The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center appears at Fairfield University's Quick Center for the Arts in a full program of Felix Mendelssohn on Saturday, May 16 at 8:00 p.m. There will be a pre-concert Art to Heart discussion from 7:00-7:40 p.m. with journalist Robert Sherman.

The program at the Quick Center is identical to the sold-out Lincoln Center concert the ensemble will give the following day: The Concert Piece No. 2 in D minor for clarinet, basset horn and piano, Op. 114; followed by the String Quintet No. 2 in B-flat major for two violins, two violas and cello, Op. 87; Selected Lieder ohne Worte (Songs Without Words) for piano; concluding with the Piano Trio No. 2 in C minor, Op. 66.

The talented group of artists includes pianist Jeremy Denk, the 1998 winner of both the Young Concert Artists International Auditions and a prestigious Avery Fisher Career Grant. The New York Times described his playing as "bracing, effortlessly virtuosic and utterly joyous." The San Francisco Chronicle called David Shifrin's playing "a revelation in just how beautifully the clarinet can be played." Spanish clarinetist Jose Franch-Ballester has been called "that rare find, an artist whose brilliant mastery of his instrument is matched by sound and secure gifts as a musician," by The News-Gazette (Champaign-Urbana). In this concert he plays basset horn. Twenty-one year old French violinist Arnaud Sussmann has performed as a soloist with the Cannes Orchestra, among other well-known French orchestras and with the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra. Violinist Ani Kavafian has performed with virtually all of America's leading orchestras including the New York Philharmonic and in recent years, she has premiered and recorded a number of important new works written for her. Violist Paul Neubauer's exceptional musicality and effortless playing distinguish him as one of this generation's quintessential artists and fellow violist Beth Guterman has performed across North America, Europe and Asia. She was heard last November live on NPR performing Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 with this ensemble. Gary Hoffman is one of the outstanding cellists of our time, combining instrumental mastery, great beauty of sound and a poetic sensibility in his distinctive and memorable performances.

Tickets are $35 and are available online at fairfield.edu/quick or by calling the Box Office at (203) 254-4010. The toll free number is 1-877-ARTS-396. Sign up at fairfield.edu/quick to receive e-mails for special offers and discounts for Quick Center shows. Take exit 22 off I-95 to reach the Quick Center and Fairfield University.

Posted On: 04-24-2009 10:04 AM

Volume: 41 Number: 322