Clockwise from top left: Debrah Devine, violin; Ruth Berry, cello; Uli Speth, violin; Amy Tompkins, viola
The Castalia String Quartet is named for the Greek nymph Castalia, who evaded Apollo’s pursuits by diving into a spring. The spring became sacred to the Muses and was a source of poetic inspiration for all who drank from it. Like the Castalian spring’s mythical visitors, the Castalia String Quartet is dedicated to seeking the sources of inspiration that flow through every musical composition.
Formed in 2019 by violinists Uli Speth and Debrah Devine, violist Amy Tompkins, and cellist Ruth Berry (Uli, Debrah, and Ruth are also known to Philharmonic audiences for their contributions to the orchestra), the group performs throughout the upper Catskills, Finger Lakes, Mohawk Valley, Central, and Southern Tier regions of New York State.
On Sunday, February 11, at 3pm, the Castalia String Quartet appears in the Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra’s Phelps Mansion Museum Series with a unique mix of music by American composers from underrepresented groups, and composers inspired by music from the margins. The program includes the exquisite Lyric for Strings by George Walker, the first African American composer to win a Pulitzer Prize (listen below); Two Sketches for String Quartet Based on Native American Themes by Elmira native Charles Tomlinson Griffes, and the haunting At the Purchaser’s Option by Grammy-winning musician and Artistic Director of Silkroad, Rhiannon Giddens.
Don’t miss this inspiring performance of great music from the American tradition, performed in the intimate setting of one of Binghamton’s great houses! Tickets are $25 general seating, and a cash bar will be provided by the Phelps Mansion Museum.
Don’t miss the finale of the 2023 Music at Meadow Links concert season!
Monday: August 28: 7pm
The Free Admission Rain or Shine 2023 concert series Music at Meadow Links (aka Tom Hovey Summer Music Festival) concludes
with amazing jazz musicians Chris White (cello) and Wayne Gottlieb (guitar)
Concert location is: 476 Co. Rd. 27 (Allen Lake Rd. Richfield Springs, NY 13439)
This is a family-friendly concert series—including an open invitation to dogs on leashes. Bring a blanket and snacks, borrow a chair from the Meadow Links Pavilion, or pull your car nearby and roll down the windows.
If it rains there is plenty of room inside the Pavilion (solid floor, ceiling and walls).
Concert length is approximately 75 minutes.
Chris White cello, and Wayne Gottlieb, guitar and vocals, are a jazz duo from Ithaca. They play a variety of jazz styles and originals and have been playing in central New York for many years in different groups and settings. Chris has been a member of the Binghamton Philharmonic for many years and has recorded 3 jazz albums as leader with different groups.
The Free Admission Rain or Shine concert series Music at Meadow Links (aka Tom Hovey Summer Music Festival) continues
with the Empire Saxophone Quartet
Concert location: 476 Co. Rd. 27 (Allen Lake Rd. Richfield Springs, NY 13439)
The Empire Saxophone Quartet will perform a 75 minute concert featuring an engaging variety of music; something for everyone! The program will include selections from marches, ragtime, light classics, Disney medleys, familiar pop and jazz tunes.
The Empire Saxophone Quartet has been performing together for over 30 years. The ensemble has presented concerts and clinics with the Cincinnati Wind Ensemble, the Ithaca College Wind Ensemble, the North American Saxophone Alliance, and for many public schools, colleges and universities. The Quartet has several recordings to their credit as well. The ensemble has not just been an academic group, but has entertained audiences at the Mohonk Mountain House, many festive public and private celebrations, and has been the music for many weddings.
Empire Saxophone Quartet: Soprano Saxophone: Dan Miller Alto Saxophone: Crystal Fisher Tenor Saxophone: April Lucas Baritone Saxophone: Nicole Mushalla Percussion: Joel Smales
The Fenimore Quartet blends the experience of seasoned chamber players with the richness of long friendships to create a perfect backdrop for the exciting musical collaborations which are fast becoming an eagerly awaited summer treat at the Cherry Valley New York Artworks Concert Series and the surrounding area communities in beautiful upstate New York.
Program
String Quartet No. 6 in f minor, Op. posth. 80 I. Allegro vivace assai II. Allegro assai III. Adagio IV. Finale: Allegro molto
Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847)
String Octet in B-flat Major, op. posthumous I. Allegro moderato II. Adagio III. Allegro molto
Max Bruch (1838–1920)
There are some interesting facts about this combination of pieces and composers in tonight’s program:
Mendelssohn’s String Quartet in f minor was written in 1847 and Bruch’s String Octet in B-flat Major for 4 violins, 2 violas, cello and double-bass was written in 1920. Both works are the final major works of their composers. However, the quartet was published in1848, a year after Mendelssohn’s death, and the octet was not published until 1996. It is believed that Mendelssohn wrote this quartet as an homage to his sister, Fanny Mendelssohn, who died earlier that year. Coincidentally, Bruch’s wife, Clara, died the year before he composed the octet. The choice of somber E-flat minor for the second movement seems to reflect his emotions toward his recent loss.
One often finds Mendelssohn and Bruch paired in a compact disc featuring their violin concertos. And if a string octet is featured in a program, most of the time it would be the famous Mendelssohn Octet. Tonight, we will feature the same two composers but with a Mendelssohn Quartet and the Bruch Octet.
