The Gualala Arts Chamber Music Series is set to present a captivating concert titled “Eric Kritz and Friends” on Sunday, March 8, 2026 at 4 pm. This ensemble features the talents of Eric Kritz on clarinet, with Paul Brancato, Marcia Lotter, and Susan Freier on violin, Stephen Harrison on cello, and Carolyn Steinbuck on piano. The program promises a rich tapestry of sounds, opening with the vibrant “Disco Toccata for Clarinet & Cello” by Guillaume Connesson, followed by the emotive “Sonata for Clarinet & Piano, FP 184” by Francis Poulenc, movements from the deeply reflective Allegro Tristamente to the spirited Allegro con Fuoco. The first half concludes with Peter Schickele’s “Quartet for Clarinet, Violin, Cello & Piano,” a piece that promises to take the audience through a range of emotions and rhythms. After the intermission, the grandeur of C. M. von Weber’s “Grand Quintet, Op.34” for Clarinet and String Quartet will be on full display, featuring movements that range from the exuberant Allegro to the whimsical Menuetto capriccio. This special event offers tickets at $35 in advance, with a $5 increase on the day of the concert, available at the Dolphin Gallery, Gualala Arts, and online.
Program
Guillaume Connesson (b. 1970)
Disco Toccata for Clarinet & Cello (2002)
Francis Poulenc (1899–1963)
Nerveux Sonata for Clarinet & Piano, FP 184 (1962)
• Allegro
• Tristamente
• Romanza
• Allegro con fuoco
Peter Schickele (1935–2024)
Quartet for Clarinet, Violin, Cello & Piano (1981)
• Moderate, flowing
• Fast, driving
• Slow, elegiac
• Quite fast, dancing
INTERMISSION
W. A. Mozart (1756–1791)
Quintet in A major, K. 581 (1789)
for Clarinet and String Quartet
• Allegro
• Larghetto
• Menuetto – Trio I – Trio II
• Allegretto con variazioni