Cherry Valley Star Theatre: Artworks Concert Series
15th Anniversary Concert and Celebration
August 17, 2025, 7:30 pm, doors open at 7:00 pm
Star Theater, 44 Main St., Cherry Valley, NY
Admission: $25 for general public, $20 for Glimmerglass staff, free for Glimmerglass Orchestra Musicians, includes champagne reception. Click here to purchase tickets.
The Fenimore String Quartet
Ruotao Mao, violin I
Robyn Quinnett, violin II
Amy Tompkins, viola
Ruth Berry, cello
Jeremiah Blacklow, guest artist, viola
Join us for a radiant evening of music, memory, and celebration as the Fenimore String Quartet returns to Cherry Valley Artworks, the place where it all began in 2011. Over the past 15 summers, the Quartet has evolved into one of the summer season’s most beloved chamber ensembles—praised for its expressive depth, technical precision, and the unmistakable warm of long-standing musical relationships.
Every summer, members of the Fenimore String Quartet converge in beautiful upstate New York, where several perform with the Glimmerglass Festival Orchestra and all immerse themselves in chamber music whenever time allows. The Quartet blends the seasoned experience of world-class chamber musicians with the joy of personal connection, creating collaborations that are both artistically rich and deeply human. Their performances have become a cherished highlight of the Cherry Valley Artworks series and surrounding communities.
The program begins with Pannonia Boundless by Aleksandra Vrebalov, whom followers of Glimmerglass will recognize from her opera The Knock, commissioned by the Festival. Here, Vrebalov conjures the windswept spirit of the Pannonian Plain, evoking a sense of place, ancestry, and expansiveness—a perfect metaphor for the Quartet’s own journey through landscapes both musical and personal.
At the heart of the gala is Maurice Ravel’s String Quartet in F major, the very piece that launched the Quartet’s debut in 2011. Shimmering, rhythmic, and full of nuance, it stands as a signature of the group’s interpretive voice—a voice that gains new dimensions with each passing season.
The evening culminates with W.A. Mozart’s String Quintet in G minor, K. 516, featuring guest violist Jeremiah Blacklow. Inspired in part by Michael Haydn’s innovation of adding a second viola, Mozart elevated the form to unprecedented heights. A favorite instrument of Mozart’s in chamber settings, the viola’s inner voice opportunities and harmonic richness anchor a work now recognized as a landmark of 18th-century chamber music. Like his greatest operas, the quintet captures the art of conversation (not just in sound, but in action)through solo “arias,” spirited ensemble exchanges, flashes of wit, and deep introspection. Its emotional breadth and structural brilliance mark it as one of Mozart’s most iconic and influential achievements.
Program
Pannonia Boundless (1999)
Aleksandra Vrebalov (b. 1970)
String Quartet in F major (1903) I. Allegro moderato – très doux II. Assez vif – très rythmé III. Très lent IV. Vif et agité
Maurice Ravel (1875–1937)
Intermission
String Quintet in G minor, K. 516 (1787) for two violins, two violas, and cello I. Allegro II. Menuetto: Allegretto III. Adagio ma non troppo IV. Adagio – Allegro
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
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Cherry Valley Star Theatre: Artworks Concert Series
August 4, 2024, 7:30 pm
Star Theater, 44 Main St., Cherry Valley, NY
Admission: $20 general public, $15 Glimmerglass Orchesta/Staff
The Fenimore String Quartet
Ruotao Mao, violin I
Robyn Quinnett, violin II
Amy Tompkins, viola
Ruth Berry, cello
Anna Betka, piano
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 in G minor, Op. 10 Animé et très décidé Assez vif et bien rythmé Andantino, doucement expressif Très modéré – En animant peu à peu – Très mouvementé et avec passion
Claude Debussy (1862 –1918)
Intermission
Piano Quintet , Op. 44 I. Allegro brillante II. In modo d’una marcia. Un poco largamente III. Scherzo: Molto vivace IV. Allegro ma non troppo
Robert Schumann (1810 – 1856)
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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)
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Cherry Valley Star Theatre: Artworks Concert Series
August 7, 2022, 7:30 pm
Star Theater, 44 Main St., Cherry Valley, NY
Admission: $20 general public, $15 Glimmerglass staff
Works by Mozart and Beethoven
The Fenimore String Quartet
Ruotao Mao, violin
Jennifer Myers, violin
Amy Tompkins, viola
Ruth Berry, cello
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 in C Major, K.465 (“Dissonance”) I. Adagio – Allegro II. Andante cantabile III. Menuetto: Allegro IV. Allegro molto
W. A. Mozart (1756-1791)
String Quartet in E-flat Major, Op.74 (“Harp”) I. Poco Adagio – Allegro II. Adagio III. Presto – Piu presto quasi prestissimo – Tempo primo – Piu presto quasi prestissimo – Tempo primo IV. Allegretto con Variazioni
L. v. Beethoven (1770-1827)
Mozart’s String Quartet in C Major is written in 1785 as a part of his six string quartet set dedicated to Joseph Haydn. Haydn (1732-1809), being considered “the father of string quartet”, praised these six quartets highly. It gained the nickname “Dissonance” due to the noticeably dissonant harmonic tension in the open Adagio. In particular, the very first note of the first violin, an A-natural, against the A-flat on the viola just prior to it (and then the same repeated in the next phrase a step lower).
