Day: June 27, 2019

Piano trios by Tchaikovsky and Dvořák, string quintets by Beethoven and Mendelssohn, three of Bach’s “Brandenburg” concertos and the premiere of “Palaces of Memory” by the Richmond-born composer Zachary Wadsworth highlight the 2019-20 season of the Chamber Music Society of Central Virginia.

Two Bach recitals will be staged in historic houses. Violinist Johnny Gandelsman, who played several of the composer’s solo violin sonatas and partitas in a 2017 Chamber Music Society program, will return to play violin arrangements of four of the solo-cello suites in December at Wilton House Museum; and viola da gamba player Anna Steinhof and oboist Meg Owens will join harpsichordist Carsten Schmidt to play sonatas for their instruments in November at Branch Museum of Architecture and Design (Branch House).

In one of three free mini-concerts in the Richmond Public Library’s Gellman Room, a cast of artists will re-create the Berlin musical salon of Sara Levy (1761-1854), who was a harpsichord student of Johann Sebastian Bach’s eldest son, Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, and significant influence on the musical education of her grand-nephew, Felix Mendelssohn.

In addition to the Wadsworth premiere, the society will present contemporary works for both acoustic instruments and combinations of live instruments and recorded or electronic sound by John Adams, Consuelo Velázquez, Brian Nabors, Trevor Weston and Chaiyu Hsu.

For information on purchasing tickets, call (804) 304-6312 or visit http://cmscva.org

The Chamber Music Society’s 2019-20 artists and programs, with ticket prices:

Sept. 14 (2 p.m.)
Gellman Room, Richmond Public Library, First and Franklin streets
Mary Boodell, flute
Diana Cohen, violin
James Wilson, cello
Roman Rabinovich, piano
Chioke l’Anson, speaker
“Theme and Variations”
Granados: “Goyescas” – “The Maiden and the Nightingale;” Consuelo Velázquez: “Bésame Mucho;” Britten: Suite in C major, Op. 80, for solo cello – Chaconne; John Adams: “Road Movies” – “Relaxed Groove;” Schubert: “Introduction and Variations on ‘Trockne Blumen,’ ” D. 802
free

Sept. 15 (4 p.m.)
Perkinson Recital Hall, North Court, University of Richmond
Mary Boodell, flute
Diana Cohen, violin
James Wilson, cello
Roman Rabinovich, piano
“Forward/Back”
Satie: “Gnosienne” No. 1 for piano; Debussy: “Syrinx” for solo flute; John Adams: “Road Movies;” Brian Nabors: “Énergie” for electronics and flute; Tchaikovsky: Piano Trio in A minor, Op. 50 (“In Memory of a Great Artist”)
$30 (adult), $25 (senior), $5 (student)

Nov. 4 (7 p.m.)
Branch Museum of Architecture and Design (Branch House), Monument Avenue and Davis avenues
Carsten Schmidt, harpsichord
Anna Steinhof, viola da gamba
Meg Owens, oboe
“A Bach Séance”
J.S. Bach: sonatas TBA for oboe, viola da gamba
$40

Dec. 14 (2 p.m.)
Gellman Room, Richmond Public Library, First and Franklin streets
Christina Day Martinson & Johnny Gandelsman, violins
Jason Amos, viola
James Wilson, cello
Mary Boodell, traverso flute
Tricia van Oers, recorder
Carsten Schmidt, harpsichord
“The Berlin Salon of Sara Levy”
program TBA
free

Dec. 15 (4 p.m.)
Wilton House Museum, 215 S. Wilton Road
Johnny Gandelsman, violin
“Bach Suites at Wilton”
J.S. Bach: Suites Nos. 2, 4, 5 and 6 for solo cello, BWV 1008, 1010-1012 (arranged for violin)
$40

Dec. 16 (7:30 p.m.)
Holy Comforter Episcopal Church, Monument Avenue at Staples Mill Road
Christina Day Martison, Johnny Gandelsman & Jessie Montgomery, violins
Jason Amos, viola
James Wilson, cello
Jessica Powell Eig, double-bass
Mary Boodell, traverso flute
Tricia van Oers, recorder
Sara Huebsch, oboe & recorder
Mary Bowden, trumpet
Carsten Schmidt, harpsichord
“Brandenburg Gates”
J.S. Bach: “Brandenburg” Concerto No. 2 in B minor, BWV 1047; J.S. Bach: “Brandenburg” Concerto No. 5 in D major, BWV 1050; Zachary Wadsworth: “Palaces of Memory” (premiere); J.S. Bach: “Brandenburg” Concerto No. 4 in G major, BWV 1049
$30 (adult), $25 (senior), $5 (student)

