Acclaimed Avalon String Quartet opens Chamber Music on the Fox's 10th season

Chamber Music on the Fox is entering its 10th season with performances by Avalon String Quartet.

The renowned ensemble will perform Borodin's stunningly lyrical and romantic String Quartet No. 2 and Shostakovich's String Quartet no. 9 in E flat major, a work that is filled with vibrant energy, richness, and complexity.

Chamber music fans have the option of seeing this concert in Aurora or Elgin as Chamber Music on the Fox expands its concert offerings in the Fox Valley.

On Sunday, Sept. 24, the concert will take place at 2:30 p.m. in the Packard Room at Ballydoyle Irish Pub, 28 W. New York St., Aurora. The venue provides an intimate setting, with a small stage and a cash bar, and is easily accessible with its street-level access.

The concert will be repeated on Monday, Sept. 25, at The Ashbury, 1 Douglas Ave. #2, Elgin, at 7:30 p.m.

Avalon String Quartet has performed in major venues including Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, the 92nd St Y, Merkin Hall, and Bargemusic in New York; the Library of Congress and National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.; Wigmore Hall in London; and Herculessaal in Munich. The ensemble serves as quartet-in-residence at the Northern Illinois University School of Music.

The concerts are the first in a subscription series of five live chamber music concerts plus two special events.

Subscriptions for the five-concert series are $100. Adult single-concert tickets are $25 and student tickets are $15.

In-person and virtual ticket options are available at www.ChamberMusicontheFox.org. The virtual option will be available Sept. 26 to Oct. 10.

The next concert in the series will be "A Celtic Christmas" featuring the STEAM Irish Quartet on Dec. 3-4 in Aurora and Elgin.

The new year will open with "Court, Convent & Stage: Redefining the Early Modern Woman" featuring Black Tulip on Jan. 7-8 in Aurora and West Dundee.

It will be followed by "A Concert for Elgin" featuring Pedro Diaz on English horn and the Chamber Music on the Fox Chamber Players on Feb. 25. Admission is free thanks to the generosity of the Seigle Foundation and Elgin Community College.

On March 24-25, the Chamber Music on the Fox Chamber Players will present "Romantic Piano Quartets" on March 24-25 in Aurora and West Dundee.

The season will close with "Pictures at an Exhibition" featuring 3rd Coast Brass and conductor Mark Fisher on May 19-20 in Aurora and Elgin.

In addition, the Chamber Music on the Fox is partnering with the newly opened Moonlight Theatre in St. Charles for a Nov. 6 program of two of the 20th century's most adventurous and dramatic works.

Conductor Steven Vance Ingle will lead the CMOTF Chamber Players and soprano Nathalie Colas in Arnold Schoenberg's haunting "Pierrot Lunaire' as well as George Crumb's electrifying "Voice of the Whale." This concert is a special event and is not included in the season subscription package.

A 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, Chamber Music on the Fox is a world class chamber music series serving the Fox valley region with engaging, enriching, and immersive live performances.

For more information, visit www.ChamberMusicontheFox.org.

For updates, follow @ChamberMusicOnTheFox on Instagram and Facebook.

Chamber Music on the Fox is a chamber music series serving the Fox Valley region with engaging, enriching, and immersive live performances.

Founded by bass trombonist Mark Fry and cellist Sara Sitzer in 2014, it introduces its audiences to renowned local, national, and international artists in intimate, informal settings where patrons have an opportunity to see and hear the artists up close and personal.

Along with the subscription series that runs from October through May, it also offers three free family concerts each summer in partnership with Lords Park Zoo, as well as an annual celebration of the arts thanks to the support of Seigle Foundation.

A 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, Chamber Music on the Fox relies on generous donations from individuals, sponsorships, grants, and ticket sales. To support the Chamber Music on the Fox, visit www.chambermusiconthefox.org.