NY-based ensemble Desdemona sketches a brief history of the string quartet from the 1600s to 2021

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Join us for a performance of some of Desdemona’s favorite works for string quartet!

Program to include works by Henry Purcell, Ludwig van Beethoven, Du Yun, Finola Merivale, and Maria Kaoutzani. Admission is free for a limited in-person audience at Scholes Street and via YouTube livestream.

*Proof of vaccination required for in-person attendees*

Desdemona is an ensemble devoted to creating unique and inventive performances of repertoire spanning from the Renaissance to world premieres. They have been described by the New Yorker as an “excellent young quartet,” and as “fantastic,” by OperaWire. Fusing conservatory training with immersion in the New York experimental scene, Desdemona is known for expanding the sonic possibilities of traditional instrumentation with vocalization, improvisation, and mixed media.

This program is made possible by a City Artist Corps Grant, the New York Foundation for the Arts, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. Desdemona is a recipient of a Chamber Music America Ensemble Forward grant, made possible with generous support from the New York Community Trust.

RSVP here for in-person attendance: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/desdemona-ensemble-at-scholes-street-studio-tickets-168870559389?utm_source=eventbrite&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=post_publish&utm_content=shortLinkNewEmail

Four virtual performances taking place over two days showcase Evolution: Quartet 2021 participant quartets and composers. Programs offer a full spectrum of repertoire for string quartet from the baroque period to present day and feature world premier performances works created by participant composers.

This livestream performance will be broadcast specially for the Banff Centre community from Church of the Transfiguration, New York City.

How to Watch Details Coming Soon:

https://www.banffcentre.ca/events/evolution/desdemona/?utm_medium=social%20&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=2021-q1-events-evofest-desdemona&fbclid=IwAR1gY4MZx14HbktqV7tXroHSiOO7YUP0iAYeIVVShBQEFuTS87KRaFiniTg

5pm EDT

Desdemona Quartet

Adrianne Munden-Dixon, violin

Caroline Drexler, violin

Carrie Frey, viola

Julia Henderson, cello

Scholarship support generously provided by: Barbara and John Poole Memorial Endowment

Margaret Kogos, participant composer

Scholarship support generously provided by: Banff Centre Artist Award

Program

(Approx. 60 minutes. No intermission)

Momentum and Stasis

jaune doré | Maria Kaoutzani (b. 1993)

String Quartet No. 7 in F Major, Op. 59 No. 1 "Razumovsky" | Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

II. Allegretto vivace e sempre scherzando

Fantazia in F Major, Z. 737 | Henry Purcell (1659-1695)

Past, Present, in Future (2021)* | Margaret Kogos

Fantazia in A Minor, Z. 740 (June 23, 1680) | Henry Purcell

Tattooed in Snow (2014) | Du Yun (b. 1977)

Fantazia in C minor, Z. 738 (June 19, 1680) | Henry Purcell

Presented in partnership with Gotham Early Music Scene, New York City and the National Arts Centre

A Winter Spectacular with a little kick to it. 🌶 Come out for an evening of Yuletide Gaiety and new twists on Holiday Classics!

Celebrating the Advent Season at Taszo Espresso Bar with works by Carrie Frey, Anthony R. Green, Jo$h HEnderson, and more...!

Mezzo-Soprano Mikki Sodergren and Desdemona explore the romantic fascination with death and love through chamber works and art song. Performing rarely heard masterpieces such as Ottorino Respighi’s Il Tramonto and Ernest Chausson’s Chanson Perpetuelle alongside the Desdemona Quartet, Sodergren will weave stories into melody.

Ottorino Respighi: Il Tramonto

Ernest Chausson: Chanson Perpetuelle

Richard Strauss: Cäcilie & Morgen

Jules Massenet: Chanson Triste

Felix Mendelssohn: Quartet in E Minor, III. & IV.

$10 / Free under 18

Mezzo-Soprano Mikki Sodergren, Gold Medalist and Artistic Director of the American Traditions Vocal Competition, explores the romantic fascination with Death and Love through chamber works and art song. Performing rarely heard masterpieces such as Ottorino Respighi’s Il Tramonto and Ernest Chausson’s Chanson Perpetuelle alongside the Desdemona Quartet, Sodergren will weave stories into melody.

Ottorino Respighi: Il Tramonto

Ernest Chausson: Chanson Perpetuelle

Richard Strauss: Cäcilie

Felix Mendelssohn: Quartet in E Minor, III. & IV.

Larsen Musician Spotlight Series

The Savannah Philharmonic is proud to announce the second season of the Larsen Musician Spotlight Series. The popular series, which is part of the Philharmonic Experience subscription package, consists of six Sunday afternoon concerts arranged throughout the eleventh season and will launch on Sunday, September 15. The series, in its evolution, will feature collaborative initiatives between our own Philharmonic musicians and premier institutions and artists from Savannah and beyond.

Every concert will present a different perspective of the Savannah Philharmonic’s involvement in the community and its mission to provide residents, as well as visitors, with the opportunity to attend chamber concerts of the highest artistic order.

Major components of our upcoming season will include educational and community outreach efforts with students from Savannah Arts Academy, bringing in premier and established ensembles such as Blue Heron and ARCO Chamber Orchestra (University of Georgia), and commissioning a piece from Georgia Southern University composer and faculty member Dr. Martin Gendelman.

Join us for our Sunday afternoon chamber concerts. Purchase all six concerts for a 20% discount.

Student Larsen Musician Spotlight Series includes all six Spotlight concerts at a 50% discount. Max two per person with a valid student ID.

