Return to flip book view

Message Celebrating its 20th season from September 2024 to May 2025, CMSCVA is a 501(c)3 nonprot corporation founded and based in Richmond. We present an average of ten concerts per season, all produced by our staff, Board, and volunteers, and made possible by hundreds of community members. Flexible in personnel and repertoire, CMSCVA is dedicated to inspiring, entertaining, and moving our communities through a combination of unique venues, world-class musicians, thought-provoking content, and eclectic classical music. Engaging with contemporary culture and honoring classical music traditions, our mission is to promote interest and diversity in the musical life of Richmond and beyond.CMSCVA’s home base, artistic mission, and artistic inspiration owe their existence to the essential contributions to culture, history and economy by people who have called this area home. Our concerts and meetings take place on lands that are located within the territory of the Powatan Confederacy (or Tsenacommacah), the Chickahominy tribe, and the Monacan nation. As we continue our work of reaching across musical cultures and history with love and respect, we acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet, and honor the elders of these native nations, past, present and emerging. We also honor the contributions and deep sacrice of countless enslaved peoples through the history of this area. Indeed, without their ingenuity, artistry and strength, we and our city would not exist. Jennifer Cable Diana Damschroder Peter Gilbert Robin Jones Phyllis McCafferty Jeffrey Riehl Ellen Sayles Jennifer Tobin James WilsonFREE CONCERT: OPUS 20 – PARTY OF 7Saturday, April 5, 2025, 2:00pm | Richmond Main Public Library Join CMSCVA for an hour of sparkling music – Beethoven’s Septet, opus 20, and the premiere of new piece by Antonio García that brings the 19th century to 21st century Richmond.SCHUBERT QUINTETSSunday, May 4, 2025, 4:00pm | 2nd Presbyterian ChurchCMSCVA repeats one of the highlights of our past 20 years, a back-to-back performance of Franz Schubert’s spectacular “Trout” and Cello Quintets.BOARD OF DIRECTORSSTAFFJames Wilson Artistic Director Anamarie Diaz Administrative ManagerInterested in sup-porting our artistic mission? Make a donation or learn about volunteering for us here.SUPPORT US

CONCERTSTHE HOUSE OF HANDELSunday, Sept. 15, 2024, 4:00pm | Holy Comforter Episcopal Church CMSCVA celebrates the music of Georg Friderick Handel with a bespoke playlist of gorgeous instrumental music inspired by one of the composer’s most beloved works, the Messiah.FREE CONCERT: A RICHMOND CABARETSaturday, Oct. 12, 2024, 2:00pm | Richmond Main Public LibraryCelebrate the contemporary Richmond experience with this recital of cabaret songs, including world premieres from Virginia composers.BACH BY CANDLELIGHTMonday, Dec. 16, 2024, 7:00pm | Holy Comforter Episcopal ChurchSeventeen years ago, CMSCVA presented “Bach by Candlelight,” one of the favorite concerts from our past 20 years. This year, we present a revival of this concert with elegant and emotional music from J. S. Bach’s solo cello suites and violin partitas.FESTIVAL OF PREMIERESJanuary | Online at cmscva.org Through the month of January, CMSCVA celebrates our contribu-tion to the chamber music repertoire with a digital festival of pieces we have commissioned and premiered. The Chamber Music Society of Central Virginia is celebrating its 20th year! When we started in 2004, we envisioned a concert series that was different from any other in Richmond. Continuing to lead with creativity, inclusiveness, innovation, and artistic excellence, we are two decades old and eagerly looking forward to what’s next. This season is a musical party with programs inspired by the number 20, revivals of favorite concerts from our past, eight premieres of new chamber music pieces, and 45 artists to bring it all to life. We are celebrating our legacy, centering our community of Richmond, upholding the rich tradition of classical chamber music, and pointing to the future of con-cert programming. We are very happy to welcome you to the celebration.SWEPT AWAY!Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, 7:00pm | First Unitarian Universalist Church The freedom and joy of 1930’s Germany cabaret culture was swept away by the winds of fascism and war. Experience this unique period in musical history through a recreation of a Berlin cabaret, and a moving chamber opera about forbidden love.FREE CONCERT: OPUS 20 – THE SUNSaturday, Nov. 9, 2024, 2:00pm | Richmond Main Public LibraryCelebrate CMSCVA’s 20th anniversary with two famous quartets from Haydn’s “Sun Quartets,” opus 20, and the premiere of a new quartet from Richmond native Kyle Valorose.FREE CONCERT: OPUS 20 – ANNIVERSARYSaturday, Feb. 15, 2025, 2:00pm | Richmond Main Public LibraryCMSCVA continues its celebratory theme of “20” with Romantic music from the late 19th century: Elgar’s Serenade opus 20 and Borodin’s famous String Quartet in D major, written as a 20th anniversary wedding gift. This concert is presented in partnership with the Richmond Public Library’s Gellman Room Concerts.CELEBRATIONSunday, Feb. 16, 2025, 4:00pm | St. Mary’s Episcopal ChurchEight intrepid string players perform Felix Mendelssohn’s exhilarating Octet, opus 20, and the premiere of a joyful fanfare from Richmond’s own Donovan Williams, and salute the 100th anniversary years of composers Maurice Ravel and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.BAROQUE AT WILTONSaturday, March 8, 2025, 7:00pm | Wilton House MuseumSunday, March 9, 2025, 4:00pm | Wilton House MuseumCMSCVA returns to the historic setting of the Wilton House Museum for a program of English Baroque music for soprano, strings and lute. Because of the intimate size of the Wilton House venue, this concert is offered on two dates.(MAR. 8)(MAR. 9) continued >>

The Chamber Music Society of Central Virginia Celebration Sunday, February 16, 2025, 4:00pm St. Mary’s Episcopal Church 12291 River Road, Richmond, VA 23238 with: Grant Houston, violin Mari Lee, violin Kevonna Shuford, viola James Wilson, cello And members of ensemble132 Claire Bourg, violin Abigail Fayette, violin Luther Warren, viola Chase Park, cello

Program Allegro moderato – très doux Maurice Ravel from String Quartet in F major, M. 35 (1875 – 1937) “Prelude” Samuel Coleridge-Taylor from Fantasiestücke Op. 5 (1875 – 1912) “Des pas sur la neige” Claude Debussy from Préludes (1862 – 1918) arr. Sahun Sam Hong “Alborada del Gracioso” Ravel, arr. Hong from Miroirs “Blues” Ravel, arr. Hong from Violin Sonata No. 2 in G Major Rondo: Allegro vivace Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson from String Quartet No. 1 “Calvary” (1932 – 2004) String Octet No. 3, Op. 2, Donovan Williams “Miktam 1” (b. 2003)

Intermission String Octet in E-flat major, Op. 20 Felix Mendelssohn Allegro moderato con fuoco (1809 – 1847) Andante Scherzo. Allegro leggierissimo Presto Program Notes Today’s concert is the second part of a weekend devoted to string chamber music, and as an obvious way to celebrate CMSCVA’s 20th anniversary we are performing perhaps the most celebrated “opus 20” in all classical music, Mendelssohn’s brilliant Octet in E-flat major. But 2025 marks more milestones with the 150th anniversary of the birth years of two other iconic composers, born in the same year but worlds apart - the suave and meticulous Frenchman Maurice Ravel, and the talented and famous Brit, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. Coleridge-Taylor was born in London to a single mother. His father was a medical student from Sierra Leone whose ancestry included former slaves from America. Although currently undergoing a rediscovery, the work and life of this

ambitious and talented musician would be better known to American audiences if not for the societal and artistic prejudices that worked against him. Coleridge-Taylor’s music was extremely popular in England in his time. He also made three remarkably successful tours of the United States in the early part of the 20th century. He was acquainted with Paul Lawrence Dunbar and W. E. B. Du Bois, was received at the White House by Theodore Roosevelt, wrote a concerto for the great American violinist Maud Powell, and had schools in Baltimore and Louisville named after him. Ravel was born in the Basque region of France bordering Spain but moved with his family to Paris while still an infant. Musically talented, Ravel’s development as a composer coincided with the city’s cosmopolitan nature and exponential embrace of modernism. Although a slow and meticulous composer, Ravel produced some astonishing works, all perfectly composed and brilliantly orchestrated. Four members of the chamber music collective ensemble132 begin our program with a sampling of the music, influences and impact of these two remarkable composers. 1. The opening movement of Ravel’s astonishing String Quartet in F raises the curtain on our celebration, quite literally with a melody set over a rising two-octave F major scale. Influenced by the innovative string quartet written ten years earlier by Claude Debussy, Ravel unshackles

