Dear friends of CM4A,

 

We are so happy to be back with in-person performances! And would like to share with you our post-pandemic activities, starting with a summer project and moving forward with future performances and an abundance of educational activities.

 

During this past summer, CM4A has organized a series of Soirées, designed to help expand our educational program in schools around the greater Charlotte area. 

• on July 10th at the home of Catherine and Wilton Connor,

•on July 24th at the Bechtler Museum, hosted by Gail and Scott Syfert, and

•on August 14th at the home of our Board Chair, Valerie Roberts. 

Previously, Nicole Frambach and Julian Rogers have hosted a similar event, with the proceeds also going towards education projects.

Much gratitude to the soirées hosts and to their guests! Their generosity secured funding for numerous outreach educational programs to take place in the 2022-2023 school year, making chamber music accessible to school students in the greater Charlotte area.

 

These educational programs are organized in collaboration with directors and orchestra teachers in the CMS system and beyond. To date, CM4A has scheduled visits with Butler HS, Providence HS, Myers Park HS, Davidson Day School, Keystone Montessori and J. T. Montessori. These visits consist of performances featuring CM4A string quartet, followed by training sessions for students: individual coaching, small ensembles and/or full orchestra. This combined experience offers great exposure to the wonderful chamber music repertoire, and expands on the students’ work and understanding of the art of ensemble playing, be it chamber music or orchestral performance. 

 

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Following the summer soirées, we were happy to “return to our roots”, with a performance at Sedgefield United Methodist Church, where our series started in 2015. On August 27th, the CM4A ensemble was joined by guest musician D.J. Cheek (Principal Viola of Fort Worth Symphony and Principal Viola of the Colorado Music Festival). The concert featured works by Sibelius, Dohnanyi and Beethoven.

 

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For the Fall, CM4A started presenting a set of programs based on Lev Tolstoy’s novel “Kreutzer Sonata”, with the first concerts taking place at the Tate Recital Hall, on September 18th 2022 and May 21st 2023, as part of the Connor Series at the Central Piedmont Community College. 

 

•The first performance (September 18th), featured two of the most challenging pieces in the violin - piano repertoire: Beethoven Sonata nr. 9 “Kreutzer” (which was the inspiration for Tolstoy’s novel) and Brahms Sonata nr. 3 in D Minor.

Performing artists: Calin Lupanu (Charlotte Symphony Concertmaster) and pianist Philip Bush (South Carolina University in Columbia).

Literary and musical comments by Wilton Connor and Monica Boboc.

 

•For the second performance based on Tolstoy’s novel (May 21st, 2023), Calin Lupanu (Charlotte Symphony Concertmaster) and Monica Boboc (Charlotte Symphony violinist) will be joined by Charlotte Symphony musicians Benjamin Geller (Principal Viola), Sarah Markle (Cello) and Jon Lewis (newly appointed Principal Cello).

The program will feature Mendelssohn Capriccio Op. 81 for string quartet,

Haydn “Lark” string quartet (Op. 64, nr. 5) and Beethoven Cello Quintet, inspired by the Beethoven’s Kreutzer Sonata. This last piece is rarely performed because of its extreme difficulty, you are in for a treat!

 

For the Connor Series performances on September 18th and May 21st, tickets are available for purchase through the Central Piedmont Community College Foundation website.

 

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Other programs later in the season are:

 

•Mozart Modern Mash (January 2023)

•Chamber music and Voice, in collaboration with Opera Carolina (March 26, 2023)

•Classical and Latin (April, May 2023)

•Marimba and Strings (June 2023)

•Classical Meets Tango (date TBD)

 

The above dates dates and programs are subject to change.

 

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Lastly, we want to thank each and every one of you you for championing our chamber music performances and educational projects. Your continuous support makes it possible for us to truly make Chamber Music For All!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monica Boboc