Feb. 22 (2 p.m.)
Gellman Room, Richmond Public Library, First and Franklin streets
Nurit Pacht & Suliman Takelli, violins
Drew Alexander Forde & Dana Kelley, violas
James Wilson, cello
“America Now”
American works TBA
free

Feb. 23 (4 p.m.)
Perkinson Recital Hall, North Court, University of Richmond
Nurit Pacht & Suliman Takelli, violins
Drew Alexander Forde & Dana Kelley, violas
James Wilson, cello
“Legacies”
Beethoven: String Quintet in C major, Op. 29; Trevor Weston: “Legacy Works” for quartet and recorded sound; Mendelssohn: String Quintet in B flat major, Op. 87
$30 (adult), $25 (senior), $5 (student)

March 31 (7:30 p.m.)
Perkinson Recital Hall, North Court, University of Richmond
Mary Boodell, flute
Sivan Magen, harp
Melissa Reardon, viola
“Remembrance of Things Past”
Rameau: Suite
Chaiyu Hsu: “Huan” for solo harp; Debussy: Sonata for flute, viola and harp; John Dowland: “Flow My Tears;” Britten: “Lachrymae,” Op. 48a; Prokofiev: “Romeo and Juliet” Suite (arrangement by Gilad Cohen)
$30 (adult), $25 (senior), $5 (student)

May 3 (4 p.m.)
Perkinson Recital Hall, North Court, University of Richmond
Diane Pascal, violin
James Wilson, cello
Carsten Schmidt, piano
“Home Is . . . ”
Dvořák: “Songs My Mother Taught Me;” Janáček: “Pohadka” (“Fairy Tale”); Carlos Oliver Simon: “Be Still and Know;” Simon: “Generations” for electronic sound; Nathalie Joachim: “Dam Mwen Yo” for solo and recorded sound; Dvořák: Piano Trio in E minor, Op. 90 (“Dumky”)
$30 (adult), $25 (senior), $5 (student)

Virginia Commonwealth University’s Rennolds Chamber Concerts will focus on artists linked to the Menuhin Competition for young violinists in its coming season, culminating with a performance by the competition’s jurors during its Richmond rounds.

Forty-four violinists aged 21 and younger will compete during the 2020 Menuhin, running from May 14 to 24 at several Richmond venues.

In contrast to past years, when all Rennolds concerts were presented on Saturday nights, four of the six in the 2019-20 season will be on Sunday afternoons and one on a Sunday evening. All will be staged in Vlahcevic Concert Hall of Singleton Arts Center, Park Avenue at Harrison Street.

Ticket subscriptions for the series are $170, or $140 for seniors (60 and older) and VCU employees and members of the VCU Alumni Association. Subscribers receive free valet parking. Single tickets are $35 per concert, $32 for seniors and VCU employees and alumni association members, $25 for those 16 and younger. Valet parking is $10 per concert for single-ticket buyers.

To obtain a brochure or more information, call (804) 828-1169, or e-mail musictix@vcu.edu

The Rennolds Concerts 2019-20 lineup:

Sept. 15 (3 p.m.) – Violinist Inmo Yang and pianist Sahun Hong. Yang was second-prize winner in the 2014 Menuhin Competition’s senior category, and currently is enrolled in the artist diploma program at New England Conservatory of Music. He also will perform on Sept. 21 and 22 with the Richmond Symphony and guest conductor Marin Alsop.

Oct. 6 (3 p.m.) – The Dover Quartet, winner of the 2013 Banff Competition, currently quartet-in-residence at Bienen Schhol of Music at Northwestern University and several chamber-music festivals. Joel Link, the Dover’s first violinist, was a first-prize winner in the 2004 Menuhin Competition.

Nov. 3 (3 p.m.) – The Catalyst Quartet, composed of faculty members at the performance academy of the Sphinx Organization, which offers opportunities to young musicians of color in classical music. The organization’s founder, Aaron P. Dworkin, is one of jurors of the 2020 Menuhin Competition, and its chamber orchestra, the Sphinx Virtuosi, will perform during the competition.

Feb. 23 (3 p.m.) – Cellist Paul Watkins with pianist Alessio Bax, both internationally prominent solo and chamber-music performers. Watkins is an alumnus of the Menuhin School for young musicians in Surrey, England.

April 4 (8 p.m.) – Pianist Jon Nakamatsu, gold medalist of the 1997 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, currently on the faculty of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, an audience favorite in past seasons of the Rennolds Concerts.

May 17 (7:30 p.m.) – Menuhin Competition Richmond 2020 Jurors Showcase, with pianist Gordon Back, artistic director of the competition; violinist Pamela Frank, chair of the jury; violist Joji Hattori, the jury’s vice chair; and three other jurors, violinist Noah Bendix-Balgley, cellist Ralph Kirshbaum and pianist Anton Nel.

Programs for the concerts will be announced later.