the string quartet genre, long influences by Haydn and Beethoven. Ravel’s quartet is sinuous and loose in form, highlighting shifting moods and shimmering coloristic effects. 2. Brooding and romantic, the “Prelude” from Coleridge-Taylor’s Fantasiestücke (fantasy pieces), shows why he was one of England’s most popular composers during his lifetime. Like the Ravel movement, this piece is in a loose form and highlights the vocal and singing quality of stringed instruments. In the emotion and tonal language, one can hear the influence of late Romantic composers like Elgar and Dvořák, both of who championed Coleridge-Taylor’s works. 3. “Footprints in the Snow” is the evocative title of one of Claude Debussy’s Preludes for piano, here performed in an arrangement by ensemble132 Artistic Director Sahun Sam Hong. A longtime (but not close) friend of Ravel’s, Debussy’s innovative genius and sensuous use of harmony are key to creating this musical picture of weary footsteps leading us away into a snowy landscape. 4. Ravel’s Basque heritage, and the early 20th century fascination in Paris by all things Spanish, are displayed in an arrangement of the composer’s sparkling “Alborada del gracioso” from his set of virtuoso piano pieces,

Miroirs. An “alborada” is a serenade song, usually expounding on the subject of love or (more precisely) lovers parting at dawn. The flash and bite of Spanish traditional music is combined here with a sense of longing and flirtation. 5. In 1928, Ravel made a four-month tour of the United States on which he visited, among other places, nightclubs with George Gershwin in Harlem and the jazz capitol of New Orleans. Ravel admired American Jazz, and this music found his way into several late compositions, including the G major piano concerto and his last chamber music work, the Violin Sonata. Its middle movement, simply titled “The Blues,” is tongue-in-cheek and at times dissonant – more a product of early 20th century French modernism than American popular culture. 6. Equally more modern than popular is the iconic jazz balled “Blue in Green” by American trumpeter and composer Miles Davis. Subtle and lovely, this jazz standard is elusive, with an unusual ten-bar phrase which creates a sense of timelessness. Jazz critic Ted Gioia writes that "Blue in Green" has no catchy hooks or flamboyant interludes, and unless you have earned a chamber music reverence from the audience, you run the risk of losing their attention. In the right setting with

listeners who are willing to participate in a collective meditation, this work can be a springboard for an experience that almost transcends jazz. “ 7. Our sesquicentennial musical tour remains here in America, with the finale of multitalented composer and conductor Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson’s String Quartet no. 1, entitled “Calvary.” Born in New York City, his musical mother named him in the period of lingering enthusiasm for Samuel Coleridge-Taylor following that composer’s tours in the USA. Perkinson acknowledges in the title that the quartet is based on the traditional spiritual “Calvary.” But however familiar Perkinson was with the spiritual from church services, he wrote, “When I sat down to write this string quartet, I was not trying to write something black; I was just writing out of my experience.” The entire three-movement quartet is an exercise in transformation of the “Calvary” melody. In the joyful and rhythmic Allegro, the listener will have to listen carefully to hear it revealed – it is dressed here in exuberant musical clothes. Donovan Williams’ new string octet Miktam 1 is a testament to the healing powers of music and faith through a period of personal struggle. Commissioned by CMSCVA for the current season, this piece was written after a dark period in the composer’s life over the past year. Through the composition,

Williams “aimed to communicate both the struggles of deep emotional strife while still acknowledging the presence of the Lord’s Goodness through this work.” About the title, “Miktam 1” Williams writes: [The piece] is based on King David’s writings in the Book of Psalms from the Holy Bible, specifically his 16th Psalm. A Miktam is a Hebrew word of unknown concrete meaning, but has been likened to meaning “golden,” “engraving,” or something of great value, and is used to describe four of the Psalms that David wrote, consisting of Psalm 16, Psalm 56, Psalm 57, Psalm 58, Psalm 59, and Psalm 60. Throughout the Psaltery, David depicts himself as crying out to the Lord in the midst of anxieties, pursuit of enemies, and the concept of “the pit,” while also acknowledging the Glory of God and His wondrous works despite David’s current emotional state. I decided to focus this work on verses 5 through 11 of David’s first Miktam, which are as follows: 5 LORD, You are my portion and my cup of blessing; You hold my future. 6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. 7 I will praise the LORD who counsels me - even at night my conscience instructs me.

