NOVUS NY: 20th Century Romantics featuring works by Anton Webern, Igor Stravinsky, George Enescu. Trinity Church.

Brahms: String Quintet No. 2 in G Major, Op. 111

Curated by the Balourdet Quartet and featuring The COT's Durham Fellows, UpClose Chamber Music Series is the essence of ensemble playing. With performances in a variety of intimate settings across the Triangle, this dynamic and interactive series brings audiences even closer to the music and its performers.

This program features the genius of Dvorak and Beethoven at pivotal points in their careers. Dvorak’s Quartet Op. 105 marks the end of his American “New World Symphony” period, representing a renewed dedication to his Czech roots, and an inventive chromaticism that foreshadows Janacek. Beethoven’s Serioso Quartet in F minor Op. 95, with its terseness and high energy, stands at the tipping point between his middle and late period, foreshadowing the great late quartets to come.

String Quartet in F minor Op. 95 “Serioso”      Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

      Allegro con brio
      Allegretto ma non troppo
      Allegro assai vivace ma serioso
      Larghetto espressivo – Allegretto agitato

String Quartet in Ab major Op. 105              Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904)

      Adagio ma non troppo – Allegro appassionato
      Molto vivace
      Lento e molto cantabile
      Allegro non tanto

The musicians of the Reynolda Quartet bring a wealth of chamber music experience to this new ensemble, and share a deep well of experience, a unified musical vision, and a deep love of the great string quartet repertoire. They look forward to sharing joyous music-making in the inspiring setting of the Reynolda House Museum of American Art.

Like artist M.C. Escher, for whom it is named, the Escher String Quartet creates its own ‘impossible constructions’, simultaneously showcasing each instrument’s part while melding them into one, offering audiences unusual views and new perspectives. As The Guardian noted, the ensemble displays “fabulous unanimity, tonal warmth and care over detail.”

Jordan Bak has achieved international acclaim as a trailblazing artist, praised for his radiant stage presence, dynamic interpretations, and fearless power. Only the third violist to earn the Artist Diploma from The Juilliard School, Bak currently serves as Assistant Professor at University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA).

PROGRAM

• Mendelssohn – Quartet No. 1 in E-flat Major, Op. 12

• Janáček – Quartet No. 2, “Intimate Letters”

• Brahms – Quintet No. 2 in G Major, Op. 111

Program TBD.

Crawford Hall, UNCSA School of Music.

The Escher String Quartet has received acclaim for its profound musical insight and rare tonal beauty. A former BBC New Generation Artist and recipient of the Avery Fisher Career Grant, the ensemble serves as season artists of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, based in New York City. They are joined by award-winning Jamaican-American violist Jordan Bak who is “a powerhouse musician, with a strong voice and compelling sound” (The Whole Note).

Program

Quartet in D Major, Op. 64, No. 5 “Lark” HAYDN

Quartet No. 2 “Intimate Letters” JANACEK

String Quintet in E-flat Major, Op. 97 “American” DVORAK

HERMITAGE PIANO TRIO & JORDAN BAK

RACHMANINOFF Trio in G minor “Elégiaque"
MAHLER Piano Quartet (movement) in A Minor
ELFMAN Piano Quartet (2017)
BRAHMS Piano Quartet No. 3 in C minor, Op. 60

Three inspiring young performers—violist Jordan Bak, flutist Adam Sadberry, and harpist Ashley Jackson—make their Phillips debut with a thought-provoking program that mixes 20th-century chamber works with new music, including the world premiere of a new work for viola and harp by Washington, DC, composer, Jeffrey Mumford.

The sonic combination of flute, viola, and harp was first explored by Claude Debussy, who was drawn to new possibilities of timbre and instrumental color. The trio performs Debussy’s Sonata for Flute, Viola, and Harp, in conversation with an arrangement of Maurice Ravel’s Sonatine. Bak takes the stage for three solo viola works: Elliot Carter’s pointillistic Figment IV (2007), Mumford’s rhapsodic Wending (2001), and a work by young composer Tyson Davis, Tableaux XII (2021).