Desdemona performs a spooky recital as Guest Artist at the SC Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities (Carrie’s alma mater!)

Marcos Balter: Vision Mantra (2009)

Beethoven: String Trio Op. 9 No. 1 in G Major

Henry Purcell: Fantasias a3, Z. 732-734

Sofia Gubaidulina: String Trio (1989)

Desdemona and Adam Holmes team up for an evening of string trio and percussion, featuring video projections, a world premiere, and disturbing questions about capitalism and climate change.

The concert will include a new work by Adam Holmes, David Bird’s "Thresholds," Marcos Balter’s “Vision Mantra,” and Sofia Gubaidulina’s String Trio.

Doors open 7pm, Concert 7:30pm.

Peter Kramer: de fortune (2019)

Finola Merivale: Do You Hear Me Now? (2018) *partial premiere

Anthony Green: Collide-oscope II (2016)

Gemma Peacocke: In a Snowstorm of Moths

Saturday, December 22 at 7:30 pm

Come to the Second Story to experience the New York City-based Desdemona String Trio.

Join us in yuletide gaiety with trios by Beethoven, Kurtag, and reimagined Christmas tunes by Josh Henderson and Daniel Silliman! Artwork by our very own Julia Henderson.

Purchase $20 tickets in advance at the bookstore or by calling 904-601-2118.

Violinist Adrianne Munden-Dixon is a current member of the Savannah Philharmonic. The Larchmont Music Academy faculty member enjoys playing anywhere from cafes to Carnegie Hall. 

Violist Carrie Frey is a regular performer with New York’s Petros Klampanis Group and Wet Ink Large Ensemble. She has performed in Switzerland, Japan, and more as an orchestra member.

Cellist Julia Henderson performs with a variety of musicians as a freelancer and teacher. Her gigs have taken her to The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, Montserrat Music Festival in the Caribbean, and festivals in Colorado, Wisconsin, and beyond.

St Luke’s Lutheran

7 pm

Join us in southern yuletide gaiety with trios by Beethoven, Kurtag, and reimagined Christmas tunes by Josh Henderson and Daniel Silliman! Reception to follow catered by the culinary geniuses at Joe's Homemade Cafe, Bakery & Catering! Artwork by our very own Julia Cassio Henderson!

Suggested donation: $10

We’re bringing saxy back on Sunday October 28th with#saxophone quintets by Busch and Finzi! We’re so excited to collaborate with the Classical Saxophone Project and play with the incredible Javier Oviedo. If you missed our shows last week, you have another chance to catch quartets by Kinds of Kings composers Susanna Hancock, Maria Kaoutzani, and Emma O’Halloran. Hope to see you at Greenwich House at 4:30! 🎷🎻🎻🎻🎻

Please join us for the Kinds of Kings Composer Collective's New York premiere concert! The wonderful Desdemona will perform string quartets by all six of us.

For this, our first New York concert, we want to share subjects that are close to our hearts, just like we do with each other. This program reflects on themes of mortality, place, race in America, and of the marginalization of women throughout history.

Pieces:

Platforms by Susanna Hancock
Dying is a Wild Night by Emma O'Halloran
SAY by Shelley Washington
The Language of Mountains is Rain by Finola Merivale
jaune doré by Maria Kaoutzani
Erasure by Gemma Peacocke


Strings played by:

Adrianne Munden-Dixon, violin
Caroline Drexler, violin
Carrie Frey, viola
Julia Henderson, cello

Tickets $15 / $10 (general / students & seniors)

KINDS OF STRINGS

a collaboration between composer collective Kinds of Kings and Desdemona, as part of Molly Joyce’s Light series

Monday, October 15, 2018
1 Rivington Street / 2nd Floor (Buzzer #1) / New York, NY
7:00pm

This program reflects on themes of mortality, place, race in America, and of the marginalization of women throughout history.

Pieces:

Platforms by Susanna Hancock
Dying is a Wild Night by Emma O'Halloran
SAY by Shelley Washington
The Language of Mountains is Rain by Finola Merivale
jaune doré by Maria Kaoutzani
Erasure by Gemma Peacocke


Strings played by:

Adrianne Munden-Dixon, violin
Caroline Drexler, violin
Carrie Frey, viola
Julia Henderson, cello

Tickets $15 / $10 (general / students & seniors)

Desdemona members Rita Rovenskaya, Carrie Frey, and Julia Henderson are joined by the fabulous Josh Henderson for an evening at Cornelia Street Cafe!

Come hear Beethoven, A major Cello Sonata; Schnittke, Musica Nostalgica; Schubert, Nocturne for piano trio; and Caroline Shaw, Limestone and Felt.

$10 cover plus $10 drinks. Join us for some delicious drinks and lovely music!!

Join us at The Rat on Bull for oboe quartets by Mozart and Benjamin Britten featuring Savannah Philharmonic musicians Andrew Ripley and Adrianne Munden-Dixon. Check out locally-made art, clothing, and home products while enjoying refreshments by Savannah's own Joe's Homemade Cafe. Admission is suggested donation of $10 and all are welcome regardless of ability to pay!

Andrew Ripley, oboe

Adrianne Munden-Dixon, violin

Carrie Frey, viola

Julia Henderson, cello

Benjamin Britten: Phantasy

W. A. Mozart: Oboe Quartet in F Major

Witold Lutoslawski: Bucolics

Caroline Shaw: Limestone & Felt

Matthew Frey: Pulling Anchor (2013)