Bryant Park Quartet in PerformanceSunday, October 21 @ 3PM

The Bryant Park Quartet (l to r): Nathan Schram, viola; Anna Elashvili,
violin; Ben Russell, violin; Tomoko Fujita, cello.

PLEASE NOTE: As of Monday, October 15 the second half of the program has been changed from Brahms' String Quartet in C minor to Debussy's String Quartet in G minor.

 

The Bryant Park Quartet honors us with a performance on Sunday, October 21st at 3:00 PM at the Cyr Center in Stamford. Friends of Music was introduced to the group through violinist Anna Elashvili, another alumna of the fabled Silver Jubilee Chamber Ensemble in 2011, and we are so pleased for the opportunity to bring this amazing Quartet to the Catskills.

 

Based in New York City and formed in 2006, the Bryant Park Quartet has developed into an accomplished and acclaimed string quartet. Through its series “The rEvolving Ear,” the group has created programs that explore some of the connections between established and contemporary music, programs that inspire new ways to listen to and appreciate historical works that have inspired works by contemporary composers.

 

The Bryant Park Quartet (BPQ) is also dedicated to extensive community outreach through performance, lecture/demonstrations and a creative approach to music education. They seek to increase “awareness of the value of chamber music” through their commendable commitment to education programs at many levels, from public schools to private universities, and to community from business locations to private homes to public performing arts centers. The audience at this small venue in the Catskills is no doubt the beneficiary of this idealism and commitment.

 

The BPQ has been coached by members of the Brentano, Borromeo, Cavani, Cleveland, Emerson and Juilliard String Quartets and by such luminaries as Itzhak Perlman, Heidi Castleman, Colin Carr, Kathy Murdock and Roger Tapping. The Quartet was a 2010 prizewinner in the Hugo Kauder International Music Competition and its members individually are highly regarded as well. Two of its artists, Anna Elashvili and Nathan Schram, were each fellows of The Academy at Carnegie Hall, a joint effort of the Juilliard School, the Weill Music Institute and Carnegie Hall to nurture young musicians at the highest level. The Academy seeks to help the selected exceptionally talented young people develop their careers and thrive in current circumstances while serving as "evangelists" for classical music in order to assure its survival.

 

Ms. Elashvili became Mr. Schram's Academy mentor, and he joined the BPQ in 2011 when previous violist Adam Meyer became a dean at the Juilliard School. Nathan Schram was featured on National Public Radio reports about The Academy, three times during his first year with the program and again when his two-year term was completed.

 

Click here to read more about the artists of the Bryant Park Quartet at the Friends of Music Web site, or to read more about the group and its admirable mission and listen to some of their work please visit their Web site at bryantparkquartet.com.

 

The program for October 21st is as follows:

 

Bryant Park Quartet

“Alleged Minimalism”

Sunday, October 21, 2012

3:00 PM

 

	Scaramella Mille Regretz El Grillo	Josquin des Prez (c. 1450 / 1455-1521) arr. Bryant Park Quartet
	String Quartet in F Minor, Op. 20, No. 5   I. II. III. IV. Allegro moderato Menuetto Adagio Finale: Fuga a due Soggetti	Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
	Selections from: John's Book of Alleged Dances	John Adams (1947 - )
** Intermission **
	Structures for String Quartet (1951)	Morton Feldman (1926-1987)
	String Quartet in G minor, Op. 10 (1893)   I. II. III. IV. Animé et très décidé Assez vif et bien rythmé Andantino, doucement expressif Très modéré - En animant peu à peu - Très mouvementé et avec passion	Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

 

As always we thank our many individual donors and the Robinson-Broadhurst Foundation and -- for this particular concert -- the A. Lindsay and Olive B. O'Connor Foundation. Without their collective generosity this performance would not be possible, or we would all have to spend a great deal of time, effort and money to travel to a larger city to hear the likes of the Bryant Park Quartet.

 

We hope you will join us for another afternoon of incredibly wonderful music, amiable company and good food at the Cyr Center in Stamford, NY.

 

 





Katie Thomas and Yoni Levyatov in Concert Sunday, September 16 at 3PM

Katie Thomas, violin

Yoni Levyatov, piano

For the sixth concert of our 2012 Season, Friends of Music is happy to welcome back Katie Thomas, violin, another alumna of the beloved 2011 Silver Jubilee Chamber Ensemble. Joining her this year will be pianist Yoni Levyatov. Both musicians are graduates of the Manhattan School of Music, and each has won recognition in many competitions; we invite you to read more about their triumphs and feats at the Friends of Music Web site. 

