For the large part of the year, Suzy Bratton is focused on her role as principal clarinetist of the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra. This summer, she accepted an invitation to perform at the Chamber Music Festival of Saugatuck for the first time.
On Thursday and Friday nights, the festival features a program called "Tales and Contrasts," all works for combinations of three instruments. The Shepherd on the Rock is Franz Schubert's final song and only work for soprano, clarinet, and piano, while Schumann's Fairytale Narrations calls for clarinet, viola, and piano. The final work, Bela Bartok's Contrasts, was premiered in 1939 by violinist Josef Szigeti and clarinetist Benny Goodman, with Bela Bartok at the piano. Suzy Bratton discusses the works and outlines her career as a clarinetist. She also discusses her duet with clarinetist David Shifrin last season with the GRSO.
