Chamber Music Amarillo opens its 26th season with 'Passionate Music'

Chamber Music Amarillo (CMA) presents "Passionate Music" on Saturday, Sept. 9 at 7:30 p.m. at Sharpened Iron Studios to start the 2023-2024 season.

There will be a pre-concert lecture at the concert location hosted by High Plains Public Radio featuring HPPR's Jenny Inzerillo and musicologist Dr. Kimberly Hieb at 6:45 p.m. The pre-concert lecture will last approximately 20 minutes, and attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about the repertoire featured in the concert.

Tickets for the concert are $40 for adults and $10 for students and can be purchased at www.amarillosymphony.org or by calling 806-376-8782. Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door the night of the concert.

The opening concert, taking place at Amarillo's Sharpened Iron Studios, will feature the Amarillo Symphony's concertmaster Espen Lilleslåtten, alongside cellist Sally Guenther, pianist Elena Lacheva and Harrington String Quartet's violist Vesselin Todorov. The musicians will perform the US premiere of Anna Clyne's A Thousand Mornings and works from Richard Strauss and Gabriel Faure.

"CMA is excited to begin our 26th season featuring the US Premiere of Anna Clyne's A Thousand Mornings," CMA Artistic Director David Palmer says in a news release. "This wonderful opportunity came to us through our Music Director and Conductor, George Jackson, who knows Anna, one of today's foremost composers of the world. Speaking of George, for the first time, he will lead our musicians in a performance in January, which we are so excited about, and we are thrilled to present Larry Lang, leading us in a performance at the end of September, also for the first time. In addition to these concerts, we have other wonderful chamber music and chamber orchestra performances featuring several of our extraordinary musicians this season. As the Amarillo Symphony celebrates 100 years, we are thrilled to be a part of this milestone, sharing the great art of chamber music and chamber orchestra with our community."

Chamber Music Amarillo 2023-2024 season events

• Passionate Music Saturday, Sept. 9, at 7:30 p.m. at Sharpened Iron Studios. Espen Lilleslåtten, Vesselin Todorov, Sally Guenther, and Elena Lacheva perform works by Strauss and Faure and the US premiere of Anna Clyne's A Thousand Mornings.

• Winds of Change Saturday, Sept. 30, at 7:30 p.m. at AmTech Career Academy. The Amarillo Symphony's Executive Director, Larry Lang, leads the Amarillo Virtuosi Wind Ensemble as they perform works by Strauss, Dvořák, Stravinsky, and Robert Kurka.

• Celebrating Our Veterans Saturday, Nov. 11, at 7:30 p.m. at St. Mary's Cathedral. The Amarillo Brass Ensemble performs patriotic music to celebrate Veteran's Day.

• Miracle Music Saturday, Jan. 13, at 7:30 p.m. at the Amarillo Botanical Gardens. Amarillo Symphony's Music Director, George Jackson, conducts the Amarillo Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra with guest artists Rossitza Jekova-Goza, Helen Blackburn, and Melissa Cardenas. The ensemble will perform works from J.S. Bach, Mahler, Haydn, and Grammy Award-winning composer Christopher Theofanidis.

• Triosarachops Devours! Saturday, Feb. 10, at 7:30 p.m. at Sharpened Iron Studios. WTAMU School of Music Faculty members Guglielmo Manfredi, Sarah Beckham-Turner, and Sarah Rushing perform works by Schubert, Bernstein, a commission from Adam Levowitz, and more.

• The Mozart – Tchaikovsky Connection Saturday, March 2, at 7:30pm at AmTech Career Academy. WTAMU's Mark Bartley leads the Amarillo Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra as they perform works by Mozart and Tchaikovsky. Featuring guest artists Guglielmo Manfredi and Evgeny Zvonnikov.

• Diego Caetano & Capre Diem String Quartet Saturday, April 13 at 7:30pm at AmTech Career Academy. Pianist Diego Caetano, joined by the renowned Carpe Diem String Quartet, performs works by Korine Fujiwara (violist in the quartet) and the stunning Schumann Piano Quintet.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Chamber Music Amarillo opens its 26th season with 'Passionate Music'