The Isidore Electrifies

Published on June 20, 2025 by Susan Miron for The Boston Musical Intelligencer.

Each of the times I have heard the Isidore String Quartet, I’ve been completely bowled over. Founded in 2019, they’ve won the big prizes (2023 Avery Fisher Career Grant, the 2022 Banff International String Quartet Competition) and, now in their 20s, have unquestionably risen to the top of the very crowded young quartet scene. Violinists Adrian Steele, Phoenix Avalon, violist Devin Moore, and cellist Joshua McClendon would seem to be predestined to play together. Their chemistry and goals are admirable, their performances electrifying.

The Isidore’s second appearance at Rockport, this Thursday evening, included the Ravel Quartet and a late Beethoven, but Steven Banks’s (b.1993)  Reflections and Exaltations for soprano saxophone and string quartet, featuring the composer as the masterful saxophone soloist, realty stole the show.

Composed in 1902-03 (when he was just 28), the Ravel is one of the most enduringly popular quartets. Composing it just before Scheherazade, Ravel dedicated it to Gabriel Fauré; it made its auspicious debut in 1904. Annotator Keith Horner’s pointed out that Ravel was soaking in the music of Claude Debussy, 12 years his senior. He attended the first 30 performances of Debussy’s Pelleas et Melisande and knew Debussy’s earlier string quartet well. Thus,  “…some of its lifeblood carried over into his own piece. From Debussy, he borrowed the use of Eastern exoticism and the modality of the harmony throughout all four movements.” Even its stunning second pizzicato movement makes an appearance in Debussy’s sole example in the genre.

Read more here.

join our team

8VA seeks a highly organized and responsible Operations Assistant to join our team, effective immediately. This role focuses on administrative tasks that support the company’s pitching and account teams. The ideal candidate is dependable, detail-oriented, and an excellent communicator who thrives in a collaborative and fast-paced environment.

Serious applicants should send materials to info@8vamusicconsultancy.com until September 19.

View job description here.

Seattle Chamber Music Society Announces 2026 Winter Festival, January 23–February 1

Festival Highlights include Performance of J.S. Bach’s Complete Brandenburg Concertos on January 30

(Photo credit: Jenna Poppe/SCMS)
Download high-res photo here

Seattle, Sept. 8, 2025 – The Seattle Chamber Music Society (SCMS) announces the programming for its 2026 Winter Festival, running January 23-February 1. Over the course of six concerts, acclaimed classical musicians will collaborate on 22 exceptional chamber works by Beethoven, Beach, Dohnányi, Dvořák, Haydn, Mozart, Ravel, and Schubert, among others, with a festival highlight being the January 30 performance of J.S. Bach’s complete Brandenburg Concertos.

Musicians performing at the 2026 SCMS Winter Festival include festival artistic director James Ehnes, pianists Inon Barnatan and Anton Nel; violinist Benjamin Bowman; harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani; violists Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt and Cynthia Phelps, and horn player Radovan Vlatković. (A full list of performers follows.)

"The Winter Festival is a powerful testament to Chamber Music’s enduring relevance and role as a cultural magnet. It’s meaningful to welcome such extraordinary musicians to Seattle to collaborate on these incredible works. It’s moving to feel the audience’s response to these shared experiences and inspiring to know that our virtual reach now connects us across the U.S. and into more than a dozen countries," said James Ehnes, the Gilbert Omenn and Martha Darling Artistic Director of SCMS, who performs in every concert.

Complementing the five-week Summer Festival and six-concert Signature Series, the Winter Festival is one of the ways SCMS presents exceptional performances year-round. Concerts take place at Nordstrom Recital Hall, Benaroya Hall. Each program is preceded by a free pre-concert performance.

Fans of chamber music worldwide may also stream the concerts live through SCMS’s Virtual Concert Hall and/or enjoy each program on-demand, starting two weeks after each live performance and continuing through March 15. Produced by Simon Kiln, an award-winning classical producer and editor, the Virtual Concert Hall captures concerts from seven high-definition camera angles using top audio/video production and equipment. In addition to performances, the Virtual Concert Hall invites audiences into the music through behind-the-scenes footage, introductions from the artists, and live intermission shows.

SCMS Winter Festival program details follow. Discounted early-bird season subscriptions are on sale now HERE; single tickets go on sale October 20 (no fees added on subscriptions or single-ticket sales through December 1). Visit seattlechambermusic.org.

Seattle Chamber Music Society: 2026 Winter Festival
January 23–February 1 | Nordstrom Recital Hall at Benaroya Hall

Musicians: Joseph Kaufman (bass); Seth Krimsky (bassoon); Edward Arron, Ani Aznavoorian, Efe Baltacıgil, Brant Taylor, and Bion Tsang (cello); Jeffrey Barker and Demarre McGill (flute); Mahan Esfahani (harpsichord); Jeffrey Fair and Radovan Vlatković (horn); Donovan Bown, Stefan Farkas, and Benjamin Hausmann (oboe); Mari Yoshinaga (percussion); Inon Barnatan, Alessio Bax, Anton Nel, and Jeewon Park, (piano); Jens Lindemann (trumpet); Che-Yen Chen, Beth Guterman Chu, David Harding, Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, and Cynthia Phelps (viola), and Benjamin Bowman, James Ehnes, Njioma Grevious, Bella Hristova, Amy Schwartz Moretti, and Andrew Wan (violin).

(Photo credit: Jenna Poppe/SCMS)

—FRIDAY, JANUARY 23—

Pre-Concert
SCMS Youth Academy for Chamber Music musicians

CONCERT

• Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Trio No. 5 in D Major, Op. 70, No. 1, “Ghost”

• Allegro vivace e con brio

• Largo assai ed espressivo

• Presto

Inon Barnatan, piano
Bella Hristova, violin
Efe Baltacıgil, cello

• Amy Beach: String Quartet, Op. 89

Njioma Grevious, violin
Benjamin Bowman, violin
Beth Guterman Chu, viola
Bion Tsang, cello

• Franz Schubert: Piano Quintet in A Major, Op. 114, D. 667, “Trout”

• Allegro vivace

• Andante

• Scherzo. Presto — Trio

• Thema. Andantino — Variazioni. Allegretto

• Finale. Allegro giusto

Alessio Bax, piano
James Ehnes, violin
Cynthia Phelps, viola
Ani Aznavoorian, cello
Joseph Kaufman, bass

—SATURDAY, JANUARY 24—

Pre-Concert
George Enescu: Sonata No. 3 for violin and piano, Op. 25, “Dans le caractère populaire roumain” (Bella Hristova, violin; Alessio Bax, piano)

• Moderato malinconico

• Andante sostenuto e misterioso

• Allegro con brio, ma non troppo mosso

CONCERT

• Zoltán Kodály: Duo for Violin and Cello, Op. 7

• Allegro serioso, non troppo

• Adagio — Andante — Tempo I

• Maestoso e largamente ma non troppo lento — Presto 

Benjamin Bowman, violin
Ani Aznavoorian, cello

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Quartet No. 2 in E-flat Major, K. 493

• Allegro

• Larghetto

• Allegretto

Alessio Bax, piano
Njioma Grevious, violin
Cynthia Phelps, viola
Efe Baltacıgil, cello

• Ernő Dohnányi: Piano Quintet No. 1 in C minor, Op. 1

• Allegro

• Scherzo. Allegro vivace

• Adagio, quasi andante

• Finale. Allegro animato — Allegro

Inon Barnatan, piano
James Ehnes, violin
Bella Hristova, violin
Beth Guterman Chu, viola
Bion Tsang, cello

—SUNDAY, JANUARY 25—

Pre-Concert
Music and Improvisations for cello and percussion (Efe Baltacıgil, cello; Mari Yoshinaga, percussion)

CONCERT

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Trio in B-flat Major, K. 502

• Allegro

• Larghetto

• Allegretto

Alessio Bax, piano
Benjamin Bowman, violin
Ani Aznavoorian, cello

• Sergei Prokofiev: Violin Sonata No. 2 in D Major, Op. 94a

• Moderato

• Scherzo. Presto

• Andante

• Allegro con brio

Inon Barnatan, piano
Bella Hristova, violin

• Antonín Dvořák: String Sextet in A Major, Op. 48

• Allegro moderato

• Dumka (Elegie). Poco allegro

• Furiant. Presto

• Finale. Tema con variazioni. Allegretto grazioso, quasi andantino

James Ehnes, violin
Njioma Grevious, violin
Cynthia Phelps, viola
Beth Guterman Chu, viola
Bion Tsang, cello
Efe Baltacıgil, cello

—FRIDAY, JANUARY 30—

Pre-Concert
[Program TBA] (Mahan Esfahani, harpsichord)

CONCERT

• Johann Sebastian Bach: Concerto No. 1 in F Major, Brandenburg, BWV 1046

• (no tempo indication)

• Adagio

• Allegro

• Menuetto— Trio I — Polacca — Trio II

• Bach: Concerto No. 2 in F Major, Brandenburg, BWV 1047

• (no tempo indication)

• Andante

• Allegro assai

• Bach: Concerto No. 3 in G Major, Brandenburg, BWV 1048

• (no tempo indication)

• Adagio

• Allegro

• Bach: Concerto No. 4 in F Major, Brandenburg, BWV 1049

• Allegro

• Andante

• Presto

• Bach: Concerto No. 5 in D Major, Brandenburg, BWV 1050

• Allegro

• Affettuoso

• Allegro

• Bach: Concerto No. 6 in B-flat Major, Brandenburg, BWV 1051

• (no tempo indication)

• Adagio ma non troppo

• Allegro

Featured musicians for the Brandenburgs:

Edward Arron, cello
Efe Baltacıgil, cello
Jeffrey Barker, flute
Donovan Bown, oboe
Che-Yen Chen, viola
James Ehnes, violin
Mahan Esfahani, harpsichord
Jeffrey Fair, horn
Stefan Farkas, oboe
David Harding, viola
Benjamin Hausmann, oboe 
Joseph Kaufman, bass 
Seth Krimsky, bassoon
Jens Lindemann, trumpet
Demarre McGill, flute
Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, viola
Amy Schwartz Moretti, violin
Brant Taylor, cello
Radovan Vlatković, horn
Andrew Wan, violin

—SATURDAY, JANUARY 31—

Pre-Concert
Schubert: Drei Klavierstücke, D. 946 (Anton Nel, piano)

CONCERT

• Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber: Sonatae tam aris quam aulis servientes, for Trumpet, Violin, 2 Violas & Continuo, No. 4 in C Major, C. 117

• Allegro

• Presto

• Adagio

• Allegro

Jens Lindemann, trumpet
Mahan Esfahani, harpsichord
Andrew Wan, violin
Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, viola
David Harding, viola
Brant Taylor, cello

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Horn Quintet in E-flat Major, K. 407

• Allegro

• Andante

• Rondo. Allegro

Radovan Vlatković, horn
Andrew Wan, violin
Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, viola
David Harding, viola
Brant Taylor, cello

• Franz Schubert: Fantasie in F minor, Op. 103, D. 940 (piano four hands) 

Anton Nel, piano
Jeewon Park, piano

• Maurice Ravel: String Quartet in F Major

• Allegro moderato — Très doux

• Assez vif — Très rythmé

• Très lent

• Vif et agité

James Ehnes, violin
Amy Schwartz Moretti, violin
Che-Yen Chen, viola
Edward Arron, cello

—SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1—

Pre-Concert
Franz Joseph Haydn: String Quartet in C Major, Op. 20, No. 2, “Sun,” Hob.III:32 (Ehnes Quartet)

• Moderato

• Capriccio. Adagio - Cantabile

• Menuetto. Allegretto - Trio

• Fuga a 4 soggetti. Allegro

CONCERT

• Ludwig van Beethoven: Horn Sonata in F Major, Op. 17 

• Allegro moderato

• Poco adagio, quasi andante

• Rondo - Allegro moderato

Radovan Vlatković, horn
Anton Nel, piano

• Ernest Chausson: Piano Quartet in A Major, Op. 30

• Animé

• Très calme

• Simple et sans hâte

• Animé

Jeewon Park, piano
Andrew Wan, violin
David Harding, viola
Brant Taylor, cello

• Antonín Dvořák: String Quintet No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 97, “American”

• Allegro non tanto

• Allegro vivo

• Larghetto

• Allegro giusto

James Ehnes, violin
Amy Schwartz Moretti, violin
Che-Yen Chen, viola
Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, viola
Edward Arron, cello

To order discounted season subscriptions, click HERE. Single tickets go on sale Oct. 20.

About Seattle Chamber Music Society
The mission of Seattle Chamber Music Society is to cultivate a deep appreciation for chamber music by presenting exceptional performances in welcoming and accessible formats. Through education, community engagement, and a commitment to excellence, SCMS seeks to position chamber music as a central cultural force, both locally and globally, while ensuring its enduring relevance and sustainability. 

Each year, SCMS presents a Winter Festival in January and a Summer Festival in July at the Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall at Benaroya Hall, bringing the world’s finest classical musicians to the stage. These intimate chamber music performances captivate both seasoned enthusiasts and newcomers alike. In addition to its renowned festivals, SCMS offers an expanded year-round lineup, including the new Signature Series, Crescendo Concerts in Seattle’s most stunning homes, and Concerts at the Center for Chamber Music, providing unparalleled access to extraordinary musical experiences. 

SCMS also enriches the community through dynamic engagement programs designed for audiences of all ages. From inspiring young learners in elementary schools to enriching lives in retirement communities, and from performances in hospitals and parks to concerts on wheels, SCMS remains steadfast in its mission to bring world-class chamber music to every corner of our community. seattlechambermusic.org 

###

Media contact:

Matt Herman, Managing Director
8VA Music Consultancy
New York | Los Angeles | Berlin
matt@8vamusicconsultancy.com

Michael Repper Celebrates 150 years of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor on NPR

Aug. 15 marked the 150th anniversary of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor's birth, a composer who gained prominence in his early 20s with two major successes: the orchestral work Ballade in A minor and the secular cantata Hiawatha's Wedding Feast, both from 1898.

On Aug. 1, conductor Michael Repper, violinist and composer Curtis Stewart, and the National Philharmonic released the album Samuel Coleridge-Taylor: Toussaint L'Ouverture ᐧ Ballade Op. 4 ᐧ Suites from "24 Negro Melodies" (AVIE Records), which was specially planned to celebrate the composer's 150th birthday.

“With this project, we aim to preserve and promote the legacy of one of the greatest composers from the turn of the 20th century,” says Repper, who in 2023 became the youngest North American conductor to win a GRAMMY® Award in the Best Orchestral Performance category.

Read Repper’s NPR interview and feature here.

Listen to the new album here.

Searching for an American Sound: The Dover Quartet on NPR

When the Dover Quartet, one of the world’s most in-demand chamber ensembles, asked Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate to compose a new work inspired by Native American traditions, he turned to the woodland creatures venerated by his own Chickasaw Nation. The results, Woodland Songs, is the title work of the group’s new album.

