Union's Chamber Music Concert Series offers another impressive lineup of artists welcoming audience favorites, as well as those making their debuts (six artists), including:
- Rafal Blechacz – this incredible Polish pianist returns to the series after having won the prestigious Gilmore Artist Award (the jury assessed him surreptitiously at his last performance with us), and makes his Carnegie Hall recital debut that season.
- Quatuor Ebène (debut) – one of the leading quartets of its generation, this remarkable Paris-based quartet won Gramophone Magazine’s coveted “Recording of the Year” in 2009 and makes its Carnegie
- David Finckel and Wu Han – this celebrated duo and long-time friend of the series performs a special extended program of the complete Beethoven cello sonatas.
- Benjamin Grosvenor (debut) – this 21-year old British pianist has already appeared with orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, and the San Francisco Symphony, and created a sensation at his New York debut in 2013 at the Frick Collection.
- Paul Lewis (debut) – after his highly-successful 2013 recital at Tanglewood of late Schubert sonatas, the series welcomes this astounding British pianist to perform the last three Beethoven sonatas for his highly-anticipated series debut.
- Ian Bostridge – one of the leading tenors in the world returns to the series for the first time in ten years, performing Schubert’s seminal song cycle – Die Winterreise. A post-concert discussion on his book on the cycle with Performance Today host Fred Child takes place onstage.
- The Emerson Quartet feting our Director Emeritus Dan Berkenblit in his 85th birthday celebration.
Other highlights include debut performances by the Doric and Miró string quartets and violinist Itamar Zorman; and return appearances by pianist Jonathan Biss; the Belcea and Brentano (with violist Hsin-Yun Huang) string quartets; cellist Sophie Shao and Friends; and the Boston Camerata.
Individual tickets are $25 per person ($40 for Berkenblit celebration). Union College students may attend for free. For tickets and information, call (518) 388-6080 or visit http://www.unioncollegeconcerts.org.
Belcea Quartet, Thursday, Oct. 16, 8 p.m.
Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert
Rafal Blechacz, piano Sunday, Oct. 26, 3 p.m.
Bach, Beethoven, Chopin
Quatuor Ebène, Thursday, Nov. 13, 8 p.m.
Mozart, Mendelssohn, Bartók
Doric String Quartet, Thursday, Nov. 20, 8 p.m.
Haydn, Janác̆ek, Beethoven
Sophie Shao and Friends, Sunday, Dec. 7, 3 p.m.
Haydn, Su Lian Tan, Brahms
Boston Camerata, Sunday, Dec. 21, 3 p.m.
An American Christmas
David Finckel, cello; Wu Han, piano Sunday, Jan. 4, 3 p.m.
Complete Beethoven Sonatas
Brentano String Quartet; Hsin-Yun Huang, viola, Sunday, Jan. 25, 3 p.m.
Mozart, Felipe Lara
Itamar Zorman, violin; Kwan Yi, piano, Sunday, Feb. 15, 3 p.m.
Bach, Schnittke, Hindemith, Brahms
Benjamin Grosvenor, piano, Sunday, Feb. 22, 3 p.m.
Rameau, Bach, Franck, Chopin, Granados
Miró Quartet, Sunday, March 8, 3 p.m.
Haydn, Gunther Schuller, Schubert
Paul Lewis, piano, Sunday, March 22, 3 p.m.
Beethoven Sonatas Opp. 109, 110, & 111
Jonathan Biss, piano, Sunday, April 12, 3 p.m.
Berg, Schoenberg, Schumann, Beethoven
Ian Bostridge, tenor; Wenwen Du, piano, Sunday, April 19, 3 p.m.
Schubert’s Die Winterreise
Emerson String Quartet - Dan Berkenblit's 85th birthday, Tuesday, April 28, 8 p.m.
Bach, Purcell, Britten