Mendelssohn’s string quartet in f minor is filled with high intensified passion and fire which is rarely found in his earlier works. The first movement is characterized by tremolo-like sixteenth notes throughout the movement. The second movement is a scherzo in form, but it, too, is highly dramatic with rhythmical complexities (the outer sections) and clashing of contrasting characters (the middle section). The third movement is a beautiful, heart-felt Adagio followed by a stormy and almost angry final movement characterized by syncopated rhythm in the main theme.
Bruch’s Octet is in three movements, much like Mozarts’s Divertimentos but on a larger scale. The first movement opens with a gorgeously lyrical viola solo, and that lyrical character carries through the whole movement even during highly dramatic sections. The second movement is in a darker key, E-flat minor. It opens with a march-like motiv which becomes the accompaniment figure under a first violin melody. The middle section is marked “Andante con molto di moto” (leisure speed with a lot of motion) and has been called “the highlight of the work” by some critics. The final movement combines characters of playful, noble (2nd theme on the cello) and triumphant. The playfulness gives one a balanced sense of scherzo which is “missing” in the work. Overall, it’s a top level masterpiece which was relatively unknown and seldom performed before its first publication just 27 years ago.
(Program Notes by Ruotao Mao)
For more information, please click on the links below:
Hailing from the hills of Sherburne, New York, Lauren Mettler bears a unique and earthy style of songwriting that enchants listeners; with beautiful images and thought-provoking lyrics, she paints worlds which evoke nostalgia, empathy, and courage. Her original music ranges in style from folk alternative, to jazz classics, to winsome ballads, and all delivered with a melodious, articulate voice. Click here for Lauren’s website.
Long time teachers, performers and friends, Tom Ives and Dan Martin have formed a new partnership–Better Together. Collectively, they draw on over 90 years of combined experience in every genre from opera and symphony to jazz. As a duo, the tenor/ baritone voice of the trombone complements the acoustic bass extremely well.
Better Together will be playing jazz standards, some originals, and a couple of selections from the American Songbook. Some composers included are Charlie Parker, Herbie Hancock, John Lewis, Thelonius Monk, Duke Jordan, Jimmy Van Heusen, and Sonny Rollins.
Bass guitarist Jeff Ruzich has been performing and teaching music for more than four decades. He received a degree in music education and performance from Rowan University and a master’s degree in music education from Temple University. Jeff studied bass guitar with jazz educator Al Stauffer, and music theory with composer and jazz band leader Manny Albam. He taught public school music for many years in the Philadelphia, PA area, founded and led a jazz combo, and traveled frequently to New York City to perform and record there with jazz musicians. After moving to Norwich, NY, Jeff composes, records and performs with Brian Murphy, The Octobermen jazz trio, and with Alone Together (duo with Bill Scranton).
Guitarist Bill Scranton’s career in music and sound is diverse and extensive. He started playing guitar and ukulele at age 12. With help from his guitar player father, Bill was exposed to music standards from the 30’s and 40’s, as well as big band sounds. That era in music still remains a favorite in his playing. Playing in the high school jazz band and playing solo guitar / vocal gigs was his main activity throughout his teenage years. Tape recording and sound equipment was also a major interest at an early age. Bill attended Berklee College of Music in 1974 and ’75 concentrating on Music Theory and arranging. He left college to perform with a big band backing up nightclub singers and continued with solo guitar gigs throughout the 1970’s. In 1980, Bill started acquiring recording equipment to document his original compositions – playing all the parts and learning mixing techniques. In the following years, he opened a commercial recording studio in Utica, NY with great success. This led to his mixing talents being sought by a major record label. Leaving the NYC life behind – he opened a recording studio in Syracuse, NY – also with great success. Bill joined a pro audio company in 1986, designing sound systems and recording studios. Bill’s playing technique is finger-style guitar with creative chord voicing. He plays acoustic and jazz guitars. Bill also sings classic jazz standards in his baritone range. For the past 10 years, he has played mandolin and acoustic guitar in a traditional Irish group. He also performs in a trio – The Octobermen – playing blues and R&B.
This coming Monday, July 10, is the opening performance of the 2023 Tom Hovey Summer Music Concert Series!
We open with banjo virtuoso Drew Frech; he will perform and talk about Early Jazz Standards on his vintage banjos.
7:00 to 8:15pm
Free Admission. No tickets necessary
Meadow Links Golf Pavilion, 476 Co. Rd. 27 Richfield Springs, NY 13439
Those of you who caught his performance in April 2023 at the Earlville Opera House will remember Drew as a generous and engaging musician.
Free Admission Rain or Shine Casual, Family Friendly! Please see attached flier for more information. It is beautiful there. You can drive up to the Pavilion, roll down your car windows. bring lawn chairs, snacks and blankets, or go inside the Pavilion to listen from there. Restrooms are inside the Pavilion and the Golf House across the way.
As in past seasons, I am proud to have worked very hard to pull together funding so that the musicians are paid fair wages to perform on this series. If I can show my funding sources how many attend the free admission concerts, it helps me to continue to get that necessary funding. So, please attend and spread the word.
Please contact me with any questions: Ruth Berry, (706) 495-4455. Text messages are okay.
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