Leonia Chamber Musicians to Host Spring Celebration of Music and Poetry

In recognition of National Poetry Month, the Leonia Chamber Musicians Society, Inc. presents its annual spring concert, A Celebration of Music and Poetry, on Sunday, April 24. The concert, featuring music from the 19th and 20th centuries inspired and structured by poetry, begins at 7:30 p.m. at All Saints Episcopal Church, located at 150 Park Avenue in Leonia, New Jersey.

The program launches with a performance of Franz Schubert's deeply emotional Andante from the string quartet Death and the Maiden, composed when he knew his health was failing. The beautiful melody, from Schubert's song based on the poem by Matthias Claudius, reflects the composer's coming to terms with the inevitable, death.

A second piece highlights the exotic setting of Maurice Ravel's Chansons madécasses, a song cycle for soprano, flute, cello and piano based on poems by Évariste de Parny. The poems explore love and colonialism with sensuous melodic and unusual harmonic techniques. The Brahms Clarinet Quintet, one of the great chamber music compositions in the repertoire, completes the program. The music is themed with developing variations that weave in and out of the entire piece, much as a poem might be structured, with the clarinet blending expressively with the strings.

The Society's professional musicians, many of whom reside in Leonia, perform in the major concert halls of New York City and worldwide. Artists performing in this special concert are: Wonjung Kim, soprano; Alan Kay, clarinet; Lisa Hansen, flute; Roy Lewis and Laura-Lindsay Sewell, violins; Debra Shufelt-Dine, viola; Daryl Goldberg, cello; and Soyeon Park, piano.

The Leonia Chamber Musicians Society's concerts draw enthusiasts to this musical genre throughout the region. "I love music and believe this must be supported. It is always a pleasure to come and listen to the great and talented Leonia Chamber Musicians! Leonia is in close proximity to where we live, and I feel very fortunate for this excellent musical opportunity in Bergen County. Attending their concerts motivates and inspires my family and I and simply brings enjoyment," said Gabi Riedel of Ridgewood.

Tickets will be available for purchase at the door for $30 adults, $25 seniors, and students under age 18 will be admitted free. All Saints Episcopal Church is fully handicapped accessible.

After the concert, the audience is invited to meet the performers, make new friends, and enjoy refreshments after the concert. The Leonia Community Chest provides partial support for the season. The concert is presented in part by a grant administered by the Bergen County Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs from funds granted by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.

The Leonia Chamber Musicians Society, Inc., a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization, welcomes contributions to continue the tradition of quality concerts at affordable prices in the community. Donations are tax-deductible as permitted by law. For further information about the concert or the organization, contact 201-947-3923 or dgcello@aol.com.

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