CELEBRATE YOUR AMERICAN ROOTS 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND

KATONAH, NY– Caramoor International Music Festival's weekend celebration of our nation’s birthday kicks off on Saturday, July 3 with "American Roots: New Shoots", a full day of bluegrass music performed by the Punch Brothers featuring Chris Thile, Crooked Still, and Sandra Wong's New Trad Trio. To salute Independence Day, Caramoor CEO and General Director Michael Barrett will conduct the Orchestra of St. Luke's in "Pops, Patriots, and Fireworks" on Sunday, July 4, a concert of beloved American music – featuring Rob Schwimmer on theremin – that culminates with a spectacular fireworks display.

Caramoor presents its first “American Roots: New Shoots” Festival with three groups that are transforming and re-interpreting the traditions of bluegrass and traditional music. The Punch Brothers, featuring virtuoso mandolinist Chris Thile—renowned for his incredible spontaneity and restless imagination—is the hottest group to be creating wide-ranging music out of the worlds of bluegrass, folk, and chamber music. Crooked Still, the popular young alternative bluegrass group whose soaring vocals and high-wire solos have enraptured audiences all over North America, is on a mission to bend the boundaries of traditional music. From Irish, Old-time, and Bluegrass to Swedish folk music, Sandra Wong—fiddle and nyckelharpa—is a veritable encyclopedia of traditional music from around the globe.

Michael Barrett leads the Orchestra of St. Luke's in a salute to our nation's 234^th birthday with "Pops, Patriots and Fireworks";. Tchaikovsky's famous 1812 Overture will be paired with patriotic American favorites by Sousa, Ives, Gershwin, Herrmann and Grofé. The Theremin, the first electronic instrument ever invented – and one championed by Caramoor's founder, Lucie Rosen – will make a guest appearance under the skilled fingers of Rob Schwimmer,and a spectacular fireworks display promptly follows the concert.

The Punch Brothers are a bluegrass band consisting of Chris Thile (mandolin), Gabe Witcher (fiddle/violin), Noam Pikelny (banjo), Chris Eldridge (guitar), and Paul Kowert (bass). Their style has been described as introducing "bluegrass instrumentation and spontaneity in the strictures of modern classical."Chris Thile has changed the mandolin forever, elevating it from its origins as a relatively simple folk and bluegrass instrument to the sophistication and brilliance of the finest jazz improvisation and classical performance. For more than 15 years, Thile played in the wildly popular band Nickel Creek, with whom he released three albums for a combined two million records sold, was awarded a Grammy® in 2002, and traveled the world on sold-out concert tours. As a soloist he has released four albums, on which he conquered a dizzying range of instruments, songwriting challenges and musical styles. Thile has collaborated extensively with double bass virtuoso Edgar Meyer and fellow eminent mandolinist Mike Marshall, as well as a pantheon of bluegrass innovators including Bela Fleck, Dolly Parton, the Dixie Chicks, Jerry Douglas, and Sam Bush.

A self-styled alternative bluegrass band consisting of vocalist Aoife O'Donovan, banjo player Dr. Gregory Liszt, bassist Corey DiMario, cellist Tristan Clarridge and fiddler Brittany Haas, Crooked Still is known for their high energy, technical skill, unusual instrumentation and innovative acoustic style.

Sandra Wong began studying the violin at seven years old with the intention of becoming a concert violinist, until her discovery of fiddling turned her entire musical world upside down. Beginning with Irish, Old-time and Bluegrass jams and festivals, Wong’s interests have grown into her current livelihood of teaching, performing, recording and collaborating with other musicians from a diverse range of world music genres. In 1999, she was introduced to a wonderful Swedish folk instrument, the nyckelharpa (a 16 stringed, keyed bowed instrument) and it has become an integral part of her work and musical expression. Wong has released two solo albums, "It's About Time" and “Joy”.

Rob Schwimmer is a composer-pianist, founder of the legendary Polygraph Lounge, and one of the few theremin virtuosos in the world. Rob recently played theremin on "The Boxer" with Simon and Garfunkel at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary Concert at Madison Square Garden. His appearances as theremin soloist with orchestras include The Little Orchestra (Lincoln Center); the New Haven Symphony Orchestra (Yale); and Red, An Orchestra (Cleveland). In addition to his CD Theremin Noir (with Uri Caine and Mark Feldman), he has been featured in many projects including Matthew Barney's epic movie Cremaster 3, the 2009 R.W. Goodwin (X-Files) feature Alien Trespass, CBS television series “Now and Again” and A&E's “Breakfast With the Arts”. Rob is an original member of the NY Theremin Society. His 2008 premiere "Pellucid Dream(s) for Theremin" was commissioned by The Department of Cultural Affairs for the ISSUE Project Room.

The 2009-2010 season marks the 35^th year of America's foremost chamber orchestra, the Orchestra of St. Luke's. This unique musical organization comprises three divisions: the Orchestra of St. Luke's, St. Luke's Chamber Ensemble, and St. Luke's Arts Education Program. St. Luke's currently performs about 100 orchestral, chamber, and educational concerts throughout New York each year, all showcasing the hallmark collaborative spirit that has garnered consistent critical acclaim for vibrant music-making of the highest order.

Michael Barrett, known as a champion of imaginative programming, is in his sixth season as Chief Executive and General Director of Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, where he has programmed numerous new works, world premieres, American premieres, and Caramoor commissions. Mr. Barrett assumed his position at Caramoor in 2003, building on a reputation established following more than twenty-five years of programming and performing experience in the arts. He is responsible for the administration and year-round programming at Caramoor, including the world-renowned Caramoor International Music Festival and acclaimed programs known for breaking down barriers between musical genres, reflecting today's musical currents, and attracting the greatest musical talents from the U.S. and abroad to Caramoor.

Caramoor is the legacy of Walter and Lucie Rosen, who built their summer home – now known as the historic Rosen House at Caramoor – and filled it with their treasures. Walter Rosen was the master planner for the Caramoor estate, bringing to reality his dream of creating a place to entertain friends from around the world. Their musical evenings were the seeds of today’s Caramoor International Music Festival. Realizing the pleasure their friends took in the beauty of Caramoor – the house with its art collection, the gardens, and the musical programs on summer evenings – in 1946 the Rosens established a public charity to open Caramoor to the community. Lucie Rosen survived her husband by seventeen years. During those years, she expanded the Music Festival: the Spanish Courtyard was used as a setting for musical events, as it is today, and, under her direction, the great stage of the Venetian Theater was built.

Caramoor is a performing arts center, located on a unique 90-acre setting of Italianate architecture and gardens in Westchester County, NY. It enriches the lives of its audiences through innovative and diverse musical performances of the highest quality. Its mission also includes mentoring young professional musicians and providing educational programs for young children centered around music. It is often described as “a Garden of Great Music,” where audiences are invited to come early, explore the beautiful grounds, enjoy a pre-concert picnic, and discover beautiful music in the relaxed settings of the Venetian Theater, Spanish Courtyard, Music Room of the Rosen House, and the magnificent gardens.

Concerts take place in two outdoor theaters: the 1714-seat, acoustically superb Venetian Theater and the more intimate, romantic Spanish Courtyard. Caramoor's gardens are also well worth the visit and include nine unique perennial gardens. Among them are a Sense Circle for the visually handicapped, a Butterfly Garden, Tapestry Hedge, and Iris and Peony Garden, which may be enjoyed on one's own or seen on a guided tour.

By car from the West Side of Manhattan and New Jersey, take the Saw Mill River Parkway north to Katonah. Exit at Route 35/Cross River. Turn right, and, at the first traffic light, make a right turn onto Route 22 south. Travel 1.9 miles to the junction of Girdle Ridge Road. Follow the signs to Caramoor. (For detailed directions call 914.232.5035 and press 2, or online at www.caramoor.org). Parking at Caramoor is free on-site on a first-come, first-served basis. Once on-site parking is full, alternate parking will be available with free shuttle bus service.

Extend the Caramoor experience by arriving early and enjoying a picnic amidst the beautiful gardens. Purchase your picnic (or bring your own) by calling Great Performances® at 212-337-6055 or online at www.greatperformances.com/caramoorpicnics. On July 4^th, Great Performances® will grill hamburgers and hot dogs on the Picnic Lawns beginning at 5:00 PM.

On June 24 at 7:00pm, Classical 105.9 WQXR, New York's sole 24/7 classical music station, will present a sneak preview of this summer's Caramoor International Music Festival. In a live broadcast from The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space, WQXR Host Terrance McKnight will be joined by Caramoor' General Director Michael Barrett, who will introduce singers, pianists, quartets and other musicians from this year's festival lineup. This lively evening of music and talk will be broadcast live on WQXR and video-streamed live at www.wqxr.org, and www.thegreenespace.org.