Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center offers all-Dvorák program at Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts | Press Releases

The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center will offer an all-Dvorák program for its final concert of the season on Saturday, May 8, at 8 p.m. at Fairfield University's Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. Journalist Robert Sherman, a classical music writer for The New York Times, will lead a pre-concert Art-to-Heart discussion from 7 to 7:40 p.m.

The Chamber Music Society, the resident company of Lincoln Center and one of the world's premier chamber ensembles, is known for its extraordinary repertoire of classics and its commitment to the commission of new works. This concert will include performances by the Orion String Quartet and Open One Piano Quartet, two smaller ensembles that incorporate Society members.

Antonin Dvorák (1841-1904) was born in Czechoslovakia and stayed true to his roots musically, but he also spent many of his composing years in the United States, serving as director of the National Conservatory in New York from 1892-1895. The composer, who gained early attention and praise from Brahms, was particularly well received in England and the United States, creating several beloved pieces, including his well-known Ninth Symphony, "From the New World."

He was also known for his chamber works and the May 8 performance begins with a fan favorite, Dvorák's "Quartet for Strings in F major, Opus 96," often called the "American." One of his landmark works, it is known for its pentatonic leanings.

The performance also includes "Quartet for Violin, Viola, Cello and Piano in E-flat major, Opus 87" and "Romantic Pieces for Violin and Piano, Opus 75." The evening ends with another popular selection from Dvorák's oeuvre, "Quintet for Two Violins, Two Violas and Cello in E-flat."

Six musicians from the Chamber Music Society will perform at the May 8 concert. Members in the Orion String Quartet are: Daniel Phillips and Todd Phillips, violin; and Timothy Eddy, cello. Members in Opus One Piano Quartet are: Ida Kavafian, violin, and Anne-Marie McDermott, piano. Violist Steven Tenenbom plays with both quartets and Peter Wiley, who is not a member of the Chamber Music Society, will play cello with Opus One.

Tickets for the May concert are $30. For tickets, call the Quick Center box office at (203) 330-9396 of toll free at 1-877-ARTS-396. For more information, visit the website www.quickcenter.com.