On Sunday, September 24, at 3 p.m., the Walden Chamber Players return to the South Berkshire Concert Series at Bard College at Simon’s Rock. They will perform an eclectic program of music by Schubert, Lerdahl, Milhaud, and Beethoven in a combination of string trio and double bass in McConnell Theater of the Daniel Arts Center.
One of the highlights of the program will be the "Waltzes" by Fred Lerdahl for string trio and double bass. Written in 1981 and commissioned by the Spoleto Festival, this cycle of 12 waltzes is a virtuoso tour de force, which always proves to be a thrill for the listener! A rarely heard string trio by Schubert and a delightful string trio by French composer Darius Milhaud are followed by one of Beethoven's iconic masterpieces for this combination which concludes the program. The concert is free and open to the public with a suggested donation of $10. For further information call 413-528-7212.
The Walden Chamber Players will be returning for the sixth appearance on the South Berkshire Series. Founded in 1997, the Boston-based Walden Chamber Players has garnered a reputation for being one of the most exciting and versatile chamber groups performing today. Critics have hailed its performances of everything from Bach to Schoenberg, and Chamber Music America Magazine raves: “A season spent with the Walden Chamber Players is a time for discovery." The success of its performances, recordings, and educational curricula has earned it a place as one of the most sought-after chamber ensembles in the United States.
Walden Chamber Players is comprised of 12 dynamic artists in various combinations of string, piano, and wind ensembles. The wide variety of instrumental groupings possible with this ensemble allows for great versatility and eclectic programming, a hallmark of the Walden Chamber Players. Four string players will perform at Simon’s Rock: violinist Laura Frautschi, violist (and founder) Christof Huebner, cellist Ashima Scripp, and bass player Donald Palma.
Members of the ensemble are versatile chamber artists and soloists who often perform at leading festivals throughout the United States and abroad. They are also sought-after teachers and lecturers and serve on the faculty of some of the country’s premier musical teaching institutions, such as the New England Conservatory of Music, University of Texas - Austin, Boston University, University of Maryland, the Boston Conservatory, Manhattan School of Music and the Juilliard School.
Walden presents a new concept of a classical concert both in content and presentation. Drawing from a rich palette of sources and styles, it mixes and matches the works of both classical and contemporary composers with an eye to new understandings and discoveries. Concerts often feature the use of multimedia and dialogue, giving the audience a broader appreciation of a certain time period and enabling the listener to make a connection between the artist, the creative process and society at-large–often mutually influencing forces–thereby creating a richer context.
The Walden Chamber Players is recognized for its strong advocacy of new music by composers such as Augusta Read Thomas, Alvin Singleton, Pierre Jalbert, Stephen Paulus, Gerhard Schedl, and Kaja Saariaho, among others. The ensemble has an ongoing commitment to commissioning, performing, and recording new music. In 2008, it participated in a Berkshire Composer’s project, commissioning new works for oboe, harp, and strings from three local composers, Sheila Silver, Alice Spatz, and Larry Wallach, and performing them in concert programs at Simon’s Rock and at the Clark Art Institute.