The Dovers and Tate recently appeared on NPR’s Morning Edition. Cellist Camden Shaw describes working with Tate as a "great balance of being very demanding for what he wanted to hear, but also allowing us to be ourselves and feeling like we're all on the same team."

“When you think about what is American and what this music represents, what is the album sort of meant to do?,” asked host Leila Fadel.

“It reminds me of something, Jerod said, which really touched me,” said Shaw. “That all people come from ancient cultures, that there are these long threads of connection in art and thinking and feeling that go way back for all of us. And the desire really as the core of this album was to explore connections between things musically that have existed on this continent for a very, very long time. You can hear references to, like, bluegrass styles...”

The critically acclaimed Woodland Songs also includes Tate’s new string-quartet orchestration of Rattle Songs, by the Indigenous singer Pura Fé, originally for her a cappella vocal group Ulali. Dvořák’s “American” Quartet completes the album, available now via the Curtis Studio label on Apple Classical and all major streaming platforms.

Read the NPR piece and listen to the full conversation HERE.

Stream Woodland Songs HERE.

Jerod Impichcha̱achaaha' Tate; Pura Fé

Musicus Society Announces Musicus Fest 2025

Series of concerts uniting East and West runs Nov. 1 – Dec. 15

Musicus Fest © Musicus Society

Hong Kong, August 27, 2025 — Musicus Society, an organization dedicated to promoting cross-cultural classical music collaborations internationally, announces Musicus Fest 2025, celebrating Musicus Society’s 15th anniversary. The 2025 Musicus Fest features 10 concerts between Nov. 1 and Dec. 15, at various Hong Kong venues, including a special presentation at Shenzhen Concert Hall in mainland China. The festival showcases outstanding local and international artists, among whom is cellist Trey Lee, the artistic director and co-founder of Musicus Society. He is joined by the English Chamber Orchestra—one of the most recorded chamber orchestras in the world—and by Musicus Soloists Hong Kong, comprising some of the best emerging artists from all over the world. Please see below for all program details.

“Musicus has always been a celebration of cultural diversity and the way different cultures come together to perform great music,” says Trey Lee. “This year, we’re delighted to perform with the English Chamber Orchestra, Musicus Soloists Hong Kong, and spectacular guest soloists such as violinists Minna Pensola, Angela Chan and Jacques Forrestier, and the flow artist Chris Lam. We look forward to elevating Musicus as an international meeting point for cultural exchange, celebrating timeless music from the repertoire.” 

Musicus Fest 2025 opens on Nov. 1 with Trey Lee and the English Chamber Orchestra, following their album Seasons Interrupted, last year’s climate change-themed major release on Signum Records that features world-premiere recordings of new arrangements by Trey Lee. It was the Hong Kong-born, Juilliard-trained cellist’s first collaboration with the esteemed ensemble. The concert, at Concert Hall (Hong Kong City Hall), highlights Piazzolla’s vibrant The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires, in Trey Lee’s arrangement for solo cello and chamber orchestra, as featured on the album. The program also includes a string version of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, “Pastoral,” and Tchaikovsky’s “Chant d’automne,” from The Seasons. These works capture the essence of nature and the changing landscapes across the four seasons, inviting audiences on a captivating musical journey. Local students from the Ensemble Training program will perform excerpts from Boccherini’s String Quintet in E and Gustav Holst’s St. Paul’s Suite side-by-side with the musicians of the English Chamber Orchestra.

Trey Lee and Musicus

The performances by Musicus Soloists Hong Kong, the city’s leading chamber ensemble, are a highlight of the festival. Founded and directed by Trey Lee, Musicus Soloists Hong Kong is Musicus Society’s homegrown string ensemble, bringing together international prizewinners on promising career paths around the world. The group brings two programs to Shenzhen Concert Hall (in mainland China, Dec. 5) and Hong Kong City Hall (Dec. 7) under the leadership of the Finnish violinist Minna Pensola. Angela Chan and Jacques Forrestier, the joint winners of the 2024 Joseph Joachim Violin Competition, will join Musicus Soloists Hong Kong in Baroque masterpieces by Locatelli and Tartini for the festival’s grand finale on Dec. 7. The programs include Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 and Vivaldi’s Concerto for Violin and Cello, as well as Satie’s Gymnopedies No. 1 & 3 arranged for strings, featuring the flow artist Chris Lam, who uses crystal balls and eight-rings, fusing visual arts, theater and music in an explosion of movement and emotion.

Musicus Fest 2025 also brings back Marco Polo’s Musical Encounter of East and West, its ever-popular family concert designed to introduce various Chinese and Western musical instruments to children. There will also be educational and outreach activities that include master classes and ensemble training, a series of highly anticipated Jockey Club Musicus Heritage Stories concerts held at unique venues in Hong Kong, and a viola recital by Hoi Yan-lok, the 2025 Musicus Young Artist Audition winner. For more information, please visit musicussociety.org. 

