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A concert of contrasts that opens with the delicate medieval music of Hildegard von Bingen and the gentle ebbs and flows of Caroline Shaw’s Entr’acte. Haydn’s Symphony is a whirlwind, while Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto encompasses sweetness, melancholy and drama—with a bit of cheekiness too. The concert ends with a beginning: the delightful overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, sending you home with a smile on your face.

Our Saturday Morning Series has been one of our most popular for decades. These lively and fun concerts with the Alexander String Quartet and Music Historian-in-Residence Dr. Robert Greenberg are filled with great music and insightful, historical, and humorous commentary.

Experience the profound artistry of the Jerusalem Quartet, one of the world's premier chamber ensembles. Celebrating over 30 years of musical excellence, this Israeli string quartet is renowned for its impeccable unity of sound and purpose, often described as a single instrument with 16 strings. The ensemble, featuring Alexander Pavlovsky and Sergei Bresler on violins, Ori Kam on viola, and Kyril Zlotnikov on cello, brings a rich and varied repertoire to life with stunning depth of expression. The Jerusalem Quartet's performances are characterized by passion, precision, and warmth, creating a golden blend that has captivated audiences globally. Their approach balances individual expression with a transparent and respectful presentation of the composer's work, ensuring a harmonious and engaging experience. The ensemble's dedication to refining their interpretations of classical repertoire while exploring new epochs has solidified their reputation as a beloved guest on the world's great concert stages. In this performance, the Jerusalem Quartet will present a program that includes Haydn's Quartet in B-flat Major, Op. 50, No. 1 Prussian, Shostakovich's Quartet No. 12 in D-Flat Major, Op. 133, and Dvořák's String Quartet in G-Major, Op. 106. Each piece showcases the quartet's ability to convey a wide range of emotions and technical prowess, making for an unforgettable musical journey. The Jerusalem Quartet's recordings have garnered numerous awards, including the Diapason d’Or and the BBC Music Magazine Award for chamber music. Their discography features the string quartets of Haydn, Schubert’s Death and the Maiden, and works by Ravel and Debussy, among others. Their exploration of Jewish music in Central Europe between the wars, highlighted in their 2019 album, further exemplifies their commitment to diverse and meaningful musical expressions.

Our Saturday Morning Series has been one of our most popular for decades. These lively and fun concerts with the Alexander String Quartet and Music Historian-in-Residence Dr. Robert Greenberg are filled with great music and insightful, historical, and humorous commentary.

Our Saturday Morning Series has been one of our most popular for decades. These lively and fun concerts with the Alexander String Quartet and Music Historian-in-Residence Dr. Robert Greenberg are filled with great music and insightful, historical, and humorous commentary.

Our Saturday Morning Series has been one of our most popular for decades. These lively and fun concerts with the Alexander String Quartet and Music Historian-in-Residence Dr. Robert Greenberg are filled with great music and insightful, historical, and humorous commentary.

Renowned for his extraordinary technical prowess and profound musicality, Canadian piano virtuoso Marc-André Hamelin returns to San Francisco Performances with a program that showcases his versatile artistry and intellectual depth. Celebrated by The New Yorker for his unique presence in the world of classical music, Hamelin's performance promises an eclectic mix of compositions that highlight his ability to navigate both the well-trodden paths of the classical repertoire and the intriguing byways of lesser-known works. The evening's program features a diverse selection of pieces, beginning with Haydn's elegant Piano Sonata in D Major, Hob. XVI:37, and moving through the avant-garde soundscapes of Frank Zappa's "Ruth Is Sleeping" and Stefan Wolpe's "Passacaglia." The journey continues with John Oswald's "TIP" and Nikolai Medtner's evocative "Improvisation in B Flat Minor, Op. 31 No. 1" and "Danza festiva, Op. 38 No. 3." The performance culminates with the dramatic intensity of Rachmaninoff's "Etude-Tableau Op. 39 No. 5" and the powerful "Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 36" in its 1931 version. Hamelin's reputation as a performer of near-superhuman technical skill is matched by his deep interpretative insight, making each piece a vivid exploration of its unique character and emotional landscape. His ability to blend consummate musicianship with brilliant technique ensures that this performance will be a memorable experience, reflecting his ongoing commitment to both the established masterpieces and the hidden gems of the piano repertoire.

The Leonkoro Quartet, founded in Berlin in 2019, is framed by brothers Jonathan and Lukas Schwarz on first violin and cello, while the middle voices are formed by Amelie Wallner on second violin and Mayu Konoe on viola. In Esperanto, Leonkoro means Lionheart, alluding to a children’s book about two brothers, a book that juxtaposes the grave reality of death with a large and heartfelt yearning for comfort and solace – a sentiment that string quartet repertoire addresses in several instances.