The Steamboat Pilot & Today

What comes to mind when you hear the word “Fandango”?

For some of you, it might be: “Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the fandango?” Others might think of a Web site for buying movie tickets. But Wednesday night at the Strings Music Festival, award-winning guitarist Jason Vieaux will give you a fandango experience to replace movie lines and movie tickets.

Vieaux will perform a variety of flamenco music, including Boccherini’s Quintet in D Major for Guitar and Strings, titled “Fandango,” a style of folk and flamenco music and dance.

Vieaux will be joined by cellist Young Song, with whom he recently released the album “Song of Brazil.” For all those classical/Spanish guitar buffs out there, this is a concert not to be missed. Vieaux was the youngest first-prize winner in the history of the Guitar Foundation of Am­­erica International Competition and a Naumburg International Guitar Com­­petition prizewinner.

To learn a little more about this fabulous performer and the music he will be performing, come to the free Musical Talk at noon Wednesday at the Strings Music Pavilion, led by Strings concert commentator Dr. Ken Greene (yes, he is my father ­— but I promise, it’s good stuff).

Friday evening brings Celtic fiddle virtuosi Natalie MacMaster — known for her trademark step dancing — and Donnell Leahy to the Strings stage. This is another sold-out concert, but lawn seating will be available at the box office Friday morning.

On Saturday night, Chu-Fang Huang, winner of the 2005 Cleveland International Piano Competition and a finalist in the 2005 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, performs two Haydn sonatas, Ravel’s beautiful and ghostly La Valse and Brahms’ soulful and fiery Piano Quartet No. 1 in G Minor, joined by festival musicians Joseph Lin, Yizhak Schotten and Young Song.

By the way, I wrote my college thesis on the Brahms G Minor Piano Quartet. If you’d like to learn more, feel free to contact me. Don’t worry — I won’t hold my breath waiting for calls.

Elissa Greene is information technology director and development coordinator for the Strings Music Festival. Contact her at (970) 879-5056 ext. 100, or elissa@stringsmusicfestival.com.