Oct. 6, Friday, 1pm
“Last Words”

Welcome to our second season!  This program is centered around Beethoven's 10th and final Sonata for Violin and Piano and Shostakovich's Sonata for Viola and Piano, the final work the composer ever wrote.  These Sonatas, saturated with all of the knowledge and experience these two master composers honed throughout their lives, are deeply profound and personal works--a blending of music and philosophy exploring the meaning of life, death and what it is to be human.

Guest artist: Luosha Fang, violin/viola
Opus 71 Co-Artistic Director Zhenni Li-Cohen, piano

Nov. 10, Friday, 1pm
“Night and Day”

Join us for a special environmentally focused event where we will discuss the dangers of global warming.  This concert features works inspired by the day and night by Mel Bonis, Lili Boulanger, and Steven Gerber in the first half and excerpts from Saint-Saens' Carnival of the Animals and Beethoven's Theme and Variations from his Op. 11 trio as a musical example of recycling.  World Premiere “Let Every Dawn” by the internationally renowned composer Sean Hickey. Not to be missed!

Guest artists: Ensemble Elatós

Dec. 8, Friday, 1pm
“Variations on a Palindrom”

Back by popular demand, variations abound in this solo performance featuring jazz pianist Addison Frei.  Steven Gerber's "Madam I'm Adam" variations will be contrasted with Addison's improvised variations on Gerber's original theme; the rest of the performance will feature original compositions and various jazz standards.

Guest artists: Addison Frei, Piano

Feb. 9, Friday, 1pm
“Spiritual Awakening”

Join us and enjoy a live rendition of Edith Piaf's famous song La Vie en Rose, depicting the awakening of love, celebrating beauty and a positive spirit in life.  Bloch's From Jewish Life suite, a deeply personal and intimate view into life and spirituality, is a thought provoking and achingly-beautiful foray into the meaning of spirituality. Lastly, the program will feature Steven Gerber's beautiful "Spirituals, Book II" for flute and viola are featured, including variations on traditional spirituals such as "Swing low, sweet chariot", "When the saints go marching in", and "Follow the drinking gourd".  

Guest artists: Guillermo Laporta, flute and Josefina Urraca, piano
Opus 71 Co-Artistic Director Matthew Cohen, viola

April. 19, Friday, 1pm
“Romantic Muses”

Join us for our season finale!  Rebecca Clarke's Dumka, a hauntingly beautiful work with a spirited, virtuosic middle section will be paired with Steven Gerber's "Norma's Variations", inspired by the memory of his partner, Norma Hymes.  Faure's Elegy for Cello and Piano and Brahm's stormy and passionate Piano Quartet in C minor, Op. 60, sometimes known as the "Werther" quartet after Goethe's "The Sorrows of Young Werther", will be performed in the second half.  The slow movement of this quartet contains one of the most beautiful melodies ever written--an oasis of beauty before a brooding and tempestuous finale.  Truly a romantic tour-de-force!

Guest artists: Yezu Woo, violin and TBD, cello
Opus 71 Co-Artistic Directors Matthew Cohen, viola and Zhenni Li-Cohen, piano

“BRAHMS BY THE BEACH”
10/02 @ 2pm, Sunday (at the Church)

Take a vacation to a secluded musical oasis, with works by Johannes Brahms and Amy Beach. The horn replaces the cello in this unique twist on the traditional piano trio, featuring husband and wife guest artists Gergana Haralampieva, violin and Eric Huckins, horn.

“APRÈS UN RÊVE”
11/20 @ 2pm, Sunday (at the Church)

Come celebrate the leaves changing color with an intimate afternoon wandering through a forest of art songs and operatic short pieces for flute and piano. With guest artist Ginevra Pettrucci, flute.

"WINTER WONDERLAND"
12/11 @ 2pm, Sunday (at the Church)

A Holiday concert of festive selections including Astor Piazzolla's Winter from Four Seasons of Buenos Aires.Featuring guest artists Yezu Woo, violin and Coleman Itzkoff, cello; narration by Matthew Cohen.

"Valentine’s Day Special”

02/12 @ 8PM, Sunday (in Theatre 71)

A Valentine's day concert including a special musical tribute to romance with special lighting, video, and more for an immersive experience featuring guest artists/currators Guillermo Laporta, flute and Josefina Urraca, piano

"FEMMETASTIQUE"
03/05 @ 8PM, Sunday (in Theatre 71)

An evening in honor of Women's Day, this all female composers program features Ensemble Élatos in a multidisciplinary extravaganza including chamber music, poetry reading, and video in a multi-faceted program inspired by the transition of day into night.

“All that jazz”

05/07 @ 3:30pm, Sunday (at the church)

Celebrate Springtime in our exuberant season finale, featuring jazz artists Addison Frei, piano, and Tahira Clayton, voice. They will perform compositions from their respective albums “Wait Till Now” and “Oread” as well as music of Thelonious Monk with Clayton’s new lyrics.