For over 20 years, thousands of audience members from the Bay Area and beyond have savored Saturday-morning musical conversations, exploring composers and concepts with the Alexander String Quartet and San Francisco Performances Music Historian-in-Residence Robert Greenberg. The series combines complete performances of string quartets with Greenberg's witty profound takes on these works, their creators and their place in history and the hearts of music lovers.
Beethoven changed the very way we listen to, think and talk about music. Like him or not, every composer since Beethoven has had to deal, somehow, with his compositional and expressive innovations.
Having celebrated it 30th Anniversary in 2011, the Alexander String Quartet has performed in the major music capitals of five continents, securing its standing among the world's premiere ensembles. Widely admired for its interpretations of Beethoven, Mozart, and Shostakovich, the quartet's recordings of the Beethoven cycle (twice), and the Bartok and Shostakovich cycles have all won international critical acclaim. The quartet has also established itself as an important advocate of new music through over 25 commissions from such composers as Jake Heggie, Cindy Cox, Augusta Read Thomas, Robert Greenberg, Martin Bresnick, Cesar Cano, and Pulitzer Prize-winner, Wayne Peterson. A new work by Tarik O'Reagan commissioned for the Alexander by the Boise Chamber Music Series, will have its premiere in 2016.
The Alexander String Quartet was formed in New York City in 1981 and captured international attention as the first American quartet to win the London International String Quartet Competition in 1985. The quartet has received honorary degrees from Allegheny College and St. Lawrence University, and presidential medals from Baruch College (CUNY).
In this program entitled "Beethoven: Before, During and After", ASQ performs MOZART Quartet in A Major, K. 464 and BEETHOVEN: Quartet in A Major, Op. 18, No. 5.
$45.
http://sfperformances.org/performances/1617/ASQBerkeley.html
MORE INFO:
Website: http://sfperformances.org/performances/1617/ASQBerkeley.html
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 415-392-2545
Contact: Nancy Bertossa
10am to 1pm, St. John's Presbyterian Church 2727 College Avenue
Sing 3-part modern a cappella with lush harmonies and cool rhythms. Loads of fun and only a 2-hour commitment. Learn by ear or read a score. Choose an easy part, or take a solo and beat out optional body percussion. For adults and kids over 8 who like to sing. No audition or performance. 1st Saturdays of every month. Come regularly or occasionally. New uplifting repertoire each month.
$20 at the door.
Scholarships: email [email protected] beforehand
3:30pm to 5:30pm, 2020 Addison Street
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8pm, Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse, 2020 Addison Street, Berkeley, CA, United States
$24 adv / $26 door. 644-2020. www.thefreight.org
8pm, Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse, 2020 Addison Street, Berkeley, CA, United States
$36-$68. 642-9988. www.calperformances.org
8pm, Zellerbach Hall, 101 Zellerbach Hall #4800, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA