The annual Prelude Series brings the mission of the Lakes Area Music Festival throughout the state, engaging new audiences and energizing current supporters. These laid-back programs include a variety of styles of music, with casual discussion between works, making them a delight for classical music enthusiasts and classical music rookies.

In 2019 the Prelude Series will serve as a statewide tour for our inaugural String Quartet Fellowship ensemble, the Altius Quartet. Throughout the month of July they will perform these nine concerts, as well as spending time in intensive rehearsal retreat and carrying out numerous outreach activities throughout the Lakes Area community.

With two distinct programs, you can choose a couple concerts near you. Invite a friend and enjoy the music of Altius and the Lakes Area Music Festival!

PROGRAM 1: Park Rapids, Aitkin, Brainerd, Crosslake

Maurice Ravel’s String Quartet in F Major, and selections by Mozart, Janáček, Mendelssohn, and the Beatles’ ‘Abbey Road.’

PROGRAM 2: Minneapolis, Motley, Deerwood, Nisswa, Bemidji

Ludwig van Beethoven’s cheerful String Quartet No. 7, Op. 59, No. 1, and selections by Ravel, Mozart, Janáček, and Bolcom.

This engagement is supported by the Arts Midwest Touring Fund, a program of Arts Midwest that is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional contributions from the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Crane Group.