Musicus Fest 2025

—Concert 1: Festival Opening: Trey Lee & English Chamber Orchestra—
Saturday, Nov. 1 | Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall

• Tchaikovsky (arr. Paul Sherman): Chant d’automne from The Seasons (for string orchestra)

• Beethoven: Symphony No. 6, “Pastoral,” for String Orchestra

• Piazzolla (arr. Trey Lee): The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires (for solo cello & string orchestra)

Cello: Trey Lee

• Boccherini: String Quintet in E, G. 275, Op.11 No.5, III. Minuetto - Trio (for string orchestra)

• Holst: St. Paul’s Suite, Op. 29 No. 2, IV. Finale (“The Dargason”)

Featuring English Chamber Orchestra playing side-by-side with Ensemble Training students

—Concert 2: Beethoven, Piazzolla and Evening Fantasy by Musicus Soloists Hong Kong—
Friday, Dec. 5 | Shenzhen Concert Hall (Co-presented by Shenzhen Concert Hall and the Leisure & Cultural Services Department)

• Locatelli: Violin Concerto Op. 3, No.12 in D, “Harmonic Labyrinth”

Violin: Angela Chan

• Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 (string orchestra version)

• Satie: Gymnopedies No. 1 & 3 (string orchestra version)

• Piazzolla (arr. Trey Lee): The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires (for solo cello & string orchestra)

Cello: Trey Lee

—Concert 3: Festival Finale: The Devil and the Labyrinth by Musicus Soloists Hong Kong—
Sunday, Dec. 7 | Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall

• Locatelli: Violin Concerto Op. 3 No.12 in D, “Harmonic Labyrinth”

Violin: Angela Chan

• Satie: Gymnopedie No. 1 (string orchestra version)

• Tartini: Violin Sonata in G minor, “Devil’s Trill” (version with orchestra)

Violin: Jacques Forrestier

• Satie: Gymnopedie No. 3 (string orchestra version)

• Vivaldi: Concerto for Violin and Cello in F, RV 544

Violin: Minna Pensola | Cello: Trey Lee

• Beethoven: Symphony No. 5 (string orchestra version)

—Concert 4: Harmonic Hour English Chamber Orchestra—
Sunday, Nov. 2 | Auditorium, Tuen Mun Town Hall

One-hour educational concert featuring works by Beethoven, Telemann, J. Strauss II and Coleridge-Taylor

—Concert 5: Next Generation Virtuosi: Viola Recital by Hoi Yan-lok—
Saturday, Nov. 15 | Theatre, Hong Kong City Hall

Featuring the 2025 Musicus Young Artist Audition winner in works by Prokofiev, Hindemith, Vieuxtemps and Brahms

—Concert 6: Family Concert: Marco Polo’s Musical Encounter of East & West—
Saturday, Dec. 6 | Concert Hall, Hong Kong City Hall

A family concert for ages 3+

—Concerts 7-10: The Hong Kong Jockey Club Community Project Grant: Musicus Heritage Stories—
December 13-15 | Heritage sites in Hong Kong

Series of community concerts

About Musicus Society
Musicus Society was founded in 2010 to become an international music organization featuring quality performances and world-class homegrown artists, with a mission to promote cross-cultural collaborations. Apart from the annual Musicus Fest, which provides a meeting point for artists from across the world, the Musicus Heritage Community Concert Series brings world-class artists to local heritage sites. Moreover, the Musicus Inspires! educational program aims to nurture aspiring young musicians in Hong Kong, as well as cultivating students from all social backgrounds. Musicus Soloists Hong Kong is a chamber ensemble directed and initiated by renowned cellist Trey Lee, comprising some of Hong Kong’s top next-generation artists.

About Musicus Fest
Musicus Fest is an international partnership for world‐class artists to collaborate, showcasing Hong Kong’s exceptional artists and working with young talents to bring their artistry to new heights. The festival gives Hong Kong artists and students what their counterparts elsewhere have long enjoyed: the chance to elevate themselves to a higher level of artistic excellence through meaningful interaction with distinguished artists from different parts of the world.

Since the launch of Musicus Fest in 2013, over 400 artists from Albania, Australia, Austria, Canada, Mainland China, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Korea, the U.K. and the U.S. have appeared on stage in Hong Kong, including Vladimir Ashkenazy, Yuri Bashmet, Noah Bendix‐Balgley and Bruno Canino, among others.

"Reimagining the American Art Form": Dover Quartet on the Cover of 'Strings' Magazine

Cover of Sept/Oct 2025 issue of Strings

The Dover Quartet is on the cover on the September/October 2025 issue of Strings magazine. Formed at the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in 2008, the foursome—today consisting of Joel Link, violin; Bryan Lee, violin; Julianne Lee, viola; and Camden Shaw, cello—have become "one of the most acclaimed ensembles of its generation," writes Tom May. Their most recent album, Woodland Songs, includes the world premiere recordings of the title piece, which the quartet commissioned from the renowned Chickasaw-American composer Jerod Impichcha̱achaaha' Tate, and of Tate's orchestration of Pura Fé's Rattle Songs.

