Summer Chamber Music Weekend

The Roy Bogas and Friends Ensemble returns as the performers at the Gualala Arts Chamber Music Series 14th annual Summer Chamber Music Weekend on Saturday, July 9 and Sunday, July 10 at 4 p.m.in the Gualala Arts Center Coleman Hall.

Pianist Bogas is a regular performer at many Chamber Music Series concerts, both as a featured artist and as an accompanist to other chamber musicians. He is being joined at this year’s weekend by his “friends” from the San Francisco Symphony, Axel Strauss and Amy Hiraga on violin, Nancy Ellis on viola and Peter Wyrick on cello. “Music lovers are invited to hear either one or both performances, for a fulfilling weekend of superb music performed by top artists,” says Steve Chell of the Chamber Music Committee. “This weekend continues the long tradition of top quality chamber music on the coast, in the intimate setting of the Gualala Arts Center Coleman Hall.”

Bogas debuted with the San Francisco Symphony at age 14 and at 19 became Yehudi Menuhin’s accompanist, playing over 100 concerts with him throughout North and South America. In 1962 he was a prize winner at the second Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. An active chamber musician, he is the founder and director of the MasterGuild Series of chamber music concerts at Holy Names.

Strauss became in 1998 the first German artist to win the Naumburg Violin Award, and in the seasons since he has been equally acclaimed for his virtuosity and his musical sensitivity by critics such as The Salt Lake Tribune, which praised his well-rounded artistry by saying “Strauss quickly established that he is a virtuoso to be reckoned with. But amid his technical acumen, there was a genuine musician. His interpretive prowess was delightful.”

Prior to joining the San Francisco Symphony Hiraga was a member of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra from 1991 to 1999. She performed and recorded with that orchestra as well as the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, the New York Chamber Orchestra and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. Hiraga has performed as soloist with the Seattle Symphony, Aspen Philharmonia, Solisti of New York, Northwest Chamber Orchestra, and the St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble.

Violist Ellis has been a member of the San Francisco Symphony since 1975 and also has performed for the past thirty years with the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players. Ms. Ellis is an experienced chamber music player and has been heard in this capacity in many venues, including Davies Symphony Hall.

Wyrick is Associate Principal Cellist of the San Francisco Symphony. Previously he served as Principal Cellist of the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra at Lincoln Center, and as Associate Principal Cellist of the New York City Opera Orchestra. He was a member of the acclaimed Ridge String Quartet, whose recording of the Dvorak Piano Quintets was nominated for the 1993 Grammy Award for the Best Chamber Music Performance. He has performed as soloist with the San Francisco Symphony and as chamber musician and soloist with chamber ensembles and orchestras throughout the world.

Saturday’s program will feature String Quartet (the Bird), Op. 33, No. 3 by Haydn, Cello Sonata No. 3 in A Major by Beethoven, “Nigun” from “Baal Shem” for Violin & Piano by Bloch and Piano Quintet by Elgar. Sunday’s selections are Piano Quartet No. 1 in G Minor by Mozart, Violin Sonata No. 10 in G Major by Beethoven, “Night” for String Quartet by Bloch and Piano Quintet by Brahms.

Download the 2016 Summer Chamber Music Weekend program.

For more information contact Gualala Arts at (707) 884-1138 or visit GualalaArts.org.

Tickets

$30 advance for each concert; $5 more day of performance.
$50 advance for BOTH concerts, available at the Arts Center only.
Young people ages 7 through 17 admitted free with adult.

For advance purchase, visit Brown Paper Tickets or call them at 1-800-838-3006.
To purchase in person, visit the Gualala Arts Center or Dolphin Gallery in Gualala.