The Springfield Chamber Players Clarinet Quintet Opens 2024-25 Season at 52 Sumner Next Month

The Springfield Chamber Players will launch its 2024-25 season with a performance by the Springfield Chamber Players Clarinet Quintet. The first of a six-concert series will be on Saturday, October 26, at 8:00 PM at 52 Sumner. Springfield's newest performance venue is on the corner of Sumner Avenue at Fort Pleasant Avenue in Springfield, MA.

The musicians of the Springfield Chamber Players Clarinet Quintet include: Christopher Cullen, clarinet; violinists Masako Yanagita and Miho Matsuno; violist Ellen Gronningen;  and cellist Patricia Edens. 

The program features: Six Studies in English Folk Song by Ralph Vaughan Williams; two movements from Alexander Borodin's String Quartet in D Major; selections from Paul Chihara's (Duke) Ellington Fantasy; and Souvenirs de Voyage by Academy Award-winning film composer Bernard Herrmann. 

Christopher Cullen, clarinetist, appears frequently with the New Jersey Symphony, the American Symphony Orchestra, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, and the Harrisburg Symphony. He is principal clarinet of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, and was formerly principal clarinetist with the New York City Opera National Company, the Berkshire Opera Orchestra, and acting principal with the Mississippi Symphony. Other appearances include the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, the Orchestra of St. Luke's, and the American Ballet Theatre. Mr. Cullen was a member of the orchestra for Lincoln Center's production of The King and I, and has performed on many other Broadway productions over the past fifteen years. He holds Master's degrees from the New England Conservatory and Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. Mr. Cullen resides in New Jersey with his wife Lisa and their two daughters.

Masako Yanagita, violinist, has been Concertmaster of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra for over 40 years. Winner of top honors in international competitions, including the Paganini (Genoa), the Carl Flesch (London), and the Munich International, Ms. Yanagita has performed throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. She has been a member, as well as a guest performer, of numerous chamber music groups.  Ms. Yanagita began her violin studies in Japan, and came to the United States on Fulbright and J.D Rockefeller III grants to study with William Kroll at the Mannes College of Music. Currently, she serves as Concertmaster of the Queens (NY) Symphony Orchestra, Co-Music Director of the Mohawk Trail Concerts, and a faculty member at Greenwood Music Camp and Chamber Music Conference in Bennington. Ms. Yanagita resides in both New York City and Charlemont, MA.

Miho Matsuno, violinist, has been a member of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra since 1992, and has performed extensively throughout the U.S. and abroad. She has performed at major concert venues in and around New York City, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Merkin Hall, Town Hall, Radio City Music Hall, and Broadway theaters. Ms. Matsuno was a violin instructor and chamber music coach for 20 years at the Kaufman Music Center in New York City. Ms. Matsuno received her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from the Juilliard School under the tutelage of Christine Dethier and Joseph Fuchs. She also attended Mount Holyoke College with a focus on English Literature. A native of Yokohama, Japan, Ms. Matsuno resides in the Riverdale section of New York City.

Ellen Gronningen, violist, is a frequent associate violinist with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. As a freelance violinist and violist in New York City, she performs regularly with several ensembles, including the NY Gilbert & Sullivan Players and the Harlem Chamber Players. She collaborated with composers Will Bernard (guitar) and Beth Custer (clarinet) on a West Coast tour. Ms. Gronningen can be heard on Izumi Kuremoto's album Late Chrysanthemums, performing scordatura violin (solo in Venus) and scordatura viola (duo with vibraphone in Late Chrysanthemums). She is a graduate of the Juilliard School and Manhattan School of Music.

Patricia Edens, cellist, toured throughout the U.S. as principal cellist with the New York City Opera National Company. She has performed with such Broadway shows as Annie Get Your Gun, Annie, and West Side Story, as well as on tour with Andrea Bocelli. She was a featured cellist in performances with the Israeli folk singer Debbie Friedman at Carnegie Hall. She has also appeared with the School of American Ballet Orchestra, the Queens Symphony, the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, and as principal cellist of the Bar Harbor Festival Orchestra and the Jackson Heights (Queens, NY) Orchestra. She is a graduate of Oberlin Conservatory and the Juilliard School, where she studied with Richard Kapuscinski and Harvey Shapiro.

Tickets are available in advance through EventBrite, and will be available at the door at 6PM on the performance night, subject to availability. (Cash or checks only at the door). Tickets purchased in advance are less expensive than door sales. The venue opens at 7PM, with refreshments available. Street parking is available, as well as parking in the lot behind the old Friendly's. 

Upcoming Springfield Chamber Players concerts at 52 Sumner are: Johnny Appleseed Plus, a family-friendly concert on December 8; Quartetto Mosso's All-American program on February 9; Celtic music with Last Night's Fun on March 22; a Broadway program on April 26; and the Champlain Trio on May 18. Tickets are available at: www.springfieldsymphonymusicians.com. 

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