8 I keep the LORD in mind always. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is glad and my spirit rejoices; my body also rests securely. 10 For You will not abandon me to Sheol; You will not allow Your Faithful One to see decay. 11 You reveal the path of life to me; in Your presence is abundant joy; in Your right hand are eternal pleasures. The piece begins with a searching, cloudy passage for lower strings. The tempo accelerates into a section that sets the beseeching melodies over a nervous ostinato, culminating in a crisis, and a heroic end. The ending section is prayerful and uncertain, except at the very end, where a sense of peace closes the octet. One of the true miracles of chamber music, the E-flat Octet for strings was written by Felix Mendelssohn in the fall of 1825 when the composer was only 16 years old. The piece was written as a birthday present for his violin teacher Eduard Rietz – and what a birthday present! Mendelssohn had written thirteen symphonies for strings between the ages of twelve and fourteen. The octet seems a natural outgrowth from that style of these early works, which were influenced by Classical period masters like Mozart,

Haydn, and C.P.E. Bach. The octet genre was gaining popularity at the time due to contributions by composers like the virtuoso violinist Louis Spohr. However, while octets like Spohr’s play off the idea of dueling string quartets that alternate in playing material, Mendelssohn’s seems an entirely new hybrid of symphony, violin concerto, and double quartet. In fact, Mendelssohn writes in the score that "This Octet must be played by all the instruments in symphonic orchestral style. Pianos and fortes must be strictly observed and more strongly emphasized than is usual in pieces of this character." With this instruction, he acknowledges the uniqueness of the genre and encourages the players to play in a fresh style. Other than the brilliant orchestration, the octet also revels in various displays of counterpoint, showcasing the assemblage of strings through musical techniques, puzzles, and games. Written in four movements, the epic first movement takes about fifteen minutes to play, roughly half the time it takes to play the entire work. The second movement cleverly uses instrumentation to highlight individual instruments, while retaining the orchestral feel. It alternates between music that is pastoral or serene, and unison outbursts that introduce material more nervous in character. The “Scherzo” is believed to have been inspired by a section of Goethe's famous Faust depicting "Walpurgis Night," the first night of summer when (German legend has it) witches and spirits fly

through the air. It is the first example of the kind of light-footed music that Mendelsohn would use effectively throughout his career, most notably in his incidental fairy music for Shakespeare’s Midsummer’s Night Dream. In the stunning finale, passages of the scherzo movement come back to us like dreams through a technique which would be later known as "cyclic" composition. This exuberant movement opens with an impressive eight-part fugato, in which Mendelssohn quotes the melody of “And he shall reign forever and ever" from the "Hallelujah Chorus" of Handel's Messiah. Artist Bios Violinist Claire Bourg has appeared as a soloist and chamber musician in many of the world’s leading venues, such as Carnegie Hall, Chicago’s Orchestra Hall, Kimmel Center, and Jordan Hall. Recently, Claire performed a recital in Brussels’ Studio 4 at Flagey as part of the Queen Elisabeth Competition. She has also appeared as soloist with the Camerata Bern in Hannover as part of the Joachim International Violin Competition. Ms. Bourg was granted the 2021 Luminarts Fellowship, awarded second prize at the 2020 Barbash J.S. Bach Competition,

and was the winner of the New England Conservatory Competition. She performs regularly with Jupiter Symphony Chamber Players, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Music for Food, Chameleon Arts Ensemble, and Curtis on Tour. A passionate chamber musician, Claire has attended festivals such as Marlboro, Yellow Barn, Ravinia, and Taos, among others. A native of Chicago, Ms. Bourg’s primary teachers have been Miriam Fried, Pamela Frank, Arnold Steinhardt, and Joseph Lin at the New England Conservatory, Curtis Institute of Music and the Juilliard School, where she held a Kovner Fellowship. She is now pursuing her Doctorate at the CUNY Graduate Center with Mark Steinberg. Claire currently performs on a violin by Zosimo Bergonzi of Cremona, c. 1770 on generous loan through Guarneri Hall NFP and Darnton & Hersh Fine Violins, Chicago. Violinist Abi Fayette is the youngest of four children in a musical family. Her violin studies began at age three with her mother and continued on to The Juilliard School’s Pre-College Division studying with Ms. Shirley Givens. Other principal teachers include Ann Setzer, Kyung-Wha Chung, and Joseph Silverstein. Fayette received her bachelor’s degree from The Curtis Institute of Music studying with Ida Kavafian and masters degree from New England Conservatory under the tutelage of Soovin Kim. During the 2019-20 season, Fayette was in residence at the

Curtis Institute of Music as a Community Artist fellow where she worked alongside teachers within the Philadelphia School District to create and expand music education programs. She is a member of Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. Praised as an “artist of enormous prowess” (Verbier Festival Newsletter) with “lots of clarity, confidence, and wisdom” (New York Concert Review) and a “wide range of rich colors” (San Diego Story), pianist Sahun Sam Hong brings his colorful style and riveting energy to the solo, chamber, and concerto stage. Hong was the winner of the 2017 Vendome Prize at Verbier, and a prizewinner of the Naumburg International Piano Competition and International Beethoven Competition Vienna. He was also the recipient of a 2021 American Pianists Award. On the roster of Young Steinway Artists since 2010, Hong has been featured as a guest soloist with orchestras including ORF-Vienna, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Camerata New York, Fort Worth, Richardson, Racine, Waco, Galveston, and Brazos Valley Symphony. He has performed in prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall’s Weill Hall, Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, the Vienna Musikverein, Église de Verbier, Merkin Hall, and the Kennedy Center.

