Chamber Music on the Fox announces 2018-19 concert season
The Chamber Music on the Fox announced an ambitious 2018-19 season lineup for their fifth anniversary.
Beginning with their second annual collaboration with the Elgin Short Film Festival, the organization will then present world-class artists on their five-concert series, including pianist Natasha Paremski, Third Coast Brass, the Apollo Trio and the Kontras Quartet, plus a fall fundraiser that pairs fine wines with live music.
"We've come a long way these past five years, and we're celebrating by presenting some of our favorite artists, ensembles, and composers," said co-artistic director Sara Sitzer. "Internationally acclaimed pianist Natasha Paremski gives an intimate solo recital, Chicago's Kontras Quartet presents a program weaving classical and folk music, and we are excited to continue our annual collaboration with the Elgin Short Film Festival to celebrate their 10th anniversary."
The season opens on Saturday, Sept. 22, with a second annual collaboration with the Elgin Short Film Festival.
On the second half of the festival, Chamber Music on the Fox will present the world premiere of a new score to the 1902 French adventure silent film "A Trip to the Moon." Composed by Steven Ingle, a Chamber Music on the Fox woodwind ensemble, will perform the newly commissioned music alongside the classic film.
On Monday, Oct. 22, the Chamber Music on the Fox presents a program of piano quartets by Schumann, Bridge, and Faure. "The Romantics" features the music of love and the music of heartbreak, performed by artists Renee-Paule Gauthier, Rose Armbrust, Sara Sitzer, and Aaron Stampfl. It will be presented at the chic, newly remodeled Imago in downtown Elgin.
The third annual "Chamber Music on the Vine" is a fundraiser that includes a fine wine and live music pairing, with wines specially chosen for the occasion to be tasted while enjoying the music of the Moeller Duo, featuring Paul and Kerena Moeller. The event will take place on Monday, Nov. 12, at The Haight in downtown Elgin.
This will be the first year that Chamber Music on the Fox presents a holiday concert, which will take place on Monday, Nov. 26, at First United Methodist Church of Elgin. "A Very Brassy Christmas" will interweave classic Christmas music with the works of Dahl, Glass, and Bohme, performed by Third Coast Brass.
Chamber Music on the Fox's featured guest artist this season is the internationally acclaimed pianist Natasha Paremski. Having performed with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra on numerous occasions, this will be her debut solo recital in the area, and will take place in the intimate Imago on Feb. 4, 2019, in a program that includes Mussorgsky's beloved "Pictures at an Exhibition."
On April 8, 2019, Chamber Music on the Fox presents the Apollo Trio, a flute-viola-harp ensemble made up of Elgin Symphony Orchestra members Scott Metlicka, Amanda Grimm, and Lilian Lau. The trio will perform the impressionistic works of Debussy and Ibert in the beautiful Seigle Gallery of Elgin's Artspace Lofts.
To cap off the fifth anniversary season, the Chamber Music on the Fox welcomes the Kontras Quartet, an ensemble known for their "superlative artistry" as well as their forays into bluegrass! The program will tread the line between classical string quartet repertoire and folk music, and will take place at Imago on May 13, 2019.
Citing accessibility as a key tenant of the Chamber Music on the Fox's mission, all concerts are priced between $20-$30, with $10-$15 student tickets. The organization continues to uphold what they lovingly call their "Starving Artist" ticket: pay what you can, all artists welcome.
Founded by ESO musicians Mark Fry and Sara Sitzer, Chamber Music on the Fox is a world-class classical chamber music series serving Elgin and the greater Fox Valley region, whose mission is to present engaging, enriching, and immersive performances and cultural experiences that enhance and enrich the cultural offerings of the area. Their fifth season includes performances by many of the finest artists in the Chicago and Fox Valley regions. For more information, see www.chambermusiconthefox.org and "like" CMOTF on Facebook and Instagram.