Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Announces 2022-2023 New York Concert Season

The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center has announced its 2022-23 season with a wide range of repertoire performed by its international, intergenerational roster of world-renowned artists. Following three Summer Evenings concerts in July, the main 2022-23 season in New York begins on October 16, 2022 and runs through May 7, 2023, with performances in Alice Tully Hall, the Rose Studio and the Kaplan Penthouse. More than 60 additional concerts are scheduled for national and international touring and annual residencies. Among the season's other offerings are a variety of lectures, concerts for young listeners, and master classes, plus digital encores of concerts in Alice Tully Hall and free, livestreamed concerts from the Rose Studio.

"We look forward to concerts at Alice Tully Hall, and in more intimate spaces, the Rose Studio and Kaplan Penthouse, which are perfect places for chamber music," said Wu Han, CMS Co-Artistic Director. "They are ideal for an innovative evening of new works by young composers, an artist-driven recital with personally chosen repertoire or a late-evening concert with old favorites and new discoveries."

Across 41 concerts this season, CMS invites audiences to discover works of music-from the 1700s to the present moment-that are completely new to CMS, like Vivaldi's Sonata in A major for Violin and Continuo and world premieres by Zosha di Castri or James Lee III. CMS programs explore music by composers, like Korngold and Price, whose work deserves to be heard more often, and revisits masterpieces by iconic composers like Mozart, Schubert and Beethoven in configurations that allow audiences to hear them anew.

"One of the highlights this season at CMS is our Winter Festival, The Magic of Schubert," said David Finckel, CMS Co-Artistic Director. "Schubert's indomitable spirit and creative activity were undeterred by the illness that cut his life short. He showed tremendous resilience, like so many artists and composers who have overcome tremendous obstacles, to create compelling, beautiful, sometimes groundbreaking music."

All concerts presented by CMS will adhere to strict safety guidelines that are informed by NY State, CDC, and other public health recommendations applicable at the time of the concerts.

World Premieres & CMS Commissions

CMS is proud to present new commissions and premieres by contemporary composers throughout the season. CMS Commisions indicated with an (*).

*New York-based Canadian composer Zosha Di Castri (The New Yorker called her a "composer of riotously inventive works") premieres a new work for clarinet, violin, cello, and piano on December 8.
*A new work by Julia Adolphe, a rising star in a new generation of composers, premieres a new work for piano, violin and cello on February 23.
*Eric Nathan's new work for solo piano by is performed by Gilbert Kalish on March 30.
Ekah for Cello and Piano by James Lee III was recorded by Inbal Segev on her CD "20 for 2020 Volume I," and is performed in public for the first time, with cellist Inbal Segev and Sarajevo-born pianist Pedja Muzijevic on April 6. (Not a CMS commission.)
New Milestones

CMS's series devoted to the work of living composers, presents four concerts featuring work by 20 composers from diverse backgrounds and cultures. The composers are both up-and-coming and established, and some-better known abroad than in the U.S.-deserve greater exposure here.

Composers featured in New Milestones include Julia Adolphe, Christopher Cerrone, Andrea Clearfield, Mario Diaz De Leon, Zosha Di Castri, Reena Esmail, Philippe Hurel, Hannah Kendall, James Lee III, Liza Lim, Misato Mochizuki, Shawn E. Okpebholo, Gabriela Ortiz, Gity Razaz, Ned Rorem, Carlos Sánchez- Guttiérez, Igor Santos and Chen Yi.

Elise L. Stoeger Prize

As part of its long history of supporting living composers, the Elise L. Stoeger Prize, a $25,000 cash prize, is awarded biennially by CMS to recognize significant contributions to the field of chamber music composition. CMS is thrilled to announce that this year's Stoeger Prize has been awarded to David Serkin Ludwig. Named one of the world's "Top 100 Composers Under Forty" by NPR, his numerous chamber music works-for small ensembles and solo artists-already represent an important addition to contemporary chamber music literature. As the recently appointed Dean and Director of the Juilliard School music division, he is also engaged in actively shaping and mentoring the next generation of performers and composers.

"Wu Han and I are delighted to recognize David Serkin Ludwig's imaginative voice and significant contribution to the chamber music repertoire," said CMS Artistic Directors Wu Han and David Finckel. "The jury was impressed with his work, describing it as having impeccable craft and excellent musicianship. It is a privilege to add David to this group of esteemed composers. And we can't wait to hear his work performed at CMS next season!"