From the start, the ensemble members have maintained a vital connection to their alma mater as quartet-in-residence, carrying forward a lineage once held by the legendary Guarneri Quartet. This summer’s release of Woodland Songs on the Curtis Studio label—an in-house initiative showcasing original recordings by Curtis-affiliated artists—caps the conservatory’s 100th anniversary season, underscoring how deeply intertwined the Dover Quartet remains with the institution that launched its career. The album combines new commissions with a fresh account of Dvořák’s Op. 96 “American” Quartet.

“There’s a sense of rhythmic groove in both Jerod’s Woodland Songs and in the Ulali Rattle Songs that can be found all over the place in the ‘American’ Quartet,” observes Shaw. “Mere seconds into the ‘American,’ there is a transition motive in D minor with a pulsing rhythm in the second violin that is almost certainly a rattle song or similar Native tune. Dvořák’s profound slow movement is also almost certainly from a traditional melody—perhaps slowed down and put in a new meter to explore it differently.”

Read the full piece here.

Find out more about the Dover Quartet, including all upcoming performances, at doverquartet.com.

Beijing Music Festival Announces 2025 Festival

Future Tradition · Moments and New Voices

The Beijing Music Festival (BMF), the most important international multi-day classical music event in China, has announced the details of its 28th festival, taking place October 10–24 under the theme Future Tradition · Moments and New Voices. The festival is a celebration of music and the arts, dedicated to exploring the dialogue between classical and contemporary music and between Eastern music and Western artistic forms. Through diverse performances—including the China premiere of Alban Berg’s groundbreaking 20th-century opera Wozzeck, for its 100th anniversary—the festival will showcase Beijing as a cultural center for innovation, integration, and creativity. 

On August 17th, BMF held a press conference at the Beijing Overseas Cultural Exchange Center, announcing all major programming and activities. Attendees included representatives from the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, BMF Artistic Committee Chair Long Yu, who founded the festival in 1998, and BMF Artistic Director Shuang Zou.

“This year’s festival aspires to be a high-caliber, internationally influential artistic celebration,” said Long Yu. “By presenting innovative musical works and formats, the festival will enrich cultural life in the capital.”

“The theme Future Tradition · Moments and New Voices highlights Beijing’s ability to blend traditional essence with innovation,” added Shuang Zou. “It emphasizes its identity as a city steeped in history, yet pulsating with modern energy.”

The 2025 Beijing Music Festival includes world-class performances and cross-cultural collaborations that feature Long Yu—a leading conductor and a pillar of the classical music industry in China—leading the China Philharmonic Orchestra, a longtime BMF collaborator, now celebrating its 25th anniversary; world-renowned conductor Charles Dutoit leading the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra; the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra; soloist Haochen Zhang, the Gold Medalist of the 13th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition; star violinist Gil Shaham; internationally recognized Finnish conductor John Storgårds; Chinese piano prodigy Tianxu An, making his BMF debut performing music by the Russian composer Mikhail Pletnev; Japanese superstar pianist Hayato Sumino; conductor Yang Yang, who serves as artistic director of the Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra; Ukrainian conductor Kirill Karabits; British conductor and harpsichordist Harry Bicket; and the Hungarian mezzo-soprano Ildikó Komlósi, among many others.

This year’s operatic programming features Handel’s Baroque classic Rinaldo and the Chinese premiere of Wozzeck. On October 14, Rinaldo will be performed at Forbidden City Concert Hall by The English Concert, one of the world’s leading period instrument ensembles, conducted and accompanied on harpsichord by Harry Bicket. The cast includes the rising Chinese countertenor Liu Shen. The new production of the groundbreaking classic Wozzeck is by the Belgium-based Opera Ballet Vlaanderen. It will be performed by Dutoit and the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the premiere of the historic opera.

Committed to spotlighting Chinese composers on its global stage, BMF will also premiere new works by three Chinese composers this year: Du Yun, BMF’s 2019 Artist of the Year and the first Chinese woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music, who returns for the premiere of A Sea Engraved in the Forest; the celebrated composer Huang Ruo, known for blending traditional Chinese motifs with contemporary techniques, premiering City of Floating Sounds; and the emerging Hong Kong composer Elliot Leung premiering Chinese Kitchen: A Feast of Flavors, an orchestral work inspired by Chinese cuisine.

New this year is the BMF Sunshine Youth Music Carnival, offering masterclasses, open music workshops, and interactive performances to increase public engagement. The 28th Beijing Music Festival will also expand beyond traditional venues, bringing music to the city streets, public spaces, and online platforms. The festival will continue its student ticket program while introducing flexible new ticketing options that include festival passes and opera packages. Through the website, official app, WeChat, and video accounts, and the social networking platform Xiaohongshu (RedNote), BMF provides streamlined services and digital experiences. 

For more information, please visit www.bmf.org.cn/en or www.facebook.com/BeijingMusicFestival/  

Beijing Music Festival 2025: Future Tradition · Moments and New Voices

—Long Yu and Haochen Zhang—
October 10, National Centre for the Performing Arts, 7:30 p.m.

• Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1

• Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5

China Philharmonic Orchestra
Long Yu, conductor
Haochen Zhang, piano 

—A Sea Engraved in the Forest—
October 12, Beijing Comedy Theatre, 7:30 p.m.

Du Yun: A Sea Engraved in the Forest (world premiere, co-commissioned by BMF and Lincoln Center)

Du Yun collaborated with the Jino people of Yunnan, China’s last officially recognized ethnic group, to create a work that merges folk traditions with contemporary narrative. The project reflects Du Yun’s mission to preserve endangered cultural heritage while rooting modern music in deep cultural soil. The program exemplifies BMF’s role in bringing Chinese voices into the global cultural dialogue through original music. This program is a joint commission and production by the Beijing Music Festival and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

Ancient Songs of the Jino Ethnic Group
Children’s Songs of the Jino Ethnic Group
Grand Drum Dance of the Jino Ethnic Group 

—Rinaldo—
October 14, Forbidden City Concert Hall, 7:30 p.m. 

George Frideric Handel: Rinaldo, Opera in Three Acts

The English Concert
Harry Bicket, conductor and harpsichord

• Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, Rinaldo (countertenor)

• Mary Bevan, Almirena (soprano)

• Paula Murrihy, Goffredo (mezzo-soprano)

• Alexander Chance, Eustazio (countertenor)

• Ashley Riches, Argante (bass-baritone)

• Rachael Wilson, Armida (mezzo-soprano)

• Andy Shen Liu, Araldo/Donna/Magician (countertenor)

—Melodies in Motion: Spring Bird@ BMF—
October 17, Genesis Beijing, 7:30 p.m.
October 19, Divine Music Administration Temple of Heaven, 5 p.m.

• Frédéric Chopin: Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise Brilliante, Op. 22

• Amy Beach: Romance, Op. 23

• Clara Schumann: Impromptu in E major

• Gaspar Cassadó: Suite for Solo Cello

• Dmitri Shostakovich: Cello Sonata in D minor, Op. 40

Daniel Wang, cello
Helen Meng, piano

—Wozzeck—
October 18, Poly Theatre, 7:30 p.m. 

Alban Berg: Wozzeck, Opera in three acts (China premiere) 

New production by Opera Ballet Vlaanderen Belgium
Shanghai Symphony Orchestra
Beijing Philharmonic Choir
Shanghai Conservatory of Music Choir
Charles Dutoit, conductor
Yifan Sun, assistant conductor
Julia Strelchenko, piano/repetiteur

Johan Simons, director
Sammy Van den Heuvel, scenographer
Greta Goiris, costume designer
Flóra Kruppa, costume designer
Friedrich Rom, lighting designer

• Robin Adams, Wozzeck (baritone)

• Magdalena Hofmann, Marie (mezzo-soprano)

• Michael Schade, Hauptmann (tenor)

• Martin Winkler, Doktor (bass-baritone)

• Samuel Sakker, Tambourmajor (tenor)

• Hugo Kampschreur, Andres (tenor)

• Lotte Verstaen, Margret (mezzo-soprano)

• Rueben Mbonambi, Handwerksbursch I (bass)

• Leander Carlier, Handwerksbursch II (baritone)

• Qirui Cui, Narr (tenor)

—Mikhail Pletnev Performs with the Rachmaninoff International Orchestra—
October 19, Forbidden City Concert Hall, 7:30 p.m. 

• Mikhail Pletnev: 14 Musical Memories

• Mikhail Pletnev: Fantasia Helvetica for two pianos and orchestra 

• Rachmaninoff: Caprice Bohémien

Rachmaninoff International Orchestra
Kirill Karabits, conductor
Mikhail Pletnev, piano
Tianxu An, piano 

—City of Floating Sounds: BBC Philharmonic Special Concert—
October 20, multiple locations (RSVP only), 6 p.m.
October 20, NCPA Concert Hall, 7:30 p.m. 

• Huang Ruo: City of Floating Sounds (city-walk version)

• Huang Ruo: City of Floating Sounds (live version)

• Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3

• Shostakovich: Symphony No. 9

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra
John Storgårds, conductor
Hayato Sumino, piano
Josh Kopeček, creative technologist

—Hayato Sumino Piano Recital—
October 21, Poly Theatre, 7:30 p.m. 

• Frédéric Chopin: Scherzo No. 1 in B Minor, Op. 20

• Frédéric Chopin: Nocturne No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 48

• Hayato Sumino: Three Nocturnes

• Johann Sebastian Bach: Partita No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 826

• Hayato Sumino: Two Pieces of Chopin’s Recompositions

• Johann Sebastian Bach: Prelude and Fugue No. 1 in C Major, BWV 870 from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II

• Friedrich Gulda: Prelude and Fugue

• Nikolai Kapustin: Concert Etudes, Op. 40 Nos. 1, 2 & 3

• Maurice Ravel: Boléro (arr. Hayato Sumino)

Hayato Sumino, piano

—Gil Shaham Performs with the China Philharmonic Orchestra—
October 24, Poly Theatre, 7:30 p.m.

