Chamber Music Charleston 2019-2020 Concert Season Features Exceptional Guest Artists and New Venues

Press Release

Provided

Chamber Music Charleston (CMC) opens the 2019-2020 season on September 15th with a series of house concerts in Downtown Charleston, Kiawah Island and Seabrook Island. Once the music begins, the season continues with an array of performances in familiar venues such as the Dock Street Theatre and the Charleston Museum Auditorium in addition to debut performances at Drayton Hall and South Carolina Society Hall. An exciting roster of guest musicians from around the globe will join the local performers of CMC, culminating in a performance by legendary violinist Midori in March 2020.

The Dock Street Theatre and Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Paul will host performances of the Ovation Concert Series with guest violinists Amy Schwartz Moretti, Alejandro Bustamante and Anthea Kreston, guest clarinetist Daniel Broncano, guest cellist Jason Duckles and guest pianists Andrew Armstrong and Mario Mora.

Regarded as one of the most historic and beautiful buildings in the nation, South Carolina Society Hall has become the home of Chamber Music Charleston’s newest concert series. The “Salon Series” harkens back to the 18th and 19th century European Salons, social gatherings filled with music, literature and art. Our series opens with violinists Jenny Weiss and Lydia Chernicoff, violist Ben Weiss, cellist Timothy O’Malley, bassist Jean Williams and bassoonist Sandra Nikolajevs bringing to life a program of music inspired by autumn. The delightful Sunday afternoon concerts will be followed by a reception including specially crafted punch, tea sandwiches and sweets.

A brand new collaboration will bring musicians of Chamber Music Charleston to the McDaniel Pavilion on the grounds of Drayton Hall to offers guests a new opportunity to see one of Charleston’s premiere musical institutions perform at one of Charleston’s most important historic estates.

On Tuesday, March 24, 2020 Chamber Music Charleston presents legendary concert violinist Midori in a solo recital at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church. We invite you to join us for this extraordinary opportunity to hear one of the biggest names in classical music perform in Charleston. The concert will be followed by an exclusive post-concert reception where guests will have the opportunity to meet Midori in the elegant Colonial Ballroom of the Francis Marion Hotel, just steps away from the church.

At the conclusion of the season, in May 2020, musicians of Chamber Music Charleston will return to the Musica en Segura Festival as special guest artists in residence.

The 2019-2020 season marks CMC’s Thirteenth year presenting exceptional chamber music throughout Charleston and the Lowcountry. Tickets and more information about individual concerts are available online at chambermusiccharleston.org or by calling 843-763-4941.

CHAMBER MUSIC CHARLESTON 2019-2020 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

An Evening with Midori:

Legendary concert violinist Midori performs a special recital to benefit Chamber Music Charleston on Tuesday, March 24, 2020 at 7:30pm at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church.

Ovation Concert Series:

Large scale performances showcasing masterworks from the chamber music repertoire performed by nationally recognized guest artists and CMC’s exceptional local musicians.

• Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019 AT 7:30 pm. Guest Pianist Andrew Armstrong and violinist Amy Schwartz Moretti join the strings of CMC at the Dock Street Theatre for Mozart’s Piano Quartet No . 1 in g minor, KV 478 and Dvorak’s Piano Quintet No. 2 in A Major, Op. 81
• Sunday, January 12, 2020 at 3 pm. Musicians from the Musica en Seugra Festival join musicians of CMC at the Dock Street Theatre for John Williams Air and Simple Gifts, Mozart’s “Kegelstatt” piano trio and Turina’s Piano Quartet in a minor, Op. 67
• Sunday, March 8, 2020 at 3 pm. Guest violinist Anthea Kreston and cellist Jason Duckles join the strings of CMC at the Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Paul for Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 7 and Tchaikovsky’s “Souvenir de Florence”

The Salon Series:

Spend a delightful Sunday afternoon enjoying a performance of light classical music paired with innovative arrangements of rock and popular music. Each hour-long program concludes with a light post-concert reception featuring a specially crafted punch, tea sandwiches and sweets. All performances take place at South Carolina Society Hall.

• • Sunday, October 13, 2019 at 3 pm. Vivaldi’s Concerto in G Major for Bassoon and Strings and Tchaikovsky’s String Quartet No. 1 is paired with arrangements of well-loved Broadway tunes.
  • Sunday, December 15, 2019 at 3 pm. CMC presents “A Classical Christmas” with holiday inspired chamber music and a rousing “Messiah Sing Along” with audience participation.
  • Sunday, April 26, 2020 at 3 pm. CMC brings their popular “Rock and Rondo Redux” to SC Society Hall in a program that combines Haydn’s String Quartet in B flat Major, Op. 76, No. 5 with music of the Beatles and Beach Boys.

Chamber Music Charleston at Drayton Hall:

Saturday, November 9th is going to be a magical evening of music in Drayton Hall’s beautiful McDaniel Pavilion! Join us from 6 to 8 pm for a performance by Chamber Music Charleston accompanied by a light reception. Chamber Music Charleston will present “A Little Night Music,” an hour long program of music for flute and string quartet which will include Mozart’s “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” and Arthur Foote’s’ “A Little Night Piece”. Drayton Hall – a Charleston, SC plantation house museum – is the oldest Palladian home in North America c.1738 and the oldest unrestored plantation home open to the public in the United States. Set on 125 acres next to Charleston’s scenic Ashley River, attending an event on the estate offers guests a new opportunity to see one of Charleston’s premiere musical institutions perform at one of Charleston’s most important historic estates. Not to be missed.

• Saturday, November 9, 2019 at 6 pm. Mozart “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” and Arthur Foote “A Little Night Piece” with violinists Frances Hsieh and Jenny Weiss, violist Ben Weiss, cellist Timothy O’Malley and flutist Regina Helcher Yost.

House Concert Series:

Intimate performances of chamber music in some of the most distinctive homes of Downtown Charleston, Kiawah Island, Seabrook Island and Bishop Gadsden. Each hour long performance is followed by a light wine and cheese reception, providing the opportunity to meet the performing musicians and fellow audience members. CMC presents over 25 House Concerts throughout the season. Please visit chambermusiccharleston.org for the schedule.

Edisto Island Concert Series at The Presbyterian Church on Edisto on Sundays at 3 pm, October 6, 2019; February 2, 2020; April 19, 2020.

ABOUT CHAMBER MUSIC CHARLESTON

Chamber Music Charleston (CMC) was founded in 2006 to enhance the quality of life in the Greater Charleston area through the performance, cultivation and promotion of classical chamber music of high artistic quality by musicians of the Lowcountry.

CMC began with a 5-member advisory board and 13 core musicians who performed throughout the initial season, presenting 15 concerts. The majority of the performances were “House Concerts,” intimate evenings of chamber music in private homes of downtown Charleston and Kiawah Island.

Over the years CMC began presenting more concerts to meet the demand for their unique, informative, engaging presentations. During the first five years the organization added performances in churches, schools and art galleries in addition to special performances for the Piccolo Spoleto Festival, Happy New Year Charleston, MOJA Festival and North Charleston Arts Festival. In 2010 CMC launched the first Mozart in the South Festival including the Little Mozart Circus; in 2011 the ambitions Ovation Concert Series started, with performances at Memminger Auditorium, Sottile Theatre and most recently the Dock Street Theatre; in May 2013 CMC made their New York City Debut Performance at the historic Carnegie Hall, with a return performance in May 2017. In its most recent season, CMC gave 65 performances and entertained over 7,780 audience members.