Over the years, Newman and Oltman have put a focus oncommunity engagement, with musicians playing in medical facilities and senior centers, and added an education enrichment component, bringing music into schools. They also introduced a composition contest for young people, beginning each concert series with the winning music.
"It's important that people realize that classical music is a living art," Oltman said. "The arts can be a part of every day life."
Raritan River Music Festival
Stanton Reformed Church, Flemington
Clinton Presbyterian Church, Clinton
Old Greenwich Presbyterian Church, Stewartsvile
Tickets: $21-25 for adults 27 and older. Discount subscriptions for festival package. For more details, visit www.RaritanRiverMusic.org. May 6- 27.
Natalie Pompilio is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia. She can be reached at nataliepompilio@yahoo.com. Find her on Twitter @nataliepompilio. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook.