Series brings five chamber performers to Arborteum

Audiences can be swept away by classical chamber music this winter with the Morton Arboretum's Sunday afternoon concert series in the historic Thornhill Education Center.

"The Chamber Concert Series is a great opportunity for lovers of classical music to enjoy a concert in a beautiful, natural setting," said Rita Hassert, library collections manager and organizer of the classical music series.

"Gatherings following the performances are a chance for people to mingle and meet with the performing musicians."

The five-concert series features performers Ensemble Aubade, Mirari Brass Quintet, Formosa Quartet, Weird (But Wonderful) Quartet and Rachel Lee Priday. All performances begin at 2:15 p.m. in Thornhill, on the west side of the arboretum, 1400 Route 53, Lisle.

• Sunday, Nov. 1: Ensemble Aubade, an acclaimed Boston-based trio makes its Morton Arboretum debut performing masterworks and rarely heard pieces for flute, viola and harp. The program will include Claude Debussy's "Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp" in honor of the 100th anniversary of the masterpiece, Maurice Ravel's "Sonatine en Trio," and "Sunrise" by award-winning American composer Thea Musgrave.

• Sunday, Dec. 6: The Mirari Brass Quintet will perform works from the traditional brass repertoire during its second performance at the Morton Arboretum. The quintet also will perform a selection of seasonal songs for the December concert.

• Sunday, Jan. 10: The Formosa Quartet will perform masterworks by Ludwig van Beethoven, a selection of Stéphane Grappelli's classic jazz tunes, and commissioned pieces by Shih-Hui Chen and Dana Wilson. The string quartet is winner of the First Prize and the Amadeus Prize at the London International String Quartet Competition.

• Sunday, Feb. 7: Weird (But Wonderful) Quartet employs a unique mix of instruments, including the flute, alto flute, violin, viola, guitar and cello. The concert will include works by Franz Schubert, Italian Baroque composer Pietro Locatelli, contemporary American composer T.G. Febonio, and French guitarist Jean-Michel Coquery.

• Sunday, March 6: Violinist Rachel Lee Priday has appeared as a soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops, Berlin Staatskapelle and more. She will perform favorites by J.S. Bach and Fritz Kreisler and less-familiar works by Eugène Ysaÿa and prolific Lithuanian composer Vytautas Barkauskas.

Individual concert tickets are $25 for arboretum members and $30 for others. Five-concert series tickets are available for a discount of $115 for members, $140 for others. Tickets are available at mortonarb.org, in person at the Visitor Center, or by calling (630) 725-2066.

A $5 transaction fee will apply to all phone orders. Tickets ordered less than one week in advance will be held at will call. All others will be mailed. Tickets are not refundable or exchangeable.