This event will be broadcast live from the Music Room on Sunday, February 4 at 4 PM. To reserve a ticket, follow the link above to register. All registered ticket holders will receive a link directing them to a livestream webpage where the performance can be accessed. Ticket holders will be able to watch this performance “On Demand” for 48 hours following the broadcast time.

SUMMARY

This lavish program features some of the world’s most epic and heartfelt music. Igor Stravinsky’s ballet The Firebird takes you on a journey through the Russian folktale of a hero, Ivan Tsarevich, who battles the sorcerer Kashchei with the help of a mythical firebird. Lauded for his “haunting lyrical grace” (Gramophone), violist Jordan Bak joins ASO for Bela Bartok’s Concerto for Viola. ASO is also pleased to present the Washington State premiere of Jennifer Higdon’s Cold Mountain Suite, a co-commissioned project with 37 other orchestras across the country inspired by Charles Frazier’s novel. The concert opens with Richard Strauss’s virtuosic tone poem, Don Juan, where the orchestra is pushed to its limits as it spins adventure and love themes across a wide sonic palate.

MEET THE MUSIC

Dave Beck of KING FM will talk about the music before the concert at 1:30 PM.

ASO guest artist Jordan Bak hosts a masterclass for advanced high school and college level violists. Learn something new with this world-class artist as he works with students on their musicianship. Free and open to the public to observe. 

Arts Renaissance Tremont (ART) has enriched the cultural landscape of Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood since 1991. ART concerts have become a musical destination for ALL of Greater Cleveland to celebrate, providing the opportunity for everyone to experience Northern Ohio’s finest live performance. ART attracts thousands to hear world-class local musicians – providing a forum for exceptional pre-professionals, conservatory faculty and professionals from Cleveland’s rich community of freelance artists and members of our renowned Cleveland Orchestra.

Works by Manuel de Falla, Tyson Gholston Davis, Leilehua Lanzilotti, Robert Schumann, George Enescu, and Arnold Bax.

Repertoire

• Dvořák Carnival Overture

• Mozart Sinfonia Concertante

• Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4

Performers

• Luis Castillo-Briceño* conductor

• Benjamin Baker violin

• Jordan Bak** viola

For Tchaikovsky, the savage fanfares that open his Fourth Symphony represented Fate – and what follows is a no-holds-barred sonic autobiography, told with surging passion and unforgettable tunes.

Dvořák’s Carnival Overture tells a happier tale – and it’s every bit as colourful. Mozart, meanwhile, never said what inspired his Sinfonia Concertante, but then he didn’t need to. Music speaks louder than words in this heartfelt double-showpiece by a young genius at the very peak of his game. Two award-winning soloists take the spotlight today, as the LPO’s Fellow Conductor Luis Castillo-Briceño conducts a concert in which every note tells a story.

Recently named one of the "30 under 30" rising classical music stars, Jamaican-American violist Jordan Bak joins the Balourdet Quartet for a performance of quintets including Brahms, Mozart, and Mendelssohn.

New viola faculty artist Jordan Bak presents a recital accompanied by collaborative pianist Polina Khatsko. Together, they explore an eclectic and dynamic program spanning several centuries, highlighted by Manuel de Falla's “Siete canciones populares españolas,” a collection of seven Spanish songs depicting the various stages of love, among other works.

Works by Manuel de Falla, Tyson Gholston Davis, Leilehua Lanzilotti, Robert Schumann, George Enescu, and Arnold Bax.

Works by Manuel de Falla, Tyson Gholston Davis, Leilehua Lanzilotti, Robert Schumann, George Enescu, and Arnold Bax.

Presented by the Music Department in McCray Hall.

15 Uhr
»Mit Werken von Johannes Brahms, Astor Piazzolla, Manuel de Falla und Ralph Vaughan Williams«

Jordan Bak, Viola
Richard Uttley, Klavier

This engagement is supported in part by Mid Atlantic Arts through USArtists International, a program in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the Trust for Mutual Understanding.

