Choices for February 9, 2020

As of this writing, it looks like Sunday, February 9, will be the busy day during the second weekend of February (compared with Saturday on the first weekend). In this case the emphasis will be on chamber music, but from a variety of different points of view. Specifics are as follows:

[added 1/24, 9:20 a.m.:

2 p.m., Davies Symphony Hall: The last of the three performances of the Beethoven250 program prepared by Herbert Blomstedt for the San Francisco Symphony, described in the choices for February 7 and 8, will be presented.] 

3 p.m., Knuth Hall: InterMusic SF is probably best known for SF Music Day, which amounts to a “four-ring circus,” which usually consists of over seven hours of music being played by local talent in four different venues in the Veterans Building. February will see a similar showcase on a much shorter scale when the Morrison Chamber Music Center of the College of Liberal & Creative Arts at San Francisco State University (SFSU) will join forces with InterMusic SF to showcase three local chamber music groups. This will be the third of the six concerts being presented in the 64th season of the Morrison Artists Series.

Two of the groups had performed in last October’s SF Music Day. Brass Over Bridges is a brass quintet whose members are trumpeters Matt Ebisuzaki and Ari Micich, trombonists Esther Armendariz and Lucas Jensen, and Margarite Waddell on horn. Their repertoire includes imaginative arrangements, as well as music explicitly composed for their combination of instruments. The Alaya Project, on the other hand, calls itself “the essential bridge between the intricate Carnatic style of Indian classical music and contemporary jazz and funk.” It was conceived by Rohan Krishnamurthy, who is equally skilled in Indian percussion and jazz drumming. He is joined by Prasant Radhakrishnan on saxophone and Colin Hogan on keyboards (including the accordion). The third group is the Curium Trio of violinist Agnieszka Peszko, cellist Carlyn Kessler, and pianist Rachel Kim. Taking its name from Marie Curie, the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the only person to win the Nobel prize in two different scientific fields, the trio’s mission is to present the works of female composers.

[added 12/28, 2:55 p.m.:

The full program of compositions to be performed has now been released as follows:

Curium Trio:

• Amy Beach: Piano Trio, Opus 150
• Gemaine Tailleferre: Piano Trio, movements 3 and 4

Alaya Project:

• Rohan Kirhnamurthy: Change 5's
• Prasant Radhakrishnan: Turbulence/Transcendence
• Colin Hogan: New Neuvo
• Kirshnamurthy: Hybrid Drum Solo
• John Lennon/Paul McMartney: Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite

Brass Over Bridges:

• Marti Epstein: Five Chairs
• Reena Ismail: Khirkiyaan, movement 1: Tuttarana
• Johan Tower: Copperwave]

Knuth Hall is located in the Creative Arts Building. The performance will be preceded by a pre-concert talk beginning at 2 p.m. in the same venue. The building is a short walk from the SFSU Muni stop at the corner of 19th Avenue and Holloway Avenue. There is no charge for admission. However, it is usually the case that, three weeks prior to the event, the Web page for the concert will have a hyperlink through which tickets may be reserved. Readers are encouraged to check for that hyperlink.

3 p.m., Herbst Theatre: Chamber Music San Francisco will begin its 2020 season with a recital by the Apollon Musagète Quartet. This is an ensemble of Polish musicians, all of whom studied with members of the Alban Berg Quartet. The group is distinguished by the decision of the violinists and violist to perform standing, rather than seated. They will honor Ludwig van Beethoven’s anniversary year with a performance of the third of his Opus 18 quartets in the key of D major. This will be coupled with Joseph Haydn’s Hoboken III/63 quartet, also in D major, often known as the “Lark” quartet. The second half of the program will be devoted to Antonín Dvořák’s Opus 105 in A-flat major.

Herbst Theatre is located in the Veterans Building on the southwest corner of Van Ness Avenue and McAllister Street. Single tickets will be $48, but they will not go on sale until January 1. Since this is the first concert of the season, subscriptions are still on sale for both the full series of ten concerts and the miniseries option of four or more concerts. The price for the full series is $360. A single Web page has been created for all online ticket sales. One may also purchase subscriptions by calling 415-759-1756, rather than ordering online.

5 p.m., Noe Valley Ministry: LIEDER ALIVE! will present its 2020 gala benefit. This will be an early evening of food, wine, and music. The performers will be mezzo Kindra Scharich, pianist Jeff LaDeur, and the members of the Alexander String Quartet: violinists Zakarias Grafilo and Frederick Lifsitz, violist Paul Yarbrough, and cellist Sandy Wilson. LaDeur will accompany Scharich in a performance of songs selected from Franz Schubert’s D. 911 Winterreise song cycle. He will then join the Alexander players in a performance of Johannes Brahms’ Opus 34 quintet in F minor.

Following the concert, guests will be able to enjoy an enticing Alpine fondue prepared by LIEDER ALIVE! alumna Talia Trozzo. This will then be followed by the traditional winter galette provided by the Les Gourmands Bakery. In addition to the usual bubbly, guests may imbibe wine and/or schnapps.

The Noe Valley Ministry is located at 1021 Sanchez Street, between 23rd Street and Elizabeth Street. All tickets are being sold for $75. They may be purchased in advance through an Eventbrite event page.

[added 1/28, 3:55 p.m.:

5 p.m., Trinity+St. Peter's Episcopal Church: Chanticleer will celebrate Trinity Center for the Arts with a benefit performance of their signature Trade Winds program. This is the concert that basically provided the audience with a world tour through a cappella song. Trinity+St. Peter's Episcopal Church is located at 1620 Gough Street at the corner of Bush Street. Ticket prices are between $20 and $60. Tickets may be purchased online through a City Box Office event page.]