The Connecticut Office of the Arts Supporting Arts Grant is given to many recipients each year to provide unrestricted funding for arts organizations to pursue their missions. This year, 219 recipients received funds totaling $1,014.063, and the Essex Winter Series (EWS) is grateful to once again be one of the organizations to benefit from this generous funding.

“Essex Winter Series is proud of our history of presenting world-class artists in the Valley Shore area, but this grant ensures we can continue our commitment to bring the finest musicians to our community,” said Mihae Lee, the Artistic Director of EWS.

The EWS is completing its 2022 season with the rescheduling of last January’s cancelled concert that features the world-renowned Brentano String Quartet with Lee, a pianist. The performance will take place at Valley Regional High School (VRHS) on Sunday, Dec. 18.

In 2023, the EWS’s 46th season will begin with the spectacular New Haven Symphony Orchestra conducted by Donato Cabrera and also including marimba soloist Aya Kaminaguchi. This concert will be held on Sunday, Jan. 22 at VRHS.

Livening up February will be Jeff Barnhart & His Hot Jazz Collective at John Winthrop Middle School (JWMS) on Feb. 26. There will be some new faces, but also popular greats like Vince Giordano and Jim Fryer.

The season continues with the Fenton Brown Emerging Artists concert at JWMS on March 12. Lee will join the ambassador string trio featuring Brian Hong (violin and viola), Stephanie Zyzak (violin), and Andrew Janss (cello) from Project: Music Heals Us.

On April 23, the series closes with Grammy-award winning choral group Chanticleer appearing at VRHS.

All performances take place on Sunday afternoons at 3 p.m. and seating is general admission. To purchase tickets or for info, visit www.essexwinterseries.com or contact 860-272-4572.