• Elliot Leung: Chinese Kitchen: A Feast of Flavors (selections) (commissioned by the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra)

• I. Da Hong Pao

• III. Buddha Jumps Over the Wall

• IV. Peking Duck

• V. Deep Fried River Prawns

• IX. Glutinous Rice in Bamboo Tube

• X. Deep Fried Sesame Balls/Finale

• Johannes Brahms: Alto Rhapsody, Op. 53

• Johannes Brahms: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77

China Philharmonic Orchestra
China National Opera House Chorus
Yang Yang, conductor
Gil Shaham, violin
Ildikó Komlósi, mezzo-soprano
Central Opera House Chorus

—Additional events—

• October 6–8: Youth Orchestra Showcase at the Beijing Music Industry Park, featuring student ensembles from universities, and primary and secondary schools in Beijing and other provinces. 

• October 11: Du Yun leads a forum titled Future · Tradition, at Hongsheng International Center, to explore how traditional Chinese music can be transformed in modern composition, underlining BMF’s core theme and Beijing’s vision for innovation with integrity. 

• October 15: Tianxu An performs a midday recital at CITIC Tower, combining classical masterpieces with contemporary works in a city landmark.

• October 17: Charles Dutoit and director Johan Simons discuss the artistic significance of Wozzeck in a special preview event at Genesis Beijing, offering insight into this landmark expressionist opera.

• October 17, Rising Voices: Cellist Tianyou Wang and pianist Huaying Meng offer a Romantic recital featuring works by Chopin and Clara Schumann. The performance highlights a fresh interpretation of Romanticism from a new generation’s lens.

• October 18: BBC Philharmonic Orchestra presents Musical Storyland, a children’s concert at Genesis Beijing, blending storytelling and classical music in an interactive experience. 11–11:45 a.m.

• October 21: Hayato Sumino Meet and Greet, at Winland Beijing IFC. 12–1 p.m. 

• October 22: Ildikó Komlósi Masterclass

• October 23: Gil Shaham Masterclass 

More about the Beijing Music Festival
Since its founding in 1998 by conductor Long Yu, BMF offers a glimpse into the future of classical music, creating a platform for domestic and international performance exchanges, turning Beijing into an international music hub every fall. Now led by Artistic Director Shuang Zou, the festival bridges China to the rest of the world through the arts, also galvanizing the creation of Western and Chinese contemporary music. BMF lets young Chinese musicians showcase their talents from a platform with global reach, which has been the driving force for Long Yu, the former artist director who now serves as the chairman of the Artistic Committee, for many years. BMF is the most authoritative arts and culture event in Asia.

"Richly rewarding: Yulianna Avdeeva is on five-star form in Shostakovich," says BBC Music Magazine

The September 2025 issue of BBC Music Magazine is out. Pianist Yulianna Avdeeva gets a five-star review for her new recording of Shostakovich’s 24 Preludes and Fugues, op. 87, available now on PENTATONE.

Avdeeva’s take on the monumental cycle for solo piano is "a jewel box of treasures," says the reviewer.

And as the brief pieces flit by, their myriad characters are drawn out by Avdeeva's nimble fingers, cool approach and nuanced understanding. She particularly makes the more elusive, quiet numbers gleam like gems. ... Shostakovich's stylistic nods to Bach are beautifully delineated but never overstated…

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Shostakovich’s death, Avdeeva performed the entire piece in the 2024-25 season, including at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig; Pierre Boulez Saal in Berlin; Palau de la Música in Barcelona; Saitama Arts Center, in Tokyo; Festival de Lanaudière, in Quebec; National Centre for the Performing Arts, in Beijing; Ostrava, in the Czech Republic; and Seon, in Switzerland, among others. Later this year, she performs the full piece at Círculo de Bellas Artes, in Madrid. Find out more at avdeevapiano.com.

Check out the full review here.

¡Viva Beethoven en México, con Anne-Marie McDermott!

Anne-Marie McDermott returns to Nezahualcóyotl Hall, in Mexico City, this weekend to perform Beethoven's Piano Concertos 4 and 5, over three concerts, with the distinguished Orquesta Sinfónica de Minería. At the podium is conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto, an old collaborator.

Ahead of the concerts, McDermott talked with Antonio Becerril Romo, from El Economista. “Carlos Miguel Prieto and I have worked together for 20 years in various places and with various orchestras in the United States," she told him. "I worked with him in Xalapa (Veracruz) and also with the Sinfónica de Minería. We have a deep trust, and I feel we are like-minded in the way we approach Beethoven's music.”

For the American pianist, the personality of Ludwig van Beethoven's piano concertos is so diverse that it offers many possibilities for working with them. “There's a lot of joy in these five concertos, and you have these moments where you hear Beethoven in a very good mood. Then you have the opposite, as if you were in the depths of emotion, and I love those challenges and rely on them when working with Carlos Miguel Prieto and the musicians of Minería.”

McDermott is currently recording, for the first time, Beethoven's cycle of five piano concertos with Prieto and the Sinfónica de Minería.

To read the full piece, click here.

To find out more about the concerts, click here.