The following was submitted by the Orcas island Chamber Music Festival

Fans of the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival look forward every year to a two-week summer festival filled with world class musicians, magnificent works and exhilarating performances.

To help support this renowned event, OICMF is presenting a special fundraising concert called “Leaves of Gold.” It will take place at Rosario Resort on Thursday, Dec. 6 and Friday, Dec. 7 at 6 p.m.

“How fortunate we are that the Miró Quartet, in demand around the world and a favorite of major summer festivals around the country, consider Orcas one of their favorite destinations to play,” said Aloysia Friedmann, artistic director of the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival. “Hearing them in the teak-paneled music room at Rosario is a privilege indeed.  I hope you’ll join me in giving them a ‘warm’ Orcas December welcome.”

The internationally acclaimed Miró Quartet is comprised of Daniel Ching, William Fedkenheuer, John Largess and Joshua Gindele. They will perform Beethoven’s Harp String Quartet in E-Flat Major, Op. 74; and Schubert’s monumental String Quartet in G Major, D887.

Following the concert, guests will enjoy hors d’oeuvres and wine in the Orcas Room of the Rosario Mansion, adorned for the holidays.

OICMF would like to thank hosts and reception sponsors Jerry and Jan Barto, owners of Rosario Resort; concert sponsors Carol Marcin, Tom Burg and Carl de Boor; artist sponsors Rick Strachan and Ginni Keith, Barbara Bentley and Glenn Prestwich, Craig and Liz Anderson, Brian Ehrmantraut and Moana Kutsche; and quartet sponsor Annie Moss Moore.

For those who have not been fortunate to see the Miró Quartet perform in previous festivals, they are one of America’s highest-profile String quartets, hailed by the New York Times as possessing “explosive vigor and technical finesse.”

The quartet serves as the Faculty String Quartet-in-Residence at the Sarah and Ernest Butler School of Music at the University of Texas at Austin, while maintaining a very active international touring schedule.

Tickets to this winter fundraising event are $150. For reservations, call 376-6636 or email joyce@oicmf.org.

All proceeds benefit Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival programming, as well as music education. OICMF is committed to providing skill-building techniques and inspiration to Orcas islanders of all ages, from pre-schoolers to community musicians.

For those unable to attend, a way to support the Chamber Music Festival in the winter months is to be among the “guests in spirit” listed in the program, which is a 100 percent tax deductible donation. For more information, visit  www.oicmf.org.