BSR Classical Interludes, October 17-31, 2024

Music in the Great Hall: mélomanie2
Thursday, October 17, 7:30pm
Maguire Museum/St. Joseph’s University, Hawk Hill, 5600 City Avenue, Philadelphia

This series—co-curated by Suzanne Sorkin and Elizabeth Morgan—is presented in the Francis M. Maguire Art Museum, the beautifully re-envisioned Barnes building that was designed by Philadelphia’s Paul Cret. The duo of Kimberly Reighly (flute) and Tracy Richardson (harpsichord) is well-known for concerts that pair early music and contemporary works, many of them commissioned for the ensemble. This concert features early works by Boismortier and Telemann, along with contemporary pieces by Sorkin, Ingrid Arauco, and Mark Hagerty. The performance is free to the public, but reservations are suggested.

Market Street Music: Pyxis Piano Trio
Saturday, October 19, 3pm
First & Central Presbyterian Church, 1101 North Market Street, Wilmington

This trio in residence at Market Street Music—violinist Luigi Mazzocchi, Jie Jin (cello), and pianist Hiroko Yamazaki—often plays well-known works like the Piano Trio in G minor of Antonín Dvořák on Saturday’s program. But they’re also known for their exploration of works that audiences may rarely have heard, and this concert also features Eight Pieces for Violin and Cello by Russian/Soviet composer Reinhold Glière and Circulo, a fantasy by Spanish composer Joaquín Turina that portrays the cycle of a day, from dawn to dusk.

Philadelphia Chamber Music Society: Broken Branches: Karim Sulayman, and Sean Shibe
Sunday, October 20, 3pm
American Philosophical Society/Franklin Hall, 427 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia

Broken Branches is a most interesting (and fruitful) partnership of Grammy-winning tenor Karim Sulayman and renowned guitarist Sean Shibe. The concert features these two virtuosi performing music ranging from Dowland and Purcell to Takemitsu and Britten, along with traditional songs from the Middle East. Both artists were raised in the West but have roots in the East (Lebanon and Japan), and the concert repertoire reflects their cross-over identities. The performance will be live-streamed, and it’s also available to see online (free but with requested donation) through Wednesday.

Concerts at the College: Music of Dvořák and Mendelssohn
Monday, October 21, 6:30pm
College of Physicians and Surgeons, 19 South 22nd Street, Philadelphia

This is a long-running series of intimate performances at the College of Physicians (home of the Mutter Museum) that features musicians of the Philadelphia Orchestra playing chamber repertoire. Opening the four-concert season are two great works—Antonín Dvořák’s Quintet in E-flat (called “The American”) and Mendelssohn’s Viola Quintet in B-flat. They will be played by orchestra violinists William Polk and Marc Rovetti, Kerri Ryan and Burchard Tang (violas), and cellist Priscilla Lee. The evening also includes a post-concert reception.

Jasper Chamber Concerts: Jasper String Quartet
Thursday, October 24, 7:30pm
Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting, 20 East Mermaid Lane, Philadelphia

Formed at Oberlin in 2006, the Jasper String Quartet (named after Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada) features J Freivogel and Karen Kim (violins), Andrew Gonzalez (viola), and Rachel Henderson Freivogel (cello). Now in its ninth year, their chamber series season opener features Duo No. 1 for Viola and cello by Roman Haas; Gabriella Smith’s Carrot Revolution; Saeya, Saeya, Parang Saeya by Jungyoon Wie; and Dvořák’s String Quartet No. 15 in A-flat. All four concerts this season are presented in the Chestnut Hill Friends Meetinghouse, a building that features one of the famous “Skyspaces” by light artist James Turrell. Concerts are free, but there is a suggested donation.