Dear SummerKeys Family:

Let’s do the “bad news” first: tuition will go up by $30 per week (i.e., those sessions priced at $645 in 2016 will cost $675 in 2017). This is necessary to maintain top-quality pianos in fine condition, nice lawns and lush gardens, roofs that don’t leak (despite the Maine winters!), a clean “country” atmosphere, and certainly one of the BEST MUSIC FACULTIES YOU COULD FIND ANYWHERE. We’re sorry to lose the wonderful teaching of Sue Richards on Celtic Harp, but she has kindly recommended Haley Hewitt (see her many cameos on the web) to replace her. And our concert series has become so popular as a faculty showcase that we’re forced to omit the dynamic pianist, Mira Gill, despite the fabulous quality of her playing.

We (along with you) will watch the development of several new programs: a “Small Ensemble Workshop” coached by Ina Litera during her two June weeks; and “Getting into String Quartets”, which Fran Berge will be offering for two of her three weeks with us. We’ll also have a late-summer pair of Jazz Piano weeks with Sebastian Ammann to supplement Kent Hewitt’s July sessions (which typically sell out) and, equally exciting, Sebastian will offer his own solo concert, the evening of Tuesday, August 22nd.

Frank Van Riper and Judy Goodman’s Photo Workshop weeks (plus his two weeks of Master Classes) will be offered again, but this year they get one week off (in between) to just enjoy Lubec for themselves.

Anna Maria Baeza and Joachim Woitun will move to earlier weeks in 2017, with Kathy Collisson filling their former spot; Andrea Maurer will be with us for all three of the final weeks this summer. Dickering over all of the above has involved many extra-long Saturday staff meetings and countless hours at their keyboards for our patient computer-savvy staffers (certainly not me!), but we think you’ll be truly impressed with the results.

And Lubec is lovelier than ever! Certainly this is the reason why two additional houses were purchased by long-time SK participants just this summer! As I look out my upstairs window on a bright, moonlit night to witness the beauty of that shimmering reflection on the vast seascape, I wonder at the good fortune we’ve all had simply to encounter this enchanted place! If you’ve never been, come see for yourselves!!

Bruce Potterton