Zuill Bailey at the Sitka Chamber of Commerce. (KCAW photo/Robert Woolsey)

The Sitka Summer Music Festival’s artistic director, Zuill Bailey, is in Sitka this week to kick off the festival’s capital campaign. Two years ago a board member purchased Stevenson Hall on the SJ campus for use as a headquarters for the festival. Bailey told the Sitka Chamber of Commerce today (11-12-12), that the primary goal of festival fund raising this year was to put Stevenson Hall in the festival’s name, and adapt it for use as office space, artist housing and rehearsal rooms, and a small performance space.

Bailey also performed solo during the luncheon. Bailey, and his predecessor, festival founder Paul Rosenthal, both maintain that small gatherings like the chamber luncheon are an authentic venue for chamber music. KCAW’s Robert Woolsey attended, and sent this audio postcard.

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There are two free “informances” planned at Stevenson Hall, 5:15 Thursday evening (12-13-12), and noon Friday. Also, the festival is holding a concert “crawl” fundraiser beginning at 6 PM Friday evening at Stevenson Hall. It’s called “From Russia with Love” and will feature Bailey and visiting Russian pianist Natasha Paremski. For more information, visit the Sitka Summer Music Festival online.

The pieces Bailey performed for the Sitka Chamber of Commerce.

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