Beethoven’s String Quartet in E-flat Major in 1809, during a period when he was seeking more innovative ideas and individuality in his composition(he just wrote the famous, now some considered as his trademark Fifth Symphony the year before). It gained the nickname “harp” due to the characteristic “pizzicato”(pluck the string) sections in the allegro part of the first movement, in which the arpeggiated pizzicato notes offer a reminiscent of the plucking of a harp.
The two masterpieces featured tonight were written 24 years apart. It is fascinating to see(and hear) what Beethoven had inherited and developed from the traditions set by Haydn and Mozart. It is also interesting to compare these two side by side:
First movement: Both works have a slow introduction which contains basic motives for the coming Allegro section. Both Allegro section feels like a relief from the tension built in the introduction section. Mozart ends the first movement softly after “tricking” us that it will end strongly. Beethoven did the opposite: when it about to end in pp(very quietly), he continues to ppp(extremely quietly) – also a “trick”, before building it to an explosive coda(ending section) full of energy and vitality where he combines the “harp” figure and the main theme.
Second movement: Even though Beethoven does not have “cantabile”(song-like) in the title, he marked “cantabile” in the beginning of the first violin line. In fact, the second movement of both works is a heart-felt song throughout.
Third movement: Mozart’s minuet-trio-minuet follows the more traditional route of a typical classical third movement of the quartet or symphony. Beethoven’s is more like a scherzo(a joke) and extended to scherzo-trio-scherzo-trio-scherzo, in which the last scherzo section is repeated mostly quietly and connects to the next movement without a break. Interestingly, Mozart uses C major for the main section and C minor for the trio section, Beethoven did the opposite: C minor for the scherzo section and C Major for the trio section.
Fourth movement: Mozart chose a playful rondo as the form and Beethoven chose a simple Theme and Variation form. Both are very traditional in writing. Noticeably, Beethoven’s second movement is also a rondo but with variations on the main theme each time it comes back(an innovation of combining the two forms). Opposite of the first movement, Mozart ends the fourth movement strongly after a brief quiet moment while Beethoven ends this movement with two quiet chords after a long build-up to ff (very loud),
Both works, as all masterpieces, reflect great qualities of life(more clearly with each movement respectively in the Beethoven): Vitality, Heart, Innovation and Simplicity.
(Program Notes by Ruotao Mao)
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August 1: Fenimore String Quartet at Tuscarora, 6pm
August 2: The Old Masters at Meadow Links, 7pm
August 9: John O’Connor and his Fellow Travelers at Meadow Links, 7pm
August 11: Glimmerglass Orchestra Musicians at Meadow Links ( the annual “Grange Concert” to be held at Meadow Links due to Pierstown Grange renovations), 7pm
August 16: The Last Horn Jazz Trio at Meadow Links, 7pm
August 18: Musicians of Ma’alwyck: at Tuscarora, 6pm
August 23: The Hartwick College Jazz Trio at Meadow Links, 7pm
August 30: Lauren Mettler, singer/songwriter, at Meadow Links, 7pm
All concerts are free admission, except for those at Tuscarora, which is by suggested donation.
Cherry Valley Star Theatre: Artworks Concert Series
August 18, 2019, 7:30 pm
Star Theater, 44 Main St., Cherry Valley, NY
Admission: $20 general public, $15 Artworks members
“Spirited” works by Beethoven, Schubert and Bolcom
The Fenimore String Quartet
Ruotao Mao, violin I
Jennifer Reuning Myers, violin II
Joseph Lorang, viola
Ruth Berry, cello
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.
