Works by Paul Hindemith, Andrea Cassarubios, Jessica Meyer, Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, Florence Price, and Johannes Brahms.
Jordan Bak, viola; JiYung Lee, piano.
The Mary Anne Rennolds Chamber Concert series presents the Hermitage Piano Trio with violist Jordan Bak on Sunday, October 11th at 3:00pm in the Singleton Center for the Performing Arts. Season subscriptions for the Rennolds series are $100.00. Individual tickets to each concert will be available late Summer 2026 for $40.00.
Now entering their second decade, the United States-based Hermitage Piano Trio has solidified its place as one of the world’s leading piano trios, garnering multiple GRAMMY® Award nominations and receiving both audience and press accolades for their performances that The Washington Post singled out for “such power and sweeping passion that it left you nearly out of breath.”
Award-winning Jamaican-American violist Jordan Bak has achieved international acclaim as a trailblazing artist, praised for his radiant stage presence, dynamic interpretations, and fearless power.
Experience an extraordinary evening of live music featuring acclaimed works for strings and piano, including the U.S. premiere of Eleanor Alberga’s Three String Quartets and the world premiere of her Second Piano Quintet, with Alberga performing at the piano. This special performance offers a rare chance to hear a living composer’s newest work in the intimate setting of Brannan Center.
Eleanor Alberga, piano; Thomas Bowes and Nathan Meltzer, violins; Jordan Bak, viola; Sterling Elliott, cello.
Jamaican-born, UK-based composer and pianist Eleanor Alberga is one of today's most in-demand composers, with commissions from the BBC Proms, The Royal Opera, and more. She joins Thomas Bowes—one of the UK's most accomplished violinists who has appeared on over 200+ film soundtracks—and the Green Room Ensemble for a performance of her first three string quartets and her second piano quintet.
Alberga: String Quartet No. 1
Alberga: Piano Quintet No. 2, "Stark"
Alberga: String Quartet No. 3
Alberga: String Quartet No. 2
Programs and artists are subject to change without notice.
The Green Room Ensemble is thrilled to present the US Premiere performance cycle of Eleanor Alberga’s Three String Quartets, along with the World Premiere of her Second Piano Quintet with the composer herself at the piano, joined by Thomas Bowes and Nathan Meltzer, violins; Jordan Bak, viola; and Sterling Elliott, cello.
The Green Room Ensemble is thrilled to present the U.S. Premiere performance cycle of Eleanor Alberga’s Three String Quartets, along with the World Premiere of her Second Piano Quintet with the composer herself at the piano. Eleanor Alberga, OBE, is one of today’s most esteemed and influential composers and pianists. Originally inspired by a local music teacher in Kingston, Jamaica, her compositional journey began with her work for the London Contemporary Dance Theatre, where she honed her evocative and riveting musical style. Her Three String Quartets stand as monumental achievements, each heavily varied in style and tone, yet all uniquely of her voice. They are a profound contribution to the genre.
The Jamaican-British composer and pianist Eleanor Alberga is one of the most exciting composers writing in the UK. For this program, she has assembled a team of marvelous musicians—stars in their own right—to join her in a showcase of her wonderful chamber music.
Eleanor Alberga
String Quartet No. 1 (1993)
String Quartet No. 2 (1994)
String Quartet No. 3 (2001)
Piano Quintet No. 2, “Stark” (2022) world-premiere tour
Eleanor Alberga, piano
Green Room Ensemble is:
Thomas Bowes, violin
Nathan Meltzer, violin
Jordan Bak, viola
Sterling Elliott, cello
Paul Novak: impossible
Beethoven: String Quartet No. 3 in D, Op. 18/ No. 3
Intermission
Brahms: Viola Quintet in G Major Op. 111
*commissioned by the Balourdet Quartet
This program will run approximately two hours with a 20 minute intermission.
BALOURDET QUARTET
Angela Bae, violin
Justin DeFillipis, violin
Benjamin Zannoni, viola
Russell Houston, cello
Violist Jordan Bak, known for his radiant stage presence and spirited performances, joins the energetic Catalyst Quartet for a program inspired by musical takes on the New World.
In collaboration with the Montreal Afro-Canadian Cultural Centre (MACC), the Jamaica Association of Montreal (JAM) and the Black History Month Roundtable.
Catalyst Quartet
Karla Donehew Perez, violin
Abi Fayette, violin
Paul Laraia, viola
Karlos Rodriguez, cello
Jordan Bak, viola
COLERIDGE-TAYLOR
Five Fantasiestücke for string quartet, Op. 5
Clarinet Quintet in F-sharp minor, Op. 10 (arr. Catalyst Quartet)
DVOŘÁK String Quintet No. 3 in E-flat major, Op. 97, “American”
A mother sold at auction. A composer minimized by misogyny. A genius told to stop writing, and writing anyway. Njioma Grevious weaves four acts of defiance into one program about people who insisted on a future.
This week features community pop-up performances throughout Boulder County and a MainStage concert at Pine Street Church.
Artists:
Njioma Grevious and Alex Gonzalez, violins; Jordan Bak, viola; Josh Halpern, cello; Elliot Wuu, piano.
Jamaican-American violist Jordan Bak, recipient of the London Philharmonic Orchestra's Alexandra Jupin Award (among other awards in the Sphinx, Lionel Tertis, and Concert Artists Guild competitions) displays his range in this unforgettable evening. Bak will perform as a soloist and half of a duo, as well as in trio, quartet, and quintet settings, ensuring everyone in the audience will be able to count to five by the end of the night.
Salina Fisher: Mata-Au for String Trio
Bedřich Smetana: String Quartet No. 1 in E Minor, "From My Life"
Peter Dayton: Fantasy for Viola and Piano (2009)
Leilehua Lanzilotti: ko'u inoa for Solo Viola
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: String Quintet No. 3 in C Major, K.515
Location:
Barbro Osher Recital Hall
200 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, California
Internationally acclaimed artist Teresita Fernández joins us in the Sanctuary for a conversation with Grace Farms Founding Creative Director Chelsea Thatcher to discuss her studio practice, research, materials, and site-specific work, Double Glass River (2015), which has become an integral part of Grace Farms.
Created in relationship with the River building and nature in 2015 during the period of the building’s construction, Double Glass River resembles an undulating galaxy of 10,000 mirrored glass cubes and expands horizontally across the curved wall at the end of the Commons. Depending on where the viewer stands, the shining reflection constantly alters, and engages the viewer in many places along the grounds. The work urges the audience to reflect upon themselves and their relationship to a changing landscape.
Fernández and Thatcher’s conversation will be preceded by a short solo viola recital by award-winning Jamaican-American violist Jordan Bak to open the season’s music program, with a focus on the contemplative and active dynamics of peace.
An unusual combination of players gathers for a program centered around a Debussy masterwork among other early 20th- century classics. The ensemble was formed by Bak—one of the leading violists of his generation and fresh off a tour with the legendary Takács Quartet—with Sadberry and Overton, two artists renowned for their multi-faceted careers.
Adam W. Sadberry, flute; Jordan Bak, viola; Charles Overton, harp
Ravel: Sonatine
Bax: Fantasy Sonata
Prokofiev: Romeo & Juliet (excerpts)
Debussy: Sonata
RUNTIME: 70 MINUTES, NO INTERMISSION
In a program that spans three centuries, the Durham Fellows and violist Jordan Bak send us dancing into summer with Kenji Bunch’s dazzling String Circle.
Program:
Britten - Three Divertimenti
Mendelssohn - String Quartet No.4 in e minor
Bunch - String Circle
In this concert for four players, the ethereal music of Latvian composer Pēteris Vasks and rousing spirituals of Adolphus Hailstork sit side-by-side with the earthy and joyful music of Antonín Dvořák. Also featured is the premiere of a new chamber music work by Virginia composer Joe Jaxson.
Program includes:
Joe Jaxson │ New Work
Adolphus Hailstork │ Three Spirituals for string trio
Pēteris Vasks │ Piano Quartet
Dvorak │ Quartet no 2 in E-flat major
Featured Artists:
Rieko Aizawa, piano
Jordan Bak, viola
Joe Jaxson, composer
Jesse Mills, violin
James Wilson, cello
In this family friendly free concert, CMSCVA explores the elements of air and water, and the creatures that live there, all through the evocative medium of chamber music.
Program includes:
Debussy/Beamish │ La Mer
Jaxson │ Mountain Stars
Featured Artists:
Rieko Aizawa, piano
Jesse Mills, violin
Jordan Bak, viola
James Wilson, cello
MGS concludes the season with the Martins Piano Quartet featuring Gabriel Martins on cello, Jordan Bak on viola, Kevin Zhu on violin, and Victor Santiago Asunción on piano.
Brazilian-American cellist Gabriel Martins has established himself as one of the world's most compelling young musicians. His artistry has already been recognized through an extensive list of accolades including the American Recital Debut Award, Concert Artists Guild/Young Classical Artists Trust Grand Prize, the Sphinx Competition Gold Medal and many more. These successes have led to a number of high-profile debuts including Carnegie, Merkin, and Wigmore Halls, 92nd Street Y, the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory and performances with Houston, San Francisco, and São Paulo Symphony Orchestras among others.
The Martins Piano Quartet performs works of Johannes Brahms, Joaquín Turina, and Arthur Foote.
"Classical music doesn’t get much more life-enhancing than this."
— The Guardian
Formed in Budapest in 1975, the world-renowned Takács Quartet has become an international favorite for its unique blend of drama, warmth, humor, and precision, bringing fresh insights to the string quartet repertoire.
For its Blacksburg debut, the esteemed quartet is joined by award-winning Jamaican-American violist Jordan Bak, winner of the Juilliard Concerto Competition, whose “haunting lyrical grace” (Gramophone) is blazing new trails in the music world.
The swoon-worthy program includes two of the most iconic and famous chamber works ever: two Mozart viola quintets alongside Schubert’s one-movement — and rarely heard — masterpiece, Quartettsatz.
Edward Dusinberre and Harumi Rhodes violins
Richard O’Neill viola
András Fejér cello
with Jordan Bak viola
The Takács Quartet—long celebrated for their fearlessness, power, and interpretive clarity—finds a well-matched partner in American violist Jordan Bak. Like the Quartet, Bak draws praise for his power and warmth, commanding presence, and ability to captivate an audience’s attention and imagination.
While all five musicians are dedicated champions of contemporary music, they bring their interpretive insights to bear on string quintets by Mozart, a composer whose legacy echoes across history.
The Quartet opens the program with Schubert’s Quartettsatz, a riveting movement filled with turbulence and lyricism. At the heart of the program, hear two relative rarities performed with unparalleled artistry and depth as Jordan Bak joins forces with the inimitable Takács Quartet!
Returning as a Fortas series favorite, world-renowned Takács Quartet just celebrated its 50th anniversary season. Acclaimed for its innovative programming and extensive discography, the Grammy Award®–winning ensemble maintains a busy international touring schedule, and its members serve as artists-in-residence at University of Colorado, Boulder. The Guardian proclaims, “Classical music doesn’t get much more life-enhancing than this.” The quartet is joined by violist Jordan Bak, a trailblazing artist admired for his radiant stage presence, dynamic interpretations, and fearless power.
FRANZ SCHUBERT
Quartettsatz in C minor, D. 703
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART
String Quintet No. 3 in C major, K. 515
Intermission
WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART
String Quintet No. 4 in G minor, K. 516
The stories that shape us refract through music like light through a prism. AWE Chicago 2026 explores how sound carries memory, place, and identity, and how music becomes a meeting point between composer, performer, and community. This is where our humanity collides, in listening, in sharing, and in the act of making meaning together.
Across four programmes, the festival follows music shaped by landscape and city, by migration and belonging, and by personal and collective history. From the open skies of Wyoming and the gentle waters of Kawhia Harbour to the inner passions and confessions of our hearts, to the folk traditions of Eastern Europe, and the musical crossroads of Vienna, each concert traces a different map of influence and connection. New Zealand composers stand alongside European masters and American voices, revealing the ways culture flows across borders and generations through sound.
AWE Festival Chicago Artists include AWE Artistic Director and violinist Benjamin Baker, violinist Risa Hokamura, violist Jordan Bak, cellist Julia Yang, pianist Janice Carissa and the celebrated British clarinetist Julian Bliss.
Visit the source link below for concert dates/times, program, and venue information.
ASTA / SAA present Gateways Music Festival as its collaborative artist Alex Laing will deliver a keynote address, and the Gateways Chamber Players will be featured in a showcase concert on Friday, February 27, 2026 from 7:00-8:00pm and 8:30-9:30pm.
Jordan Bak will be leading two masterclasses at both ASTA and SAA for Pre-Collegiate violists.
February 23, 2026 - 7:30pm at Marathon High School Performing Arts Center, Marathon, FL
February 24, 2026 - 7:30pm at Coral Shores High School Performing Arts Center, Tavernier, FL
The concert is sponsored by BISHOP ROSASCO & COMPANY.
Now entering their second decade, the United States-based Hermitage Piano Trio has solidified its place as one of the world’s leading piano trios, garnering multiple GRAMMY® Award nominations. This Trio brings together three extraordinary musicians: Misha Keylin- violin, Sergey Antonov- cello, and Ilya Kazantsev, piano. Award-winning Jamaican American violist Jordan Bak has achieved international acclaim as a trailblazing artist, praised for his radiant stage presence and fearless power.
Sergey Rachmaninoff (1873-1943): Piano Trio élégiaque No. 1 in G major
Gustav Mahler (1860-1911): Piano Quartet in A minor
Danny Elfman (Born in 1953): Piano Quartet
1. Ein Ding
2. Kinderspott
3. Duett für Vier
4. Ruhig
5. Die Wolfsjungen
INTERMISSION
Antonin Dvořák (1841-1904): Piano Quartet No. 2 in E-flat major, Op. 87
1. Allegro con fuoco
2. Lento
3. Allegro moderato, grazioso
4. Finale. Allegro ma non troppo
Our second concert of the season is entitled “Stardust” titled for the magic that infuses each of the compositions on the program and features our glorious string quartet comprised of Rebecca Fischer, Rubén Rengel, Jordan Bak and Michelle Djokic.
Da Pacem Domine – Arvo Pärt
Sonata for String Quartet in A Major – Georg Philipp Telemann
E Major Keyboard Concerto – Johann Sebastian Bach
Piano Quintet in E-flat Major, Opus 44 – Robert Schumann
Simone Dinnerstein – piano
Rebecca Fischer & Rubén Rengel – violin
Jordan Bak – viola
Michelle Djokic – cello
6587 Upper York Rd, Solebury, PA
2619 River Road
New Hope, PA
Award-winning Jamaican-American violist Jordan Bak has achieved international acclaim as a trailblazing artist, praised for his radiant stage presence, dynamic interpretations, and fearless power. Critics have described him as “an exciting new voice in Classical performance” (I Care If You Listen), “a powerhouse musician, with a strong voice and compelling sound” (The Whole Note) and lauded his “haunting lyrical grace” (Gramophone). The recipient of the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s ‘Alexandra Jupin’ Award and former Young Classical Artist Trust’s (YCAT) ‘Robey Artist,’ Bak was also a prizewinner in the Sphinx, Lionel Tertis, and Concert Artists Guild Competitions, and has received accolades from ClassicFM, MusicalAmerica, and WQXR.
Hailed by Gramophone for her “beautiful playing” and “intimate internal dialogues,” 2nd prize and special award winner at Salieri-Zinetti International Chamber Music Competition in Italy, pianist and vocal coach Ji Yung Lee is an active performer and has made appearances at Carnegie Weill Hall, Alice Tully Hall, John F. Kennedy Center, Merkin Concert Hall, The Greene Space, Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, and Jordan Hall. She has also captivated audiences via numerous radio broadcasts including WQXR (New York), MPR (Minnesota), WFMT (Chicago), WSMR (Florida).
See source link for Program and Ticket information.
As it enters its 51st season, the renowned Takács Quartet continues to deepen its connections to timeless masterworks and enliven the string quartet repertoire through fresh artistic collaborations.
For its first concert this season, the group is joined by award-winning Jamaican American violist Jordan Bak in his Cal Performances debut for a rare performance of Mozart’s revelatory viola quintets in C major (K. 515) and G minor (K. 516). Bak adds his “haunting lyrical grace” (Gramophone) to the Takács’ telepathic ensemble blend in these works of exceptional melodic beauty and textural clarity. Schubert’s dramatic single-movement Quartettsatz opens the program.
Leadership support for this performance is provided by Nadine Tang.
Additional support is provided by the E. Nakamichi Foundation.
The acclaimed Balourdet Quartet — praised for their “absolute musical perfection,” “full, robust sound” and “impeccable balance” (The Boston Musical Intelligencer) — opens this concert of unforgettable chamber music with Schubert’s dramatic “Quartettsatz,” a powerful piece that makes a bold impact in just a few minutes.
They continue with the vibrant new work “Galaxy Back to You” by composer Nicky Sohn, full of color and imagination. Next is Eleanor Alberga’s thrilling Quartet No. 2, filled with driving rhythms and bursting with energy from the very first moment. To close the evening, members of the UNCSA string faculty join the quartet for Brahms’ rich and lyrical Sextet No. 1, a work Clara Schumann called “even more beautiful than I had anticipated.”
Tuesday, January 13, 2026 - 7:30pm, Watson Hall, UNCSA School of Music
Now entering its fiftieth anniversary season, the Takács Quartet is widely recognized as one of the world’s great ensembles. Known for the vitality of its interpretation, and the ability to convey every nuance through an effortless chemistry, this year the Quartet is joined on Tuesday by violist Jordan Bak for rarely performed Mozart viola quintets.
“Classical music doesn’t get much more life-enhancing than this.” The Guardian
“Classical music doesn’t get much more life-enhancing than this.”
—The Guardian
Program:
Schubert: String Quartet in C minor, D.703, “Quartettsatz”
Mozart: String Quintet No. 3 in C Major, K.515
Mozart: String Quintet No. 4 in G minor, K.516
This program of duos, trios, and quartets blends sumptuous lyricism, rich harmonies and folk flair. Angela Chan and Andres Sanchez present a duo performance marked by their synergy and technical prowess. You will also enjoy pieces from the “dazzling” Jamaican American violist Jordan Bak's acclaimed album Cantabile: Anthems for Viola, which showcases the viola’s “capacity for deeply felt, wordless song.” Works blending traditional chamber music with contemporary flair, you will enjoy masterworks by Kodály, Vaughan Williams, and Dvořák.
Kodály Duo for Violin and Cello, Op. 7
Vaughan Williams Romance
Dvořák Piano Quartet in E flat major, Op. 87
Don’t miss the second concert of our 60th Anniversary Season featuring award-winning Jamaican-American violist JORDAN BAK and the celebrated ESCHER QUARTET on Thursday, October 30, 2025, at Libby Gardner Concert Hall on the University of Utah campus.
Estimated duration: 1 hour and 40 minutes
Brief welcome remarks
Joaquín Turina – La Oración del torero (The Toreador's Prayer)
9 min
Ludwig van Beethoven – String Quintet in C major, Op. 29, "Storm"
34 min
Intermission
20 min
Brahms – String Quintet No. 2 in G major, Op. 111
30 min
All timings are approximate. Program and artists subject to change.
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
The Escher Quartet is inspired by graphic artist M.C. Escher’s method of interplay between individual components working together to form a whole. It has received acclaim for its profound musical insight and rare tonal beauty. “. . . eloquent, full-blooded playing . . . The four players offer a beautiful blend of individuality and accord” - BBC Music Magazine
Jordan Bak has achieved international acclaim as a trailblazing artist, praised for his radiant stage presence, dynamic interpretations, and fearless power. “His playing was so constantly involving and impressive that one was drawn to each note and phrase." - New York Classical Review
Neil Varon, conductor
Jordan Bak, viola
ZOLTÁN KODÁLY Dances of Galánta (Galántai táncok)
MICHAEL FRAZIER Los quetzales, for viola and orchestra **World Premiere** (commissioned by Eastman School of Music and The Sphinx Organization)
MANUEL DE FALLA Three Cornered Hat: Suite No. 2
This season’s ensemble features:
Violin - Kyle Lombard
Viola – Jordan Bak
Cello – Patrice Jackson
Bass – Patricia Weitzel
Oboe – Titus Underwood
Bassoon – Monica Ellis
Clarinet – Olivia Hamilton
Horn – Kevin Newton
Piano – Joshua Mhoon
Harp, flute and strings combine to perform peaceful music by the French Impressionists and the dramatic music of Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet ballet. Also featured is one of the most powerful anti-war pieces of classical music, the String Quartet no. 8 by Dmitri Shostakovich.
Program includes:
Debussy │ Danse sacrée et danse profane, for harp and string quartet
Shostakovich │ String Quartet no. 8 in C minor, Op. 110
Ravel/Wadsworth │ Adagio assai from Piano Concerto in G major M. 83., for harp, flute and strings
Prokofiev/Cohen │ Suite from Romeo and Juliet, for flute, viola and harp
Featured Artists
Rebecca Anderson, violin
Jordan Bak, viola
Mary Boodell, flute
Claire Bourg, violin
Charles Overton, harp
James Wilson, cello
Pre-concert Talk 6:45pm