Napa Valley's Chamber Music series is set to enchant audiences with a stunning lineup of world-class performances. From the visionary piano artistry of Kirill Gerstein to the legendary Juilliard Quartet, and the melodic brilliance of the Pavel Haas Quartet, the series promises an unforgettable musical journey. Spanning from the classical depth of Beethoven to the contemporary genius of Francisco Coll, each event offers a unique blend of tradition and innovation. Join us as we delve into the captivating world of these extraordinary musicians and their profound contributions to the art of chamber music.

Chamber Music in Napa Valley: A Celebration of Masterful Performances

Napa Valley is set to host a captivating series of chamber music concerts, featuring renowned artists and ensembles from around the world. Audiences will be treated to performances by the legendary Takacs Quartet, the Juilliard Quartet, and icons like Sir Stephen Hough and Théotime Langlois de Swarte. From Beethoven to Vivaldi, the program promises to be a harmonious blend of classic and contemporary works, honoring the rich tradition of chamber music. Join us as we dive into the details of this extraordinary event lineup.

Chamber Music in Napa Valley: A Celebration of Timeless Talents

Chamber Music in Napa Valley is set to host an extraordinary series of concerts, bringing together some of the most renowned ensembles and soloists in the world. From the legendary Juilliard Quartet's world premiere of Michelle Ross's 'Together Apart' to the Pavel Haas Quartet's spirited performances, each event promises to be a celebration of musical excellence. Immerse yourself in this musical journey, featuring artists like Theotime Langlois de Swarte with Les Arts Florissants, and the multifaceted Sir Stephen Hough as they grace the stage at Napa Methodist Church.

Chamber Music in Napa Valley: A Harmonious Journey Through Time and Talent

The Takacs have been coming to Napa for almost 40 years. While the cellist is the only original member, the quartet has evolved to remain at the unquestioned top of the heap. Pianist Jeremy Denk makes his overdue CMNV debut in the heroic Brahms Quintet - more like a concerto than a chamber piece. Beethoven's very serious, early quartet Op. 18, No. 2 opens the concert, and the Takacs will bring their blazing energy to the wild and weird Janacek Quartet No. 1.

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TAKACS QUARTET & JEREMY DENK, piano

Napa Methodist Church

One can only understand that this is the 40th anniversary of the Vertavo by knowing that these Norwegian women began winning contests when they were barley teenagers. They bring their energy, precision and charisma to the fore in a concert along with Garrick Ohlsson. They will play one of the Mozart piano concertos that work with just a string quartet, along with the brilliant Dvorak piano quintet. The Vertavos alone will perform Britten's Second Quartet.

VERTAVO QUARTET, tenor & GARRICK OHLSSON, piano

Gerstein is now a dominating force on the piano stage in Europe and the US. Now past the phase of his smashing debuts, he has become a visionary mainstay, even conducting the Vienna Philharmonic from the keyboard. The program includes a work by the young Spanish composer, Francisco Coll that we commissioned for Gerstein, which he will take around the world after its world premiere in Napa. And Gerstein will bring his authority to the formidable Liszt Sonata.

KIRILL GERSTEIN, piano

This is the last recital of Paul Lewis' Schubert survey. Lewis has devoted the past four years almost exclusively to Schubert. It's fair to say the composer has no greater living ambassador. The final trilogy of piano sonatas, written at the very end of Schubert's short life, is the pinnacle of this keyboard poet's achievement. Only the last three Beethoven sonatas rival this program. Lewis played those Beethoven sonatas for us over a decade ago. Now comes Schubert's hour.

PAUL LEWIS, piano

Dvorak's Cypresses for String Quartet and mezzo-soprano anchor this program. The piece began as a song cycle for soprano and piano. Dvorak then transcribed the music for string quartet alone. Now we hear a metamorphosis of the previous iterations which the Prazak Quartet commissioned - the songs accompanied by string quartet. If only Dvorak could hear them! It's Smetana's 200th birthday, so his second quartet. And we can't have Prazak without Janacek.

PRAZAK QUARTET and KELLEY O'CONNOR, mezzo-soprano

This quartet from Barcelona has an exciting edge to their sound, which they will bring to masterpieces from three centuries. Vera Martinez Mehner, the powerhouse first violin, will have a big night. This Shostakovich is one of the most demanding and rewarding pieces for a quartet leader. And then she leads Beethoven's sacred "Holy Song of Thanks," the centerpiece of Beethoven's penultimate quartet. Haydn gets the first laugh with one of his brilliant, early quartets.

Casals Quartet

The Juilliard Quartet has been going even longer than Takacs, now with no possibility of an original member. It is a remarkable phenomenon of music performance history, that this legendary ensemble has the same sharp, exciting edge that defined them when they began in 1946. The centerpiece of this concert is the world premiere of Michelle Ross's "Together Apart," which we commissioned as a tribute to CMNV's friend, the late violist Roger Tapping, who played often in Napa as the violist of the Takacs and then Juilliard Quartets, and as a collaborator with the Jupiter and Prazak Quartets and the Peabody Trio. Michelle Ross was a student and colleague of Roger's who recently served as the substitute first violin of the Juilliard Quartet for six months.

Juilliard Quartet

The former Czechoslovakia has always been a breeding ground for string players and string quartets, in particular. Great quartets pop up there like mushrooms, and they don't all stick together. The Pavel Haas is the one of their generation that exceeds all. Founded by first violin Veronika Jaruskova, she leads them with grace and ferocity. They will play their countryman Schulhoff's ironic, jazzy, early Five Pieces for String Quartet, written 20 years before his death in a Nazi prison in 1941. They will also play Martiniu, who isn't played enough outside his homeland - these are the right ambassadors. Of course, the Tchaikovsky is irresistible.

PAVEL HAAS QUARTET & TIMO ANDRES, piano

The baroque chamber orchestra from France, Les Arts Florissants, led from the violin by Theotime Langlois de Swarte, are touring the world celebrating the 300th anniversary of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons. De Swarte joined the ensemble while still a teenager in 2014 before his rise to fame as a baroque and modern violinist and conductor. Somehow, we will get 17 musicians and a harpsichord on our stage for a serious baroque celebration.

THEOTIME LANGLOIS DE SWARTE, violin and LES ARTS FLORISSANTS

Sir Stephen is always described as a polymath. Indeed, the Englishman is a painter; author of novels, essays, and an autobiography of his musical youth; composer - we have heard his string quartet twice in CMNV concerts; and of course, a pianist. This will be his third appearance in Napa; his first for a solo recital. He plays almost everything, as his 60+ recordings attest. This program reflects his interest in both the pinnacles of the piano literature - Liszt and Chopin, and the nearly-lost wonders of the French late romantic composer Cecile Chaminade, a childhood fascination of Hough's.

Chamber Music in Napa Valley

Feb 20, 2025

Juilliard Quartet

Mar 13, 2025

PAVEL HAAS QUARTET & TIMO ANDRES, piano

Mar 20, 2025

THEOTIME LANGLOIS DE SWARTE, violin and LES ARTS FLORISSANTS

Apr 8, 2025

SIR STEPHEN HOUGH, piano

Jan 27, 2025

TAKACS QUARTET & JEREMY DENK, piano

Jan 14, 2025

VERTAVO QUARTET, tenor & GARRICK OHLSSON, piano

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Chamber Music in Napa Valley