The Festival’s annual Carte Blanche event allows the 2017 Ensemble-in-Residence full artistic freedom in creating a program that highlights its reflection on the Festival theme, “Measuring Time.”

At the center of the program is the World Premiere performance of a string quartet from Etudes & Lullabies by Composer-in-Residence Sebastian Currier, commissioned by the Chelsea Music Festival as part of a world-wide, multi-year commissioning project. The string quartets of Maurice Ravel and Ludwig van Beethoven that flank the premiere, are milestones in the string quartet repertoire composed at opposite ends of the 19th century.

A curated reception will follow the performance.

6:30— Festival Talks III | Lecture by Michael Shadlen, MD, PhD, Professor of NeuroScience, Columbia University

7:30— Musical Performance

Held on the beautiful grounds of the General Theological Seminary, this evening’s concert features works that explore the communicative spectrum of four protagonists in dialogue with one another and their surrounding. The program features a string quartet by 2017 Festival Composer-in-Residence Sebastian Currier performed by the Verona Quartet, Telemann’s striking concerto for four violins and orchestra and concludes with four violin virtuosos from this year’s Festival leading audiences through the annual passage of time through Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.

PROGRAM

Telemann Concerto for 4 Violins in A Major, TWV 54:A1
Currier Quiet Time (2004)
Vivaldi  Four Seasons

From the CMF Website:

Ludwig van Beethoven’s impact on all of our lives, regardless of background, is tremendous. From descriptors such as “revolutionary,” “romantic” or “madman,” his life and music continue to fascinate, puzzle and mesmerize those who encounter it. This evening, from 6pm until midnight, experience a multi-faceted exploration on Beethoven.  Through music, food, visual art and talks, we focus on his obsession with the metronome and mission to understand the pulse of time.

6:00pm— Dinner
6:30pm— Festival Talks I | Beethoven’s Impact on Keeping Time
7:30pm— Performance | What’s the Tempo, Ludwig! 
10:00pm— Late Night | Beethoven’s Groove— Late Night Jazz with Helen Sung

The 2017 Festival Opening Night Gala kicks off this year’s exploration of the theme "Measuring Time" with music celebrating the 250th anniversary of Telemann, Ludwig van Beethoven’s relationship with the metronome, and Clockwork by this year’s Composer-in-Residence Sebastian Currier. The Gala will come to a thrilling end with 2017 Festival Ensemble-in-Residence, the Verona Quartet, joined by Melinda Lee Masur on piano in a musical journey through the history of time-keeping in Clocks by Miguel del Aguila. 

Curated Gala Reception to follow the concert.

PROGRAM

Telemann Sinfonia in D major for String Orchestra, TWV 44:1
Beethoven Romance No. 2 in F Major, Op. 50
Currier Clockwork (1989) 
Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 22 in F Major, Op. 54
del Águila Clocks, Op. 58 for Piano and String Quartet (1998) (New York Premiere)

Program

String Quartet No. 7 (Shostakovich)

String Quartet in F Major (Ravel)

Verona Quartet with guest violist, Roger Tapping

Program:

Shostakovich String Quartet no. 7 in F# minor
Mozart String Quintet in C major, K515
Beethoven String Quartet Op. 131 in C# minor
 

Program

Ravel String Quartet F
Shostakovich String Quartet no. 7 in F# minor
Beethoven String Quartet Op. 131

Program

Mozart String Quintet in C Major, K 515 with violist Roger Tapping
Beethoven String Quartet Op. 131 in C# minor

Verona Quartet and pianist Daniel Hsu in concert:

BEETHOVEN: Sonata for Piano, Op. 110

BEETHOVEN: String Quartet in E Minor, Op. 59, No. 2 

FRANCK: Piano Quintet in F Minor

Haydn String Quartet Op. 50 No. 1 in B flat Major

Shostakovich String Quartet No. 7 in F sharp minor

Beethoven String Quartet Op. 131 in C sharp minor

Broadcast live on WFMT 98.7 fm Radio and streamed live atwww.wfmt.com.        

PROGRAM:

Beethoven: Sonata in A-flat Major, No. 31, op. 110
Daniel Hsu

Beethoven: String Quartet in F Major, Op. 59 No. 1 “Razumovsky”
Verona Quartet

César Franck: Quintette in F minor
Verona Quartet + Daniel Hsu

Verona Quartet performs a new work by American composer Michael Gilbertson, written for them after they won the 2015 Concert Artists Guild's BMI Commissioning Prize.

More details TBA

Verona Quartet collaborates with pianist Lachlan Glen, tenor Ben Bliss and mezzo-soprano Renée Rapier

http://matineemusicale.org/performances/verona-quartet-october-18th-2016/