Chamber Music at Bethel

Come in from the cold and warm your soul with stirring chamber music presented by Music at Bethel. Three rising string stars of the Chicago classical musical scene, Joo Yun Preece, violin, Timothy Hager, viola, Will Preece, cello along with Music at Bethel Artistic Director and pianist Jeffrey Panko will present piano quartets by Mahler, Mozart and Brahms.

“To me this concert is a huge variety of styles which makes the music interesting to perform as well,” stated Mr. Panko. “The Mahler is rather dark emotionally, the Mozart of course is perfectly conceived and full of his crystalline beauty and joy of life and the Brahms is simply sumptuous and gorgeous writing. The different styles are challenging to pull off in one concert, but that is the intrigue I suppose.”

The Mahler Piano Quartet in A minor was not well known until it was featured as a ‘role' in the movie Shutter Island. Upon seeing the movie, Mr. Panko was moved to research the piece and find a way to program it into a concert.

Mr. Panko is performing this concert after just returning from an engagement at Carnegie Hall where he performed with soprano Natalie Mann. This chamber ensemble came together through their work in the Civic Orchestra as well as the New Music School in Chicago where several of them teach.

The concert is on Sunday, March 6 3:00 pm. It is presented in the acoustically pleasing sanctuary of Bethel United Church of Christ, 315 East St. Charles Road in Elmhurst. A reception including food and a chance to mingle with the performers follows.

Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for seniors and $5 for students. Group rates also are available. Parking is free and the church is handicapped-accessible.

For more information, contact Bethel United Church of Christ at (630) 279-4040 or visit their website. www.bethel-ucc.org

The season finale of the Music at Bethel concert series will feature Elmhurst favorite Jenny Riddle in Concert with pianist Jeffrey Panko Sunday, April 17 at 3:00 pm.