A sought-after interpreter of the duo and chamber repertoire, Hong has been invited to perform at major chamber music festivals including Marlboro, Music@Menlo, Ravinia’s Steans Institute, Taos, and Four Seasons. He is an artist at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Violinist Grant Houston connects with listeners through performances of unbridled energy and emotional magnetism. Particularly devoted to chamber music, he appears frequently at chamber music series and festivals across the country, such as Spoleto Festival USA (Bank of America Chamber Music), the Grand Canyon Music Festival, the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival, Ravinia's Steans Music Institute, Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, and the Perlman Music Program, Monadnock Music, Wellesley Chamber Players, First Mondays at Jordan Hall, and Juventas New Music. He appears often with the conductorless ensembles A Far Cry, Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and in the summer of 2024 was named a Co-Artistic Director of the Portland, Maine-based Palaver Strings. As the violinist of Trio Gaia, Houston has helped to build the ensemble into one of today’s most exciting piano trios, offering audiences dynamic, personally relevant experiences inside and outside the concert hall. As a student of Donald

Weilerstein, Ayano Ninomiya, Vivian Hornik Weilerstein, and Merry Peckham, Houston completed both undergraduate and graduate study at the New England Conservatory of Music. Mari Lee is an artist dedicated to forging deep human connections through music. As a violinist, creative mind, and entrepreneur, she explores the intricate relationship between audiences, performers, and composers. Praised as “extremely impressive” by the influential music magazine The Strad, Mari has performed as a violinist at such prestigious venues as the Wigmore Hall, Philharmonie Berlin, Lincoln Center, and Carnegie Hall, as well as renowned festivals including Ravinia, Verbier, and Marlboro. As the CEO and Artistic Director of Salon Séance, Mari creates experiential concerts rooted in the idea that performing is an act of channeling. The winner of Tarisio’s Young Artists Grants and the Britten-Pears Foundation’s Britten Award, Salon Séance collaborates with both prominent arts organizations as well as corporate partners such as Yellow Barn Festival, Schubert Club, The Crypt Sessions, IMEX, and Google.

Chase Park, born in 1998 began his musical training at the age of 4 with Madeleine Golz at the JCC Thurnauer School of Music in Tenafly, NJ. In 2010, Chase was accepted into the Perlman Music Program, where he spent 7 consecutive summers intensively studying chamber music and cello performance under the tutelage of Merry Peckham, Ronald Leonard, Paul Katz, and Itzhak Perlman. That same year, Chase began his studies with Dr. Minhye Clara Kim at the Juilliard School’s pre-college division until 2016. He then attended the Curtis Institute of Music where he studied with Peter Wiley and Carter Brey, and received numerous coachings from Pamela Frank and Meng-Chieh Liu. Chase participated in Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute, Program for Piano and Strings in 2017-2018 and was accepted to the Marlboro Music Festival in 2020. He is currently pursuing a masters degree back with Dr. Kim at the Juilliard School. Kevonna Shuford is a vibrant violist who has a passion for collaborative projects. Kevonna completed a bachelor’s degree at the New England Conservatory under the tutelage of Martha Katz. She is currently a member of the Boston Philharmonic and also performs with numerous Boston based ensembles. A native of Florida, she

established a youth string program at Faith’s Place Center for Arts Education. With a continued love for teaching, she is a current resident musician with Musiconnects. Kevonna served as principal viola under the baton of Valery Gergiev and has had the pleasure of working with esteemed artists such as Janine Jansen, Denis Matsuev, Emmanuel Ax, Jaime Laredo,and Christoph Eschenbach. Additionally, she has had the opportunity to play in masterclasses for distinguished artists such as Kim Kashkashian, Paul Katz, Dimitri Murrath, and Clive Greensmith. As a member of the National Youth Orchestra (2016), Kevonna greatly enjoyed traveling to new places through past performances at major concert halls across Europe and the US, such as the Concertgebouw and Carnegie Hall; now, she is an avid outdoor enthusiast and enjoys taking walks or rollerblading around Boston. Violinist and violist Luther Warren enjoys a varied career as a chamber musician and educator. As a performer, he has appeared at such festivals as Caramoor, Ravinia, Yellow Barn, Four Seasons, Olympic Music Festival, the Perlman Music Program Chamber Music Workshop, Prussia Cove Open Chamber Music, Menuhin Festival Gstaad, Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, Music from Angel Fire, and Taos School of Music. He has collaborated with esteemed artists including Itzhak Perlman, Kim

Kashkashian, Donald Weilerstein, Miriam Fried, David Shifrin, Colin Carr, Ani Kavafian, Ida Kavafian, Daniel Phillips, Steven Tenenbom, and Hsin-Yun Huang. He has also frequently appeared as substitute violist for the Borromeo String Quartet. Luther is a founding member and violist of ensemble132, a chamber-music collective whose work centers on presenting original arrangements of familiar works together with standard repertoire. Luther also performs regularly with LA-based chamber orchestra Delirium Musicum. Luther has a keen interest in new music, and has collaborated with living composers Steven Mackey, Billy Childs, Gabriella Smith, Joan Tower, Aaron Jay Kernis, James MacMillan, Lior Navok, Kati Agocs, and Ethan Chaves. As a Violinist and Composer, Donovan has performed in venues such as The Llangollen Eisteddfod’s Royal Pavilion, St. Collen’s Church, Southwark and Winchester Cathedral in Wales, the Royal Albert Hall aboard the Queen Mary 2, Carnegie Hall, the National Shrine of Elizabeth Ann Seton, the Sarah Belle November Theatre and at notable International Music Festivals such as Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival, Interlochen, Hilton Head Chamber Music Institute, and the Philadelphia International Music Festival. He has also

performed alongside artists such as Claire Jones, Jason Mraz, Colbie Caillat, Chris Marshall, The Piano Guys, and Gabrielle Lynn. Donovan believes that it is his calling to utilize the blessing of music to minister to the world. He aims to blend influences from across various disciplines and genres of music to create a “sound that resonates with all,” connecting the audience to the Holy Spirit through the Divine power of sound. This is why he pursues music. For more than thirty years, cellist James Wilson has nurtured and enjoyed an exciting and varied career as performer and educator, bringing the joy of music to audiences throughout the world, from small towns to the world’s most illustrious venues. Acclaimed for his singing tone, and intelligent and soulful approach to music, the Los Angeles Times described Wilson as a musician “with something to say and a commanding way of saying it.” He is a member and has served as Artistic Director for the Grammy-winning Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and he regularly serves as guest principal cello of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. When not performing in festivals and concert series around the globe, Mr. Wilson teaches cello at Columbia University in the City of New York, and serves as the Artistic Director of the Chamber Music

Society of Central Virginia, an organization he helped form 20 years ago in 2004. ensemble132 is an American collective of soloists and chamber musicians of the highest caliber, uniting with a shared mission to reimagine the chamber music landscape. The only group of its kind to continually create and premiere new standards in the chamber music repertoire with its artist-crafted arrangements, ensemble132 excites the imagination of audiences across the country with its uniquely genre-defying programs. To read the complete bios of today’s artists, and all of our 20th season artists please use the QR code. CMSCVA’s 2024-25 season is funded in part through generous grants from the Margot and Allan Blank Foundation, the Community Foundation for a Greater Richmond, and the Virginia Commission for the Arts, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

CMSCVA would like to thank the following who have made financial gifts over the past year, making possible our artistic mission and community service. Donors (up to $99)David and Shiu-Min Block Beata Boodell Eugenia H. Borum Jay Buston Douglas Durso Martha Faulkner Richard Fine and Sara Ferguson Diana Gabay-Selby Kevin Hoover Denis and Carol Klisz Julie Laskaris Victoria Lewkow Hortense Liberti Rob McTier Sharon and Edson Pederson Ragan Phillips Paul Quel* Kevin Rosengren John Rupp Teresa Shuk Theresa Singleton Martha Thaler* Elisabeth S. Wollan Members ($100 - $249)Anonymous Barbara Anderson Dennis Anderson Charles and Jean Arrington Jim Bennett Carolyn and Gary Bokinsky Frances Caldwell John B. H. Caldwell Kevin Campbell Col. & Mrs. Robert M. Clewell Diana Damschroder David Depp Alan W. Dow II Christine Ertell Richard Fox Ann H. Franke David Frink Sharon Fuller Martin Gary Janet & Jonathan Geldzahler

Kathleen Hoppe Eric and Christiana Jacobson Nancy Jones Harry and Barbara Kaplowitz James Kidd Joann L. King Tricia and Jack Pearsall Ellen Sayles Jason Stell Margaret Stokely Misa Stuart Robert & Mary-Helen Sullvan* Jenifer Tobin George and Carolyn Watkins Rick and Laurie Williams Jane and Brian Wilson Sally Youngs Patrons ($250 - $499) Henry Bowen Laurel Nelson Brooks Clarke Bustard Nina and Ned Conway Ross Decker Robin and Rick Dietrich Martin & Hope Armstrong Erb Marilyn T. Erickson Ralph and Jocelyne Graner Suzanne Hall Anne Harrison Carlyle Robin Jones Gita and Davis Massey Phyllis McCafferty Jack and Marilyn McClard Jeffrey Riehl Grace E. Suttle Robert and Mary Ellen Wadsworth Perry and Ernest Wilson Artist Sponsors ($500 - $999)Anonymous Phoebe Antrim Rosa E. Bosher Zade Child Lois Wilson Crabtree Mary Boodell & Evan Davis Fran and John Freimarck Sarah Harriman Virginia Weight* Marsden Williams Michael and Molly Wray

The Powell Donor Advised FundYellow Cello Music Charitable Fund Outreach Sponsors ($1000 - $2499) Anonymous Christopher Bates Sarah Harriman Elizabeth A. King Elizabeth Lowsley-Williams Peter Gilbert & Ann Reavey Coille Limited Partnership LP Concert Sponsors ($2500 and up) Anonymous Jennifer A. Cable and David Lingerfelt James H. Wilson The Virginia A. Arnold Fund of the Community Foundation serving: Richmond and Central Virginia The Virginia Commission for the Arts Thanks also to: Ryan Tibbetts and everyone at St Mary’s Episcopal Church. Our Artist Hosts who provide such a valuable service: Henry Bowen, Frances Caldwell, Kathy Drummond, Debra Carlotti and Ken Kolb, Fran Papalios, Tricia and Jack Pearsall, Mary-Helen and Robert Sullivan, Mike and Molly Wray. Thank you for being a part of CMSCVA’s 20th Season! Consider donating to support future events here through this QR code.

Coming up in CMSCVA’s 20th anniversary season: Baroque at Wilton, March 8, 2025 Please note: the March 9 date for this program is sold-out, and a limited number of seats are still available for March 8. Built in 1753, the Wilton House entertained some of the most notable political figures in American history, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, through the hospitality of the Randolph family, who kept the home in its lineage for over 100 years. Having survived the Revolutionary and Civil War, the Wilton House has a rich and complex history. CMSCVA returns to this historic and intimate setting for a program of Baroque music inspired by William Shakespeare and Jane Austen. Party of 7, April 5, 2025 Beethoven’s famous Septet, opus 20, is one of the true party pieces In history. Its tunes have been whistled in the streets of Europe and America for over 200 years. Join CMSCVA for an hour of sparkling music by Beethoven, and the premiere of a piece by Antonio García that brings this 19th century masterpiece to its place in 21st century Richmond. Schubert Quintets, May 4, 2025 One highlight from our past 20 years was a back-to-back performances of two of the best loved pieces in the chamber music repertoire, both by Franz Schubert: his spectacular “Trout” Quintet and the epic Cello Quintet in C major. CMSCVA revives this concert for our anniversary year, but with a historical touch. Played on gut strings and a reproduction 1830’s Graf fortepiano, this performance of two stunning works is a not-to-be-missed event in Richmond’s concert season.

CONCERTSTHE HOUSE OF HANDELSunday, Sept. 15, 2024, 4:00pm | Holy Comforter Episcopal Church CMSCVA celebrates the music of Georg Friderick Handel with a bespoke playlist of gorgeous instrumental music inspired by one of the composer’s most beloved works, the Messiah.FREE CONCERT: A RICHMOND CABARETSaturday, Oct. 12, 2024, 2:00pm | Richmond Main Public LibraryCelebrate the contemporary Richmond experience with this recital of cabaret songs, including world premieres from Virginia composers.BACH BY CANDLELIGHTMonday, Dec. 16, 2024, 7:00pm | Holy Comforter Episcopal ChurchSeventeen years ago, CMSCVA presented “Bach by Candlelight,” one of the favorite concerts from our past 20 years. This year, we present a revival of this concert with elegant and emotional music from J. S. Bach’s solo cello suites and violin partitas.FESTIVAL OF PREMIERESJanuary | Online at cmscva.org Through the month of January, CMSCVA celebrates our contribu-tion to the chamber music repertoire with a digital festival of pieces we have commissioned and premiered. The Chamber Music Society of Central Virginia is celebrating its 20th year! When we started in 2004, we envisioned a concert series that was different from any other in Richmond. Continuing to lead with creativity, inclusiveness, innovation, and artistic excellence, we are two decades old and eagerly looking forward to what’s next. This season is a musical party with programs inspired by the number 20, revivals of favorite concerts from our past, eight premieres of new chamber music pieces, and 45 artists to bring it all to life. We are celebrating our legacy, centering our community of Richmond, upholding the rich tradition of classical chamber music, and pointing to the future of con-cert programming. We are very happy to welcome you to the celebration.SWEPT AWAY!Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, 7:00pm | First Unitarian Universalist Church The freedom and joy of 1930’s Germany cabaret culture was swept away by the winds of fascism and war. Experience this unique period in musical history through a recreation of a Berlin cabaret, and a moving chamber opera about forbidden love.FREE CONCERT: OPUS 20 – THE SUNSaturday, Nov. 9, 2024, 2:00pm | Richmond Main Public LibraryCelebrate CMSCVA’s 20th anniversary with two famous quartets from Haydn’s “Sun Quartets,” opus 20, and the premiere of a new quartet from Richmond native Kyle Valorose.FREE CONCERT: OPUS 20 – ANNIVERSARYSaturday, Feb. 15, 2025, 2:00pm | Richmond Main Public LibraryCMSCVA continues its celebratory theme of “20” with Romantic music from the late 19th century: Elgar’s Serenade opus 20 and Borodin’s famous String Quartet in D major, written as a 20th anniversary wedding gift. This concert is presented in partnership with the Richmond Public Library’s Gellman Room Concerts.CELEBRATIONSunday, Feb. 16, 2025, 4:00pm | St. Mary’s Episcopal ChurchEight intrepid string players perform Felix Mendelssohn’s exhilarating Octet, opus 20, and the premiere of a joyful fanfare from Richmond’s own Donovan Williams, and salute the 100th anniversary years of composers Maurice Ravel and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.BAROQUE AT WILTONSaturday, March 8, 2025, 7:00pm | Wilton House MuseumSunday, March 9, 2025, 4:00pm | Wilton House MuseumCMSCVA returns to the historic setting of the Wilton House Museum for a program of English Baroque music for soprano, strings and lute. Because of the intimate size of the Wilton House venue, this concert is offered on two dates.(MAR. 8)(MAR. 9) continued >>

Celebrating its 20th season from September 2024 to May 2025, CMSCVA is a 501(c)3 nonprot corporation founded and based in Richmond. We present an average of ten concerts per season, all produced by our staff, Board, and volunteers, and made possible by hundreds of community members. Flexible in personnel and repertoire, CMSCVA is dedicated to inspiring, entertaining, and moving our communities through a combination of unique venues, world-class musicians, thought-provoking content, and eclectic classical music. Engaging with contemporary culture and honoring classical music traditions, our mission is to promote interest and diversity in the musical life of Richmond and beyond.CMSCVA’s home base, artistic mission, and artistic inspiration owe their existence to the essential contributions to culture, history and economy by people who have called this area home. Our concerts and meetings take place on lands that are located within the territory of the Powatan Confederacy (or Tsenacommacah), the Chickahominy tribe, and the Monacan nation. As we continue our work of reaching across musical cultures and history with love and respect, we acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet, and honor the elders of these native nations, past, present and emerging. We also honor the contributions and deep sacrice of countless enslaved peoples through the history of this area. Indeed, without their ingenuity, artistry and strength, we and our city would not exist. Jennifer Cable Diana Damschroder Peter Gilbert Robin Jones Phyllis McCafferty Jeffrey Riehl Ellen Sayles Jennifer Tobin James WilsonFREE CONCERT: OPUS 20 – PARTY OF 7Saturday, April 5, 2025, 2:00pm | Richmond Main Public Library Join CMSCVA for an hour of sparkling music – Beethoven’s Septet, opus 20, and the premiere of new piece by Antonio García that brings the 19th century to 21st century Richmond.SCHUBERT QUINTETSSunday, May 4, 2025, 4:00pm | 2nd Presbyterian ChurchCMSCVA repeats one of the highlights of our past 20 years, a back-to-back performance of Franz Schubert’s spectacular “Trout” and Cello Quintets.BOARD OF DIRECTORSSTAFFJames Wilson Artistic Director Anamarie Diaz Administrative ManagerInterested in sup-porting our artistic mission? Make a donation or learn about volunteering for us here.SUPPORT US