CSO Announces Chamber Players Series

The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) announces that the 2018-19 series held in Music Hall's Corbett Tower, an intimate space for a more personal concert experience. The CSO Chamber Players concerts are curated by the musicians of the CSO, providing them the opportunity to share rare, technical, and creative pieces with the public. This season the CSO Chamber Players will present concerts on November 2, 2018, February 22, 2019, March 15, 2019, and April 26, 2019.

The series will begin on November 2, 2018 (7:30 p.m.) with Traveling Musicians - a uniquely curated concert beginning with an intimate performance of Albert Franz Doppler's Andante and Rondo, Op. 24. This chamber work will be performed by Randolph Bowman (flute), Henrik Heide (flute) and Julie Spangler (piano). Following Doppler's work is a Trio for Piano, Oboe and Horn, Op. 188 from Carl Reinecke, performed by Lon Bussell (oboe), Elizabeth Freimuth (horn) and Julie Spangler (piano). Finishing out the evening, there will be a Quintet in G Minor for Piano and Strings, Op. 57 composed by Dmitri Shostakovich whose piece is central to the theme of Traveling Musicians. This piece was so dear to the composer that he requested special permission from the Soviet Union to travel with his music and share it with the world. The quintet will be performed by Charles Morey (violin), Cheryl Benedict (violin), Christopher Fischer (viola), Alan Rafferty (cello) and Sandra Rivers (piano).

The series continues on February 22, 2019 (7:30 p.m.) with an evening titled Storm and Emotion. This concert centers on the themes of turmoil, rebellion, and a vision of "shared emotional truths about the human experience." The night begins with a performance of Kenji Bunch's Paraphraseology, by Rachel Charbel (violin) and Michael Culligan (marimba). Up next is a rendition of Beethoven's String Trio in C Minor, Op. 9, No. 3, performed by Stefani Matsuo (violin), Steven Rosen (viola) and Hiro Matsuo (cello). The second half of the concert will consist of the world premiere of a new work by 18-year-old violinist and Cincinnati native Weston Gilbert, performed by Dwight Parry (oboe), Ronald Aufmann (clarinet), Martin Garcia (bassoon), Michael Culligan (percussion), Charles Morey (violin), Susan Marshall-Petersen (cello) and James Lambert (double bass), followed by Prokofiev's String Quartet No. 1 in B Minor, Op.50, performed by Cheryl Benedict (violin), Stacey Woolley (violin), Rebecca Barnes (viola) and Daniel Culnan (cello).

The third concert will be on March 15, 2019 (7:30 p.m.), and will feature a dreamy and ethereal program of musical collages. Fragments, Dreams begins with a unique performance of Debussy's Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune for Flute and Harp, arranged by Judy Loman. This piece will be performed by Randolph Bowman (flute) and Gillian Benet Sella (harp). Following Debussy comes a performance by Gabriel Pegis (violin), Rachel Charbel (violin) and Garret Ross (piano) of Sonata for Two Violins and Piano, H. 213, written by Czech composer Bohuslav Martin?. The program will continue with a presentation of a Beethoven Quintet for Three Horns, Oboe, and Bassoon, which survives now only in fragments, performed by Christopher Philpotts (oboe), Elizabeth Freimuth (horn), Lisa Conway (horn), Charles Bell (horn) and Jennifer Monroe (bassoon). The concert will close with a presentation of Brahms' String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 51, performed by Kun Dong (violin), Rebecca Kruger Fryxell (violin), Rebecca Barnes (viola), and Susan Marshall-Petersen (cello).

The chamber series will conclude on April 26, 2019 (7:30 p.m.) with a special evening highlighting the works of spectacular young masters of composition. The event will begin with Mendelssohn's Piano Trio No. 1 performed by Eric Bates (violin), Matthew Lad (cello), and Julie Spangler (piano). Following Mendelssohn, there will be a performance of CSO Principal Violist Christian Colberg's composition The Rant, featuring the composer himself alongside fellow violist Joanne Wojtowicz. The final piece performed in the 2018-19 Chamber season will be Debussy's Piano Trio in G Major, by Kun Dong (violin), Alan Rafferty (cello) and Dror Biran (piano).

Tickets and subscriptions Subscriptions for these concerts are now on sale. Single tickets go on sale October 8 at 10:00 a.m., and concerts frequently sell out. All seating is General Admission. Tickets are available by calling the CSO Box Office at 513.381.3300. More information can be found at www.cincinnatisymphony.org.

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