Program:
Ludwig van Beethoven: String Quartet No. 11 Op. 95 in F minor "Serioso"
The last quartet before Beethoven’s famous late string quartets, no. 11 op. 95 in F minor is written in four movements and is one of the shortest of all Beethoven’s quartets. According to the composer, the quartet was never meant to be performed publicly and was written for a small circle of friends. Emotionally loaded, compact and dark, the piece is often seen as an expression of Beethoven's deep-seated frustrations amidst adversities in his own life.
Johannes Brahms: String Sextet no.1 op.18 in B flat major
String Sextet no. 1 op. 18 in B flat major is scored for two violins, two violas and two cellos. At the time the work was composed by the young Johannes Brahms, this kind of combination of instruments was still a rarity next to much more popular string quartets, trios, and larger ensembles, such as orchestras. Premiered in 1860 in Hannover by violinist Joseph Joachim and his friends, Sextet was received with a lot of enthusiasm for its expressive and joyful melodies and masterful dialogues between the voices showcasing each instrument.
TCCC Artists:
Evgeny Zvonnikov, violin - bio
Natalia Korenchuk- violin - bio
Pedro Oviedo - viola - bio
Magdalena Sas - cello - bio
with Guest Artists:
Catherine Consiglio has been Professor of Viola at Wichita State University and Principal Viola in the Wichita Symphony for the past 34 vears. In 2021 she received the Burton Pell Achievement in Music Award from the Wichita Arts Council.
Ms. Consiglio has taught at Rice University, the University of Connecticut, University of Oklahoma and Phillips Academy in Boston. She served as Principal Violist of the Oklahoma Symphony, Assistant Principal of the Houston Chamber Orchestra. She was violist with the Fairmount String Quartet for 17 years, and served as Artistic Director of Chamber Music at the Barn for 26 years.
A descendent of the great Russian cello tradition, Leonid Shukaev studied at St. Petersburg Conservatory with Emanuel Fishmann. His teaching experience includes positions at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, the Rimsky-Korsakov Music College, and Oberlin Conservatory. He is on faculty at Wichita State University School of Music and serves as principal cellist in the Wichita Symphony Orchestra and the Wichita Grand Opera Orchestra. Mr. Shukaev is a founding member of the Grammy-nominated St. Petersburg Quartet.