"Winning the Stoeger Prize is an incredible honor for me, as a composer passionate about writing chamber music and as a recently repatriated New Yorker," said David Serkin Ludwig. "The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center engages many of the most outstanding musicians in the world, and for these performers to play my music is a dream. I couldn't be more grateful for this recognition and wish to thank CMS profoundly for this honor."

A work by Ludwig will be performed as part of CMS's New Milestones series on February 23.

Emerson String Quartet

CMS is proud to present the legendary Emerson String Quartet in its final New York concert series, performing the repertoire for which it is most famous. Over three concerts, The Emerson traverses some of the greatest quartets in the classical canon, from the 17th to the 20th centuries, to trace the evolution of the string quartet and provide audiences the opportunity to hear how these composers and their seminal work were inspired by those who came before them and influenced those who followed.

On April 23, the Quartet performs Purcell's Chacony (arr. Britten), Mozart's D minor Quartet, Haydn's G major Quartet and Beethoven's "Razumovsky" Op. 59, No. 2. On April 30, the program is Mendelssohn's E-flat major, Brahms' B-flat major and Dvořák A-flat major quartets. And on May 7, the series concludes in the 20th century with Ravel's F major Quartet, Bartók's Quartet No. 2, Webern's Fünf Sätze and Shostakovich's Quartet No. 12 in D-flat major.

The Emerson's series at CMS also provides touchpoints that sketch out the 47-year history of "America's greatest quartet," as dubbed by Time magazine; their influential and award-winning recordings with David Finckel, who was the quartet's cellist from 1979 to 2013, are well represented. The Emerson's collection of nine Grammy Awards include their historic recording of the complete Bartók quartets; Beethoven (1997); Mendelssohn (2005); and Shostakovich (2000).

The final concert goes back to the Quartet's very earliest days. "The very first piece that Phil Setzer and I ever played, in the student group that was to become the Emerson Quartet, was Bartók's Second," recalled violinist Eugene Drucker, "and we've been playing the Ravel, Webern and Beethoven Quartets since our first or second year as a professional group." And Purcell's Chacony, which opens the series, is one of the first pieces the group recorded with Paul Watkins, who joined the Emerson in 2013.

International String Quartets

CMS's celebration of the Emersons is complemented by a series of five of the finest string quartets performing today, along with guest artists who join them for a variety of quintets.

The Danish String Quartet's stunning, sold-out Beethoven cycle at CMS in February 2020 was included in The New York Times' best classical concerts of the year. On October 18, they return to CMS with a program that begins with Mozart's Divertimento in F, a short but masterful diversion. "Mozart's genius is bubbling up everywhere," says DSQ violist Asbjørn Nørgaard. "Every bar is a little revelation." This is followed by a more contemporary set of Divertimenti by Britten written in 1936. The Quartet returns to Mozart for one of the pillars of the string quartet canon, his Quartet in E-flat major, and concludes with Schumann's third string quartet. The Danish String Quartet are alumni of CMS's Bowers Program.

On January 17, the Dover Quartet, a young ensemble whose members "have it in them to become the next Guarneri [Quartet]" (Chicago Tribune), performs a program that includes Amy Beach's single-movement quartet (which was unpublished during her lifetime and only relatively recently discovered). The Quartet is joined by double-bassist and composer Edgar Meyer to performs Meyer's own Quintet.

On January 24, CMS welcomes the Escher String Quartet in an all-Schubert program as part of CMS's Winter Festival, The Magic of Schubert. The Escher was one of the first ensembles to participate in what is now the CMS Bowers Program for extraordinary emerging artists, and presented a memorable evening with Zemlinsky's four quartets at CMS in 2015.

The Orion String Quartet is joined by violist Cynthia Phelps on November 20 for two quintets, by Purcell and Mozart, and performs quartets by Bach and Bartók. The Orion returns on January 22 as part of The Magic of Schubert, performing Beethoven's Quartet in F major on a program that also includes Schubert's Winterreise, with pianist Wu Han and baritone Nikolay Borchev.

The Calidore String Quartet is a highly acclaimed, award-winning young ensemble that participated in CMS's Bowers Program, and appears July 10 as part of Summer Evenings. On the program is Haydn's Quartet in C major for Strings and Brahms' Quartet in B-flat major. Pianist Wu Qian joins them for Mendelssohn's Quartet in B minor for Piano, Violin, Viola, and Cello.

