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Music@Menlo artistic directors Wu Han and David Finckel begin planning the annual summer chamber music festival, set to start July 19 on the campus of Menlo School in Atherton, two years in advance. The three-week musical extravaganza, now in its 22nd season, involves myriad decisions about schedules, programs, repertoire and the hiring of dozens of musicians. But even the most careful advance planning can go awry when the unexpected, in the form of a musician’s departure, happens.
Renowned pianist Ken Noda was scheduled to perform with soprano Erika Baikoff in one of the Carte Blanche Concerts. According to Wu Han, these afternoon concerts were created, “to give our extraordinary artists a bit of breathing room to create their own programs which somehow fit into a Menlo festival.” When Noda had to cancel earlier this spring, Wu Han calmly sprang into action.
“Fortunately, there is a lot of talent around and our Rolodex is full of artists qualified to step into any role.” Why then did she decide to take on the position herself?
“I guess you could say I was a bit selfish because I adore this repertoire and to have the chance to even be in the same room with Erika when she opens her mouth to sing is like going to heaven.”
The theme of this year’s festival is “French Reflections” and includes examples of French chamber music as well as music from other European countries that were influenced by French culture. The Aug. 4 Carte Blanche concert will have Wu Han and Baikoff performing works by Debussy, Bizet and Saint-Saens.
What is the thought process when there is a late change of performers? Wu Han emphasized that the program, as listed in the printed brochure, has not changed. “Erika’s choices were perfect from the start,” she said.
For her part, Baikoff explained how important the role of the accompanist is to a singer. “Without the pianist, there would be no harmony, so we really depend on our partner to help us build a multi-dimensional sound world that embraces the audience.”
Baikoff has performed numerous times at Music@Menlo and explained why she enjoys returning. “First and foremost, I enjoy making music with the inspiring musicians that gather here each summer. Every artist that comes to perform at Menlo is not only an accomplished soloist, but also an innovative and creative collaborator, open to new musical ideas and interpretations.” She added that she loves the diversity of repertoire that Wu Han and Finckel select.
Wu Han explained that she is not worried about stepping into the accompanist role rather late in the game. “A musician has to be able to adapt themselves to produce at the schedule the world throws at them,” she said.
She and Baikoff will begin rehearsing once they are both in California. Baikoff, who majored in French Language and Culture as an undergraduate, said she hopes that the audience “will walk away with inspiration for introspection and creativity, and a stronger sense of human connection.”
Wu Han and Finckel, who have been married since 1985, are both highly regarded performers and educators. In addition to founding and directing Music@Menlo, they are also artistic directors of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in New York City, where they live. They decided to explore establishing a festival on the West Coast and, thanks to some local connections, everything fell into place when they entered into a contract with Menlo School. Musicians stay in the dormitories and classrooms are used as rehearsal spaces. The larger concerts are held in the Spieker Center for the Arts.
The arrangement has been advantageous to both parties, as the festival utilizes the quiet campus during the summer months and Menlo School students benefit from an annual Winter Residency program that brings classical music into the classrooms.
Music@Menlo has grown and expanded over the 22 years but Wu Han said that the original objectives have not changed.
“As artists and performers, we only think about artistic excellence. When we first became presenters, back in the late 1990s, we didn’t know any other way to do it than to mimic our personal artistic methods. So, Music@Menlo has been about quality first, quality second and quality third, and it seems to work.”
When asked about her hopes for the future of the festival, Wu Han seemed to indicate that there is an inexhaustible well of inspiration.
“There is so much great music to experience for the first time, as well as repeatedly, we will never run out. On top of that, like athletes, artists in droves are breaking new artistic records in terms of virtuosity, enthusiasm and interpretational skill. We have an abundance of product. The music itself is free to us to use. There is no reason Music@Menlo, like so many cultural institutions founded on great principles, cannot continue to evolve long into the future.”
The 2024 Music@Menlo festival highlights French music with the theme, “French Reflections.” The festival runs July 19-Aug. 10 at Menlo School, 50 Valparaiso Ave., Atherton. Music@Menlo also offers livestream options.
Erika Baikoff and Wu Han perform Aug. 4, 4 p.m., tickets are $85 general admission/$25 for under audience members under 30.
For more information and a full schedule of events, visit musicatmenlo.org or tickets@musicatmenlo.org