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.

Program:

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

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.

Program:

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

Artists:

Simone Dinnerstein – piano

Rebecca Fischer & Rubén Rengel – violin

Jordan Bak – viola

Michelle Djokic – cello

Location:

Trinity Church

6587 Upper York Rd, Solebury, PA

FREE OPEN REHEARSAL

February 21, 2026 @ 3:30 pm

The Historic Phillips Mill 

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

Sunday | December 7, 2025 | 4:00pm

Takács Quartet
with Jordan Bak, viola

“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.

Program

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.

Concert Details

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

The Gateways Chamber Players return to Eastman’s Hatch Recital Hall for an evening of classical brilliance and soul-filled artistry. Anchored by Coleridge-Taylor’s Nonet in F Minor, this intimate concert features an all-star ensemble of Black classical musicians performing with depth, passion, and power.

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

'Quartettsatz' ----- Schubert

Viola Quintet in C Major ------ Mozart

Viola Quintet in G Minor ------ Mozart

Pre-concert Talk 6:45pm

Recently profiled in The New York Times for 50 years of enduring excellence, Takács Quartet thrives with a sound that remains unmistakably its own. Their dynamic program shifts from turbulence to radiance, highlighting both technical precision and expressive depth.

Schubert’s Quartetsatz is a striking fragment—a single movement of a quartet left unfinished that offers a dramatic arc filled with lyrical beauty and structural tension, capturing the composer’s unique voice in miniature.

Violist Jordan Bak joins the ensemble for two of Mozart’s most substantial viola quintets. Written shortly after the death of Mozart’s father in 1787, these works offer a glimpse into the composer’s emotional range during a turbulent period. Quintet No. 3 exudes jubilation and confidence. By contrast, No. 4 is darker and more introspective. In both, the addition of a second viola enriches the harmonic palette and adds emotional depth.

The viola may be the butt of many musical jokes, but Mozart? He adored it. So much so that all six of his string quintets give it a starring role, adding a second viola to create a richer, warmer, and more balanced sound. Mozart even preferred playing viola himself when jamming with friends. And in 1787—while riding high on the success of The Marriage of Figaro and knee-deep in drafting Don Giovanni—he somehow found time to write two of his greatest quintets. Were they an instant hit? Not exactly. Vienna wasn’t buying (literally), and a war-induced recession didn’t help. But history has set things right, and now, the legendary Takács Quartet, celebrating their 50th anniversary, joins the phenomenal Jordan Bak to bring these masterpieces to life. The C Major Quintet (K. 515) is grand, operatic, and full of surprises (including a minuet so off-kilter it’s practically undanceable). Its dark twin, the G Minor Quintet (K. 516), is all stormy drama—until Mozart flips the script with bright, almost cheeky ending. So come join us onstage in celebrating a decade of Performances Up Close, 50 years of Takács brilliance, and two of the most spectacular works ever written for strings.

Thursday, September 25, 2025 | 6PM (Sold Out) & 9PM (Available)

Richardson Auditorium, Alexander Hall

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: String Quintet in C Major, K515
      with Jordan Bak, viola II
Intermission
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: String Quintet in G Minor, K516
     with Jordan Bak, viola II

Program

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: String Quintet in C Major, K515
      with Jordan Bak, viola II
Intermission
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: String Quintet in G Minor, K516
     with Jordan Bak, viola II

Brandon Patrick George, flute; Yoonah Kim, clarinet; Benjamin Beilman, Isabelle Ai Durrenberger, Lun Li, Melissa White, violins; Jordan Bak, Emma Wernig, violas; Jay Campbell, Bryan Cheng, cellos; Lizzie Burns, bass; Pedja Mužijević, piano.

The Olivier Music Barn, 11:00 AM

Program

JOHANN STRAUSS II: Kaiser-Walzer, Op. 437 (arr. by A. Schoenberg)

George, Kim, White, Beilman, Wernig, Cheng, Mužijević

SALINA FISHER: Mata-Au for String Trio

Durrenberger, Bak, Campbell

FRANZ SCHUBERT: Piano Quintet in A Major, D. 667 “Trout”
Allegro vivace
Andante
Scherzo: Presto
Andantino – Allegretto
Allegro giusto

Li, Wernig, Campbell, Burns, Mužijević


This program juxtaposes one of the grandest Viennese waltzes with an atmospheric work by contemporary New Zealand composer Salina Fisher. The program concludes with The Trout Quintet – named for its fourth movement, a variation on Schubert’s earlier work Die Forelle, or “The Trout,” and uniquely known for its melodic nature and an emphasis on the highest register of the piano.

Brandon Patrick George, flute; Yoonah Kim, clarinet; Monica Ellis, bassoon; Benjamin Beilman, Isabelle Ai Durrenberger, Lun Li, Melissa White, violins; Jordan Bak, Emma Wernig, violas; Jay Campbell, Bryan Cheng, cellos; Lizzie Burns, bass; Pedja Mužijević, piano.

Sculpture Site: The Domo, 11:00 AM

Program

ANDY AKIHO: The War Below from Prospects of a Misplaced Year

Durrenberger, Li, Bak, Campbell, Mužijević

JOSEPH LANNER: Marien-Walzer, Op. 143

Beilman, Durrenberger, Li, Burns

GUILLAUME CONNESSON: Techno-Parade

George, Kim, Mužijević

AARON COPLAND: Appalachian Spring Suite

George, Kim, Ellis, White, Durrenberger, Li, Beilman, Wernig, Bak, Campbell, Cheng, Burns, Mužijevic


Taking place outdoors at the Domo, the first part of this program celebrates dance – from Joseph Lanner, who took a simple peasant dance and transformed it to what is referred to as the Viennese waltz, to exuberant American rhythms of music by Andy Akiho and Guillaume Connesson. The program concludes with Aaron Copland's epic depiction of American open spaces and folk music, Appalachian Spring, which had its premiere in 1944.

Guests of this concert will be transported to the Domo via school bus.