The CMS Winter Festival: The Magic of Schubert
January 22, 24 & 29 and February 3 and 10

"Like a shooting star, Franz Schubert blazed across music's sky for a brief 31 years, leaving behind over 1,000 works that transformed the Classical into the Romantic age," said CMS Artistic Director David Finckel. In this year's Winter Festival, CMS offers four programs spanning Schubert's creative career; a fifth concert explores the legacy of Schubert and how composers have been inspired by his compositions in the two centuries that followed his death in 1828.

On January 22, CMS Artistic Director and pianist Wu Han joins baritone Nikolay Borchev for Schubert's indispensable song cycle Winterreise, and the Orion String Quartet performs Beethoven's Quartet in F major. January 24 features the Escher Quartet with Schubert's Quartettsatz in C minor and Quartet in G major; pianist Gilbert Kalish performs the Sonata in B-flat major for Piano, D. 960. The program on January 29 and 31 presents four of Schubert's virtuoso works: Adagio and Rondo concertante in F major for Piano, Violin, Viola and Cello; "Lebensstürme" for Piano, Four Hands; the Fantasy in C major for Violin and Piano; and Schubert's Trio No. 1 in B-flat major for Piano, Violin, and Cello.

On February 3, the concert explores the influence of Schubert's art songs on subsequent generations of composers, including both vocal and instrumental compositions. The acclaimed Metropolitan Opera mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano performs selections from Previn's Vocalise and Mahler's Rückert-Lieder. The instrumental repertoire includes Fritz Kreisler's transcription of Schubert's Ballet Music No. 2 for Violin and Piano from Rosamunde, Fürstin von Zypern, D. 797, Mendelssohn's Songs without Words for Piano, Liszt's "Die Forelle," from Six Melodies of Franz Schubert for Piano; and Ernst's Grand Caprice on Schubert's "Erlkönig" for Violin.

The Magic of Schubert culminates on February 10, beginning with soprano Joélle Harvey singing three of Schubert's vocal pieces, including "Der Hirt auf dem Felsen" (The Shepherd on the Rock), D. 965, Op. 129, followed by a quartet of CMS musicians performing Schubert's Five German Dances (a work new to CMS) and coming to a triumphant conclusion with Schubert's grandest chamber work, the six-movement Octet in F major for Winds and Strings.

Baroque Festival at CMS in December

Handel and Vivaldi shared an astounding 56 years of life on earth, separated by some 950 miles between London and Venice respectively, but never met. Handel was Beethoven's favorite composer, while Vivaldi captivated Bach. On December 4 & 6, CMS pairs works by these Baroque masters, including six 18th-century works new to CMS. Vocal works by both composers are brought to life by the countertenor and creative force Anthony Roth Costanzo, making his CMS debut. A complete program and list of artists is in the chronological list of concerts below.

On December 11, the annual Bach program takes a deep dive into the composer's Sonatas with the first-ever CMS pairing of his sonatas for violin and viola da gamba-played on cello-with keyboard. These extraordinary works-delving into every conceivable possibility for variety of texture and form-were forerunners of the great sonatas of Mozart and Beethoven.

And on December 16, 18, and 20, CMS welcomes the holiday season with the 29th annual presentation of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos.

Unusual Combinations, Thematic Concerts and Rarely-Heard Repertoire

Throughout the season, CMS offers concerts that explore the chamber music repertoire through unusual pairings, compelling repertoire that should be heard more often, and work by the major composers in the chamber music literature performed by exceptional chamber music artists.

Opening night on October 16 presents Soloists in the Spotlight, with works that unabashedly celebrate the virtuoso techniques of CMS artists, including Schubert's Rondo in A Major and Halvorsen's Passacaglia (after Handel). With Michael Brown, Piano; Kristin Lee, Richard Lin, James Thompson, Violin; Matthew Lipman, Viola; Mihai Marica, Cello; and Joseph Conyers, Double Bass.
On October 30, American Visitors is a program of music by visitors from abroad: Sonatina in G major from the Bohemian Antonin Dvořák; Quintet in G minor from the English composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor; and Rêve d'enfant from the Belgian composer and violinist Eugène Ysaÿe.