Ruotao Mao, Joseph Lorang, Ruth Berry, Jennifer Reuning Myers
Guest Artists
Dmitry Glivinskiy, piano
Program
Trio for Piano, Violin and Cello in D Major, Op.70, No.1 (“Ghost”) I. Allegro vivace e con brio II. Largo assai ed espressivo III. Presto
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Intermission
String Quartet in d minor, D.810 (“Death and The Maiden”) I. Allegro II. Andante con moto III. Scherzo: Allegro molto IV. Presto
Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
“Graceful Ghost” Rag (arranged for string quartet by Bolcom)
William Bolcom (b. 1938)
Musician Biographies
Ruotao Mao, violin I
Ruotao is an active soloist, chamber musician and the concertmaster of the Glimmerglass Festival Orchestra. His playing was described by The Classical New Jersey as “virtuoso display of world-class magnitude.” and “the level of playing has reached far beyond mere technical competence.” A native of Beijing, China, Ruotao graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music with “distinction in performance” award. He earned his Master Degree in Music from the Mason Gross School of the Arts where he studied under violinist Arnold Steinhardt of the Guarneri String Quartet. He also studied with Dorothy Delay, Paul Kantor and Masuko Ushioda. As a chamber musician, Ruotao is one of the founding members of the former Beijing Piano Quartet, winner of “Artists International Chamber Music Series” (with appearances in Weill Hall of Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall of Lincoln Center), the highly acclaimed Amabile String Quartet (the quartet-in-residence at Rutgers University from 2000 – 2001), and the Fenimore String Quartet. As a soloist, he appeared with orchestras such as the Jupiter Symphony, NEC Symphony, Corelliard Chamber Orchestra, the Brunswick Symphony Orchestra, Riverside Symphonia, Edison Symphony, the Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra, Bay-Atlantic Symphony, Arcadian Symphony Orchestra and Rutgers University Orchestra among many others. In 2004, Ruotao premiered a violin concerto by Ernie Stires in Stern Auditorium of Carnegie Hall. He had performance tours in Korea and Colombia, South America. He performed on WNYC, WETS and WDVR-FM broadcasts and is a recording artist for the CRI and Beijing Broadcast labels. Ruotao also serves as the concertmaster of the Delaware Valley Philharmonic Orchestra, Riverside Symphonia, the Bay-Atlantic Symphony and Edison Symphony Orchestra, in addition to his positions of violin and viola faculty at The College of New Jersey and Princeton University.
Jennifer Reuning Myers, violin II
A native of Ithaca, NY, Jennifer performs with the Glimmerglass Festival Orchestra and several regional chamber music ensembles; she has also performed regularly with the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra and the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic. As a member of the Catskill Chamber Players, she worked with composers Lou Harrison, Henry Brant, Virgil Thomson and George Crumb, and performed the New York premiere of Henry Cowell’s Trio for flute, violin and harp at Weill Recital Hall. Jennifer studied with Raphael Bronstein and Charles Treger at the Hartt School of Music and received her Bachelor of Music degree from Ithaca College where she studied with Linda Case. As the daughter of two of the first Suzuki violin teachers in this country, Jennifer was fortunate as a youngster to have participated in classes led by Shinichi Suzuki. She now maintains a private Suzuki studio at 171 Cedar Arts in Corning, NY and teaches at Ithaca Talent Education School, in Ithaca, NY. Jennifer is also a licensed massage therapist and has a special interest in working with musicians.
Joseph Lorang, viola
Joseph joined the violin section of the Glimmerglass Orchestra in 2019. He previously performed in other summer festivals such as Aspen Music Festival, Britt Festival, Pacific Music Festival, and Sarasota Music Festival. He has served as concertmaster of several orchestras including the USC Thornton Symphony, Seattle Youth Symphony, Marrowstone Festival Orchestra, Santa Monica Symphony, and Vancouver Symphony Orchestral Institute, and as Principal Second Violin in the inaugural season of Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra of the USA. He received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California where he studied with Martin Chalifour, and is currently pursuing his Master’s degree at the New England Conservatory with Ayano Ninomiya. He previously studied in the Coleman violin studio in Seattle with Simon James, Jan Coleman, and pianist Hiro David. As a conductor, he has participated in Atlantic Music Festival’s conducting program and served as Music Director of the Concerto Chamber Orchestra at USC. As a violist, he has performed chamber works such as the Kodaly Serenade for Two Violins and Viola, and the Franck Piano Quintet.
Ruth Berry, cello
Ruth recently moved back to her home town of Hamilton, NY after living in Augusta, GA for many years (where she worked as principal cello of the Augusta Opera and Symphony, and served as an artist in residence at Georgia Southern University). Since 1986, Ruth performs during the summers with the Glimmerglass Festival Orchestra–and when not in the orchestra pit lives in her historic and award-winning Kitt Shipman Memorial Chapel in Springfield Center, NY. During the “off summer” months, Ruth travels regularly to perform for arts organizations throughout the SouthEastern USA. Ruth went to college at Boston University (where she studied cello with Leslie Parnas and received the Edwin E. Stein Award for Excellence in the Arts). Her graduate degree and studies at Cornell University were in musicology, analytical techniques and performance practice. Ruth is currently working on a degree in Labor Studies from the Cornell School of Industrial Labor Relations.
Dmitry Glivinskiy, piano
Dmitry is a Ukrainian vocal coach and conductor. He is a 2019 Glimmerglass Festival Young Artist and serves as pianist and coach. He is a graduate of Mannes College of Music and of the Peabody Institute where, among his teachers, were Genya Paley, Pavlina Dokovska, Boris Slutsky and Scott Jackson Wiley. Dmitry has worked with numerous opera companies as a répétiteur, coach and conductor. Most recently, he was on staff for the revival of Figaro 90210! on Broadway, conducted Eugene Onegin with Utopia Opera in NYC, was assistant conductor for OnSite Opera’s production of Ricky Ian Gordon’s “Morning Star” and returned to Chicago Summer Opera as music director for the company’s scenes program. He is currently on the faculty of Hofstra University as a vocal coach and was recently appointed as Music Director of the Opera Theater at Brooklyn College.
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