 

Colorful and vibrant, this dynamic duo has been touring individually far and wide recently and we are so pleased they are willing to travel to the Catskills to perform together for us in Stamford. This vivacious pair will likely be as interesting and as fun to watch as they will be to listen to, and their program will no doubt result in a beautifully memorable afternoon of great music:

 

September 16, 2012

Katie Thomas, violin

Yoni Levyatov, piano

Sonata No. 18 for Violin and Piano in    G Major, K.301 (1778)			Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart    (1756-1791)
	I. II.	Allegro con spirito Allegro
Sonata in A Major for Violin and Piano (1886)			César Franck (1822-90)
	I. II. III. IV.	Allegretto ben moderato Allegro Recitativo-Fantasia: Ben moderato Allegretto poco mosso
Intermission
Amy Beach (1867-1944)
Violin Sonata No. 5 in F Major, Opus 24,    “Spring” (1801)			Ludwig van Beethoven    (1770-1827)
	I. II. III. IV.	Allegro Adagio molto espressivo Scherzo: Allegro molto Rondo: Allegro ma non troppo
Scherzo in C for Violin and Piano    (“F.A.E Sonata”) (1853)			Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

  

As always we thank all of our donors and in particular the Robinson-Broadhurst Foundation for your generosity, which makes this concert and our entire season possible. As of now the forecast is for a rainy afternoon, but join us at the Cyr Center in Stamford at 3:00PM where the atmosphere will be sunny and vibrant!

Serio Divertimenti in Concert on Sunday, August 19th at 3PM

Serio Divertimenti (l to r): Peter Prosser, cello; Lisa Arkis, flute; Mary Jo Pagano, piano and Monte Morgenstern, clarinet.

Friends of Music is happy to feature Serio Divertimenti in performance for the fifth concert of our 26th Season on Sunday, August 19th at 3:00 PM at the Cyr Center in Stamford. Roughly translated, Serio Divertimenti means “serious fun.” These seasoned professionals are serious about their art, and those of us in the audience will have a seriously good time listening to the results of their collaboration! Join us to hear Monte Morgenstern, clarinet; Mary Jo Pagano, piano; Lisa Arkis, flute and Peter Prosser, cello.

This chamber music ensemble “promotes new music as well as the more traditional classics.” Its members have impressive careers of performance in the concert hall, in the theater, and in the recording studio. As many do who make their living from their musical talent, several of them also teach. Broadway and pop music fans will also find many recognizable names in the list of talented artists these musicians have worked with. Read more about the artists at the Friends of Music Web site, friendsmusic.org.

The program for August 19th is a bit more eclectic than our usual performances, and the approach and professional experiences of these artists may be more palatable for those who are not convinced they like classical music. This would be the perfect event to bring along such friends and family for those who enjoy the chamber music performances we present at the Cyr Center. The program, though subject to change, is as follows:

Program

The Shaker Tune (Simple Gifts)(2009) ...................................Monte Morgenstern
         flute, clarinet and cello                                                 (after Joseph Brackett)

L’Encore (ca. 1898 - 1904)....................................................Victor Herbert
                                                                                                (1859 - 1924)

Waltz (from the film The Return of Maxim Op. 45, 1936)........Dmitri Shostakovich
         flute, clarinet, piano                                                       (1906 - 1975)

Trio for Flute, Cello and Piano (1944)......................................Bohuslav Martinu 
         Poco Allegretto                                                               (1890 - 1959)
         Adagio
         Andante - Allegretto scherzando

Intermission

Dance of the Sea Turtles (2010)..............................................Monte Morgenstern
         flute, clarinet, cello, piano

Trio for Clarinet, Cello and Piano in E-flat major, Op. 38...........Ludwig van Beethoven
       (1803; published 1805)                                                        (1770 – 1827)
         Adagio; Allegro con brio
         Adagio cantabile
         Andante con moto alla marcia: Presto

Possible encore:

Mosulipe Blues.......................................................................Monte Morgenstern
(A Blues Endeavor for Classical Musicians) (2008)
         flute, clarinet, cello, piano


We recommend previewing the excellent program notes provided by Mr. Morgenstern.

Join us to hear these talented artists and enjoy their beautiful music as we celebrate the waning days of summer and bask in the hint of autumnal coolness; serious fun, indeed!

As always, we thank all of our donors and the Robinson-Broadhurst Foundation in particular for your generous support, which makes this concert possible.