Concert I: 19th Season Opening Celebration - Theme and Variations

Sunday, October 12, 2008, 3:00 p.m.
Nichols Hall, Music Institute of Chicago, Evanston

Celebrate the start of our 19th season! Beethoven's classical Quintet for Piano and Winds starts the program. From Beethoven we shift to American composer Amy Beach and her passionate Theme and Variations for flute and string quartet, which premiered in 1916. The concert concludes with Mendelssohn's Sextet, unusually scored for piano, violin, two violas, cello and bass.
This concert will be followed by the benefit gala with cocktails, dinner and silent and live auctions at the elegant Michigan Shores Club in Wilmette.

Beethoven:  Quintet for Piano and Winds

Beach: Theme and Variations for flute and string quartet

Mendelssohn: Sextet

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Concert II: Vivaldi's Seasons
Sunday, December 7, 2008 at 3:00 p.m.
Nichols Hall, Music Institute of Chicago, Evanston
Monday, December 8, 2008 at 7:30 p.m
Gottlieb Hall, Merit School of Music, Chicago

The perfect way to celebrate the holidays! Mezzo soprano soloist Emily Lodine joins us for Brahms' Songs for Alto, viola and piano and J.S. Bach's Arias for mezzo soprano. In addition, you will be treated to the lyrical melodies of Mozart's Quintet for Clarinet and Strings featuring our own clarinetist J. Lawrie Bloom. This is a special opportunity to hear Yuan-Qing Yu reprise her exciting spring 2008 Chicago Symphony Orchestra performance of Vivaldi's popular The Four Seasons in a chamber setting.

Brahms: Songs for alto, viola and piano

Bach: Arias for mezzo soprano, flute, oboe, strings and continuo

Mozart: Quintet for Clarinet and Strings

Vivaldi: selections from The Four Seasons

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Special Event: 14th Annual High School Chamber Music Competition
Date TBA, January 2009
Northeastern Illinois University Recital Hall, (3701 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., just east of Pulaski, Chicago).
Parking is free in Lot F. Look for the "Concert Today" sign for building entrance.

The competition is open to the public.

Admission is free.

Young people and their families are encouraged to attend.

Hear the next generation of professional musicians as talented young chamber groups compete for cash prizes and the opportunity to become Rembrandt Young Artists.

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Concert III: February Fantasy
Sunday, February 15, 2009 at 7:30 p.m.
Nichols Hall, Music Institute of Chicago, Evanston
(Please note start time!)
Tuesday, February 17, 2009 at 7:30 p.m.
Gottlieb Hall, Merit School of Music, Chicago
(Please note Tuesday concert!)

Warm up with Britten's mesmerizing Phantasy Quartet for oboe, violin, viola and cello, contemporary composer Richard Wernick's Telino's Acrobats for solo bass clarinet with J. Lawrie Bloom, soloist, and Shostakovich's grand Quintet for piano and strings. The winners of our 14th Annual High School Chamber Music Competition will also perform on these concerts.

Britten: Phantasy Quartet for oboe, violin, viola and cello

Werneck: Telino's Acrobats for solo bass clarinet

Werneck: Sextet

Shostakovich: Quintet for piano and strings

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Concert IV:   Songs of a Wayfarer
A special musical event!
Guest Conductor:  Jane Glover
Sunday, April 19, 2009 at 3:00 p.m. 
Gottlieb Hall, Merit School of Music, Chicago

Our second in a three part series of exploring works of Mahler arranged by Schoenberg and his student Erwin Stein for chamber ensemble.  In 1918, seven years after Gustav Mahler's death, composer Arnold Schoenberg formed the Society for Private Musical Performances to preserve and perform important music of its day. This society presented 154 works by 42 contemporary composers, all in arrangements for a few instruments. These works have rarely been performed in Chicago. You won't want to miss this special event! 

Jane Glover, Music Director of Music of the Baroque, will conduct Erwin Stein's arrangement for chamber ensemble of Mahler's  Songs of a Wayfarer. Mahler's early String Quartet and Klughardt's romantic Trio for oboe, viola and piano will also be featured.

Mahler: Piano Quartet

Klughardt: Trio for oboe, viola and piano

Mahler: Songs of a Wayfarer (Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen)