Porch Concert Summer Soiree
Delight in an evening of excellent music, exquisite food, and wonderful company with friends and musicians.
Experience the magic of a summer concert with the Juliani Ensemble at a stunning home in Round Lake. The musicians will perform on one of the newly renovated grand porches, while you relax on the beautiful lawn. The home holds historical significance as one of the first permanent residences in the Methodist camp community.
Stay refreshed with complimentary water during the concert. Afterward, we'll stroll to a charming village green across the street for Tapas Under The Tent. Enjoy a signature drink, or bring your favorite beverage.
Savor delectable tapas crafted by Spring Into Health, a local company founded by two passionate ladies, Anouk and Danielle, who ignite learning and connection through food and health. The evening's dishes will be prepared using real, well-grown, seasonal ingredients.
Program
The Juliani Ensemble, a highly acclaimed chamber music ensemble comprised of world class musicians, has delighted audiences with inventive, energetic chamber music concerts since its inception in 1999. As a performing partner at the Chicago Cultural Center in Preston Bradley Hall, the Juliani Ensemble performed to enthusiastic, appreciative audiences for over twenty years. They built a dedicated following and have garnered critical praise, including in the Chicago Tribune and other publications. Recent appearances include performances for “Concerts from the Library of Congress,” residencies at the University of Missouri, Epiphany Center for the Arts, next season at Washington and Lee University, live radio features on 98.7 WFMT, and engagements both nationally and internationally.
The core of the ensemble is comprised primarily of members of the multi generational Graef family musicians. Many of their Grammy-winning ensemble members are affiliated with organizations such as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Eastman School of Music, and more. The Juliani Ensemble programming stays fresh and fluid as our concerts feature international players in addition to the family core.
The Juliani Ensemble’s mission is to spread the joy of music through performance, education, outreach and artistry of the highest level.
The Musicians
Emily Seaberry Graef | Flute
Emily Seaberry Graef is the founder and the flutist of the Juliani Ensemble. Ms. Graef is a graduate of The University of Michigan School of Music where she won the Nelson Howenstein Award for outstanding flute performance. Emily did postgraduate study at The University of Maryland and at The Mozarteum Academy in Salzburg, Austria where she studied with Helmut Zangerle. She is the former Principal Flute and soloist with The Rome Festival Orchestra and has performed as flutist with The Chicago Winds, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's MusicNOW series and on the nationally acclaimed and broadcast Dame Myra Hess series. Emily was the co-founder of The Galena Chamber Ensemble, a chamber music organization which performed in Galena, Illinois for 10 years in historic Turner Hall. She has been an artist in residence at the People's Music School and is a former faculty member of the Merit School of Music. Beginning in 1999, Ms. Graef and the Juliani Ensemble were performing partners with The Chicago Cultural Center for 20 years, performing chamber music concerts throughout the year in historic Preston Bradley Hall. Ms. Graef has maintained a teaching studio for more than 30 years.
Julian Graef | Violin, Viola
Violinist and violist Julian Graef has earned acclaim as an artist of remarkable versatility. He has been featured in Strings Magazine, on the “Concerts from the Library of Congress” series, and in many of the world’s foremost concert halls. In addition to an active touring schedule as a soloist, recitalist and chamber musician, Mr. Graef also serves as the Co-director of the Juliani Ensemble, and as the founding Executive Director of Tallgrass Chamber Music Festival. With the Juliani Ensemble, Mr. Graef has given performances and masterclasses at universities and conservatories throughout North America, while also directing the Ensemble’s resident series; Saturday Salons at Primitive Gallery in Chicago, IL. Mr. Graef obtained both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Eastman School of Music. He performs on a 1949 Natale Carletti viola and an unnamed 1810 Stradivarius model violin.
Anita Graef | Cello
Described as a musician of “superb artistry” (Pasadena Now) who plays with “high energy and polish” (WQXR), cellist Anita Graef has earned recognition for her music making as an artist who is equally at home exploring traditional as well as contemporary works, along with a deep commitment to service, outreach and education. Notable appearances include features in Strings Magazine, as well as Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert series, and “Concerts from the Library of Congress.” She has also performed as a guest of various radio programs, including WQXR, WFMT, WGTE, WUOL, WOSU, WVPB, NPR and others. Ms. Graef has performed as a soloist with orchestras across the United States, with recent and upcoming engagements including the Louisville Orchestra, Arkansas Philharmonic Orchestra and others. Highlights from recent seasons include her New York debut with the Riverside Symphony, as well as recital appearances at the Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg, Ojai’s Chamber on the Mountain, the Charlotte Warner Concert Series at Kenyon College, an Artist-in-Residence position with the Taft Museum of Art, and return appearances to “Live from WFMT” and “Temecula Presents,” among others.
She completed her Bachelor’s studies at the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre, and Dance. Following this, she obtained a Master’s Degree at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
Anita performs on a modern Italian cello by Ferdinando Garimberti, dated 1923.
For more information, visit anitagraef.com.