Choices for October 10, 2017

It is beginning to emerge that the need to make choices will occur on days other than the weekend. Readers should thus be prepared for subsequent articles with the above title as the generic format. Sometimes, as in the current case, these will involve fewer choices than are encountered on weekends. Nevertheless, it is important to know that there are options and what those options are. Specifics for this coming Tuesday, October 10 are as follows:

7:30 p.m., Episcopal Church of the Incarnation: About two weeks ago, there was a last-minute announcement of an addition to the Sunset Music | Arts Chamber Ensemble Series for this year. It turns out that there will be two additional concerts taking place prior to the last program on the initially announced schedule, and details about another concert, not originally given, now exist. Those details involve a concert taking place on October 10, which will see the return of the Rimsky-Korsakov String Quartet. This group is based in Saint Petersburg, and its members are violinists Mikhail Bondarev and Ekaterina Belisova, violist Alexei Popov, and cellist Anton Andreev. All four players are graduates of the Saint Petersburg Conservatory.

The only Russian composer to be represented at this recital will be Alexander Gretchaninov with a performance of his Opus 124 (fourth) quartet in F major. The program will begin with Joseph Haydn’s Hoboken III/75 in G major, the first of his quartets published in his Opus 76 collection. This will be followed by Gabriel Fauré’s Opus 61 song cycle, La Bonne Chanson. He originally composed this for voice and piano but subsequently added strings to the accompaniment. The vocalist will be mezzo Sally Porter Munro with Robert Schwartz at the piano.

The Episcopal Church of the Incarnation is located at 1750 29th Avenue, about halfway between Moraga Street and Noriega Street. Ticket prices are $20 for general admission with a $15 rate for students and seniors. Because the demand tends to be high, advance purchase is highly advised. Tickets may be purchased online through Eventbrite. Further information may be obtained by calling 415-564-2324.

The two additional concerts that have also been added to the series will both begin at 7:30 pm. at the same venue. Ticket prices are the same. Eventbrite hyperlinks will be attached to the dates for these two events as follows:

1. Saturday, October 14: The performers will be the duo of clarinetist Maksim Shtrykov and pianist Misuzu Tanaka. They will present both of the clarinet sonatas that Brahms wrote late in life and published in 1894 as his Opus 120, the first in F minor and the second in E-flat major. The program will begin with another later sonata, Camille Saint-Saëns’ Opus 167 in E-flat minor.
2. Friday, October 20: For those interested in “something completely different,” this will be a performance by the Emilio Solla Tango Trio. Solla leads the group from the piano, and the other members are Javier Sanchez on bandoneon and Pablo Aslan on bass. Solla will announce the selections during the performance.

As already announced, the series will conclude on Saturday, October 21, with a 4 p.m. performance by the San Francisco Munich Trio.

8 p.m., Nourse Theater: The other alternative for Tuesday, October 10, will be the next installment in the PBO SESSIONS series presented by the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra (PBO) & Chorale. This will be a follow-up event held in conjunction with the United States premiere of Sally Beamish’s full-length oratorio The Judas Passion, which PBO will be performing at Herbst Theatre this coming Friday (which happens to be tomorrow). As in the past, this will be an evening of music and discussion. The host will be KDFC’s Dianne Nicolini. The primary speaker will be PBO Waverley Fund Music Director Nicholas McGegan, and two composers will participate. Beamish will be joined by American composer and vocalist Caroline Shaw. The discussion will be moderated by KQED journalist Rachael Myrow. Music will be provided by several of the instrumentalists and choral singers who participated in The Judas Passion, along with the three vocal soloists, soprano Mary Bevan, tenor Brenden Gunnell, and bass-baritone Roderick Williams. Mezzo Avery Amereau will also perform.

Nourse Theater is located at 275 Hayes Street, across the street from Davies Symphony Hall, between Van Ness Avenue and Franklin Street. Seating will be general admission, and all tickets will be $25. Tickets may be purchased online in advance through a City Box Office event page. Those who wish further information may call 415-392-4400.