Gari Melchers Home and Studio and the UMW Department of Music are partnering to present a Chamber Music Festival on February 23 and 24 in the intimate setting of Gari Melchers’ Studio and the Pavilion at Belmont.

“The richly appointed interior of the famed American artist’s studio is an ideal setting to enjoy chamber music in the Old World tradition that Gari Melchers would have happily endorsed,” says Assistant Director and Curator Joanna Catron. “And the acoustics in this barrel-vaulted space are perfect!”

The Chamber Festival is presented each spring featuring student, faculty, and professional groups. Various musical styles and genres spanning the centuries are performed. The Music Department is committed to promoting contemporary works. Original compositions by students and faculty are also debuted.​

The Festival opens on Saturday evening, February 23 at 7 p.m. with performances by the UMW Chamber Music trio, Brass Quintet, Flute Quartet and Jazz Combo under the direction of Doug Gately. The program will feature music by such diverse composers as Handel, Loeillett, Telemann, Granados, Bach, Puccini, Arnold, Haydn and jazz standards and contemporary works incorporating Swing, Latin and Funk styles.

The February 24 Sunday afternoon offering, beginning at 2 p.m., presents the United States Air Force String Trio under the direction of Senior Master Sergeant Bryce Bunner performing Beethoven’s String Trios. The UMW Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Doug Gately, will perform a selection of jazz standards.

Admission is free, but seating is limited. Please make reservations beginning February 5 by emailing Meghan Pcsolyar at mpcsolya@umw.edu.

Gari Melchers Home and Studio is a 28-acre estate and former residence of the artist Gari Melchers and his wife Corinne. The property, which is operated by the University of Mary Washington, is both a Virginia Historic Landmark and a National Historic Landmark. Located at 224 Washington St. in Falmouth, Virginia, a quarter mile west of the intersection of U.S. 1 and U.S. 17, it is open daily with an admission charge.

Gari Melchers Home and Studio at Belmont will host a free film screening of the award-winning film, Loving Vincent (94 mins, 2017) on Sunday, March 3 at 2 p.m.  The world’s first fully oil painted feature film brings the artwork of Vincent van Gogh to life in an exploration of the complicated life and controversial death of one of history’s most celebrated artists.

In a story depicted in oil painted animation, a young man comes to the last hometown of painter Vincent van Gogh to deliver the troubled artist’s final letter and ends up investigating his final days there.

Watch the trailer.

Gari Melchers Home and Studio is a 28-acre estate and former residence of the artist Gari Melchers and his wife Corinne. The property, which is operated by the University of Mary Washington, is both a Virginia Historic Landmark and a National Historic Landmark. Located at 224 Washington St. in Falmouth, Virginia, a quarter mile west of the intersection of U.S. 1 and U.S. 17, it is open daily with an admission charge.

For directions and more information, call (540) 654-1015, or visit the museum website at www.GariMelchers.org.