On November 13, pianist Anne Marie McDermott and violinist Paul Huang offer a recital of music by Pärt, Prokofiev and Mozart, along with Corigliano's 1963 Sonata for Violin and Piano, which is new to CMS.

On November 15, Beethoven to Beach begins with Beethoven, continues with Schumann and Schulhoff and concludes with Amy Beach, an evening that traverses the evolution of chamber music from 1803-1925.

On March 17, Voices of the Americas offers music by both North and South American composers: Copland, Bernstein, Gershwin, Golijov, Villa-Lobos, Ginastera, and León.
On March 19, the internationally renowned American violinist Pamela Frank makes a long-awaited return to the CMS stage for a unique concert of trios for two violins and viola. To create this unusual ensemble, she is joined by longtime colleagues violinist Arnaud Sussmann and violist Paul Neubauer. The five trios on the program come from Bohemia, Belgium, Hungary, and Russia, and include two works new to CMS-Ysaÿe's Trio de Concert and Taneyev's Trio in D Major-along with Kodály's Serenade and Dvořák's Terzetto.

On April 2, the award-winning Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio, which made its debut in 1977 at President Jimmy Carter's inauguration and retains all its founding members, has set the standard for performances of the piano trio literature. Their CMS performance is wide-ranging, from Zwilich's Abgang and Kaddish (composed for them), with David Shifrin on clarinet, to Beethoven's timeless "Archduke" Trio, and more.

Two concerts consider Brahms (1833-1897) and his Viennese style alongside two next-generation composers: the Russian composer Anton Arensky (1861-1906) and the Hungarian Ern?' Dohnányi (1877-1960). On March 28, the program juxtaposes the composers' work in both popular and formal idioms. Arensky's Miniatures for Children and Brahms's Hungarian Dances are both crowd-pleasers, while their two piano trios reveal the composers' depth and mastery as mature artists. The concert on May 2 explores the interplay of winds and strings, first in two piano trios by Brahms that pair clarinet with cello and horn with violin. Bringing the concert to a rousing conclusion is Dohnányi's masterful 1935 Sextet-his last piece of chamber music-for the unusual ensemble of clarinet, horn, piano, violin, viola and cello.

On April 21, CMS presents Winds of Change, with two superb nonets for strings and winds, one by Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů and the other by Germany's Ludwig Spohr, a great violinist as well as a prolific chamber music composer. They are complemented by a sextet by Ludwig Thuille, known primarily for his operas, but whose chamber music is now making a well-deserved comeback.

Summer Evenings, July 2022

Before the fall season begins, CMS returns to Alice Tully Hall this July to present its seventh season of Summer Evenings on July 6, 10, and 13. Concerts feature artists from the acclaimed CMS roster in programs of chamber music masterworks. This year, CMS offers 100 free tickets to the public via lottery; the remaining tickets are just $20. Details of the lottery will be available later this spring. Following each performance, the entire audience is invited to a free wine reception with the artists in the lobby.

"With free and accessibly-priced tickets, CMS is delighted to transform our Summer Evenings celebration into an opportunity to include everyone in the opportunity to hear great music performed by extraordinary musicians from around the world, in the perfect acoustics and air-conditioned comfort of Alice Tully Hall, leaving the bugs, the sirens, and the heat outdoors," said CMS executive director Suzanne Davidson.

Children's and Family Concert Series

Meet the Music! Concerts, with Inspector Pulse (aka composer and radio personality Bruce Adolphe) return to Alice Tully Hall for kids ages 6 & up and their families. Each program is preceded by a pre-event instrument "petting zoo." Sundays, October 23, March 12 and April 16 at 2:00 pm.

CMS Kids offers relaxed performances in the Rose Studio and online, curated for ages 3-6. Featuring host Rami Vamos and CMS Artists, each CMS Kids program is an inclusive concert experience adapted for neurodiverse audiences, including children with autism or other special needs. These performances are presented in a judgment-free environment, and are less formal and more supportive of sensory, communication, movement, and learning needs. This season, we explore the theme of identity through the music of Antonin Dvořák. Sundays, October 2, March 26 and May 21 at 11:00 am, 1:00 and 3:00 pm.

Inside Chamber Music

Distinguished composer and radio personality Bruce Adolphe provides insights into masterworks performed during the season. Each lecture includes live performance excerpts from the featured work.

All programs and artists are subject to change.

https://www.chambermusicsociety.org/