Award-winning Jamaican-American violist Jordan Bak is building an exciting international career as a trailblazing artist, praised for his radiant stage presence and robust alto sound. The 2021 YCAT Robey Artist and a top laureate of the 2020 Sphinx Competition, Jordan’s recent highlights include recital debuts at the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam and Wigmore Hall.

His programme with pianist Richard Uttley will include works by Vaughan Williams, De Falla and Piazzolla, alongside Brahms Sonata in F minor, Op. 120 No. 1.

This engagement is supported in part by Mid Atlantic Arts through USArtists International, a program in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the Trust for Mutual Understanding.

Works in recital by Brahms, De Falla, Prokofiev, Piazzolla, Schumann and Vaughan Williams.

Jordan Bak, viola; Iyad Sughayer, piano.

•  Sergei Rachmaninoff  | Trio élégiaque No. 1 in G minor

Emma Frucht, violin ~ Jonah Ellsworth, cello ~ Lolita Lisovskaya-Sayevich, piano

•  Franz Schubert  | String Quartet No. 13 in A minor, Op. 29, ‘Rosamunde’

Ben Sayevich, Gabriela Diaz, violins ~ Jordan Bak, viola ~ David Hardy, cello

•  Arnold Schönberg  | Verklärte Nacht, Op. 4

Grace Park, Monica Pegis, violins ~ Danny Kim, Tim Deighton, violas ~ Jonah Ellsworth, Peter Stumpf, cellos

•  Antonín Dvořák  | Piano Quartet No. 2 in Eb Major, Op. 87

Ben Sayevich, violin ~ Tim Deighton, viola ~ David Hardy, cello ~ Heng-Jin Park, piano

•  Benjamin Britten  | String Quartet No. 2 in C Major, Op. 36

Emma Frucht, Monica Pegis, violins ~ Danny Kim, viola ~ Jonah Ellsworth, cello

•  Felix Mendelssohn  | String Quartet No. 6 in F minor, Op. 80

Grace Park, Gabriela Diaz, violins ~ Jordan Bak, viola ~ Peter Stumpf, cello

•  J. S. Bach  | Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major, BWV 1048

Ben Sayevich, Grace Park, Emma Frucht, violins ~ Tim Deighton, Jordan Bak, Danny Kim, violas ~ Jonah Ellsworth, David Hardy, Peter Stumpf, cellos ~ Charles Clements, bass ~ Lolita Lisovskaya-Sayevich, harpsichord

•  George Walker  | Lyric for Strings

Halcyon Music Festival string ensemble

•  W. A. Mozart  | Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, K. 478

Ben Sayevich, violin ~ Jordan Bak, viola ~ Peter Stumpf, cello ~ Lolita Lisovskaya-Sayevich, piano

•  Johannes Brahms  | Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34

Grace Park, Emma Frucht, violins ~ Danny Kim, viola ~ Jonah Ellsworth, cello ~ Heng-Jin Park, piano

With myriad colors and sounds spanning two centuries, this program offers a unique blend of artistic collaboration and instrumental and interpretational distinction between performers Jordan Bak (viola), Geneva Lewis (violin), and Evren Ozel (piano). From the deeply dramatic and textural landscape of Claude Debussy, the human vulnerability of Robert Schumann, to the precocious, awe-inspiring genius of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, much is to be heard in each of these dynamic works of art. Max Reger rounds out the program with his incredibly passionate Piano Trio No. 1 in B Minor, showcasing the young 18-year-old composer’s musical and technical maturity and brimming with bravura, sensitivity, and promise.

PROGRAM

DEBUSSY Violin Sonata in G Minor
SCHUMANN Fantasiestücke, Op. 73 
MOZART Duo for Violin and Viola in G Major, K.423 
REGER Piano Trio No. 1 in B Minor, Op. 2 

PRELUDES @ THE WALLIS
Join us at 6:30 PM for a pre-concert conversation with the artists moderated by Classical California KUSC's Brian Lauritzen.