Chamber Players to perform
Published 6:21 am Friday, February 24, 2012
The Troy Arts Council will present The American Chamber Players in concert at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Claudia Crosby Theater.
Tickets are $25 for adults and $5 for students with ID.
Dr. William Denison, TAC president, said The American Chamber Players is not a standard chamber group in that it includes a flute, piano and three strings.
“The music that will be played will be a different repertoire ranging from familiar masterpieces to neglected gems to newly commissioned American works,” Denison said.
The American Chamber Players were formed in 1985 by Miles Hoffman from a core group of artists of the Library of Congress Summer Chamber Festival. The chamber group includes violist Hoffman, cellist Stephen Balderston, pianist Amy I-Lin Cheng, violinist Joanna Maurer and flutist Sara Stern.
Hoffman’s musical commentary, “Coming to Terms” was heard on NPR from 1989 to 2002. He is now music commentator for NPR’s flagship news program, “Morning Edition.”
Balderston appears internationally as a soloist, orchestral and chamber musician and coach.
Cheng is a guest artist with The American Chamber Players. She has won top prizes in many competitions, both here and abroad.
Maurer was born and raised in Colorado. She has performed as an orchestral soloist and recitalist throughout the United States, as well as in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic.
Stern has a varied career as a recitalist and chamber musician. She was a solo flutist for the 21st Century Consort at the Smithsonian Institution and has presented solo recitals in the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Recital Hall.
Chamber music is a form of classical music that is written for small groups of instruments that could be accommodated in a small place.
Because of its intimate nature, chamber music has been described as “the music of friends.”
“The personalities of the members of The American Chamber Players will come through in their performance,” Denison said. “The American Chamber Players are internationally known performers and are outstanding. Those who enjoy chamber music will certainly not want to miss The American Chamber Players.”
The chamber group will also perform for Troy City Schools on Tuesday.
Tickets may be purchased online at troyartscouncil.com or at the door.