The Vera Quartet and the Trio St. Bernard will be in the spotlight during the competition at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 23. at the First Presbyterian Church, 314 Xenia Ave.
This is the final concert in the Chamber Music in Yellow Springs 2016-17 season.
The competition is for groups whose average age is 30 or younger. Organizers are confident it will be one of the best yet.
“The competition is always exciting because we have two up-and-coming groups, likely on the cusp of major careers,” said Chris Chaffee, competition chair. “These are both groups of outstanding musicians.”
Both ensembles formed in 2015. The Vera Quartet has two violinists, a violist and a cellist, while Trio St. Bernard counters with a pianist, violinist and cellist. Most musicians are students or graduate students.
Chaffee said Vera Quartet will play a more classical concert program with two string quartets in their entirety, one each from Bela Bartok and Beethoven.
Trio’s program will show its virtuosity and breadth of interpretation with short pieces from Beethoven, Brahams, Schubert and Shostakovich and a contemporary one from Gabriela Lena Frank.
The judges are Afa Dworkin, James Tocco and Jeffrey Zeigler, who will also advise the ensembles. At stake are cash prizes totaling $7,000.
Chamber Music in Yellow Springs board member Ron Kerans said this is a good chance to see these groups before they rise to the top and among the best in the world.
Recent competition champions have earned acclaim. After winning in 2013, the Calidore String Quartet has won several prizes including an inaugural one at the University of Michigan.
Last season’s champions, The Ralston Quartet took first at an international string quartet competition and shared the top prize at another.
The competition will begin at 6:45 p.m. with a pre-concert lecture by Dennis Loranger, who will talk about the evening’s program.
Publicity chairwoman Angela Bringlinger said the purchase of a new stage has made the sound at this season’s concerts better when combined with the church’s acoustics. Audiences have told organizers how much better instruments such as the cello sound now.
The Calidore String Quartet will open the Chamber Music in Yellow Springs 2017-18 season on Oct. 8. The theme will be “A Quartet of Quartets.”
Contact this contributing writer at bturner004@woh.rr.com.
How to go
What: 32nd annual Competition for Emerging Professional Ensembles
Where: First Presbyterian Church, 314 Xenia Ave., Yellow Springs
When: 7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 23
Admission: Adults $25; students $7
More info: 937-374-8800 or www.cmys.org
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