(9/19 & 20) A Weekend of Chamber Music in the Western Catskills

(EAST MEREDITH, STAMFORD, NY) The West Kortright Centre in East Meredith and Friends of Music of Stamford NY, Inc. present concerts by two world-renowned string quartets for a Weekend of Chamber Music in the Western Catskills on September 19th and 20th.  The Alexander String Quartet and the Lark Quartet are both internationally acclaimed for their artistry, skill, and passionate playing. These two concerts, coinciding on one weekend, provide the perfect opportunity for chamber music aficionados to explore and enjoy Delaware County in all of its autumnal glory.

On Saturday, September 19th at 7PM, the West Kortright Centre continues its 40th Anniversary All-Stars Performance Series with the Alexander String Quartet, previously at The Centre in 1989 and 1991.  The ASQ, composed of Zakarias Grafilo (violin), Frederick Lifsitz (violin), Paul Yarbrough (viola), and Sandy Wilson (cello), was formed in 1981 and captured international attention in 1985 as the first American quartet to win the London International String Quartet Competition. Since then, the group has recorded 31 albums and performed in the major music halls of five continents, securing its standing among the world’s premier ensembles. For this program, sponsored in part by WSKG Public Media, they will perform Mozart’s String Quartet No. 22 in B-flat major, K. 589, Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 3 in F major, Op. 73, and Beethoven’s “Razumovsky” Quartet No. 9 in C major, Op. 59, no. 3.
Tickets to this concert are $15 in advance ($18 day of); $12 for WKC members ($15 day of); and $11 for under 19. (As a special 40th Anniversary promotion, anyone who turns 40 in 2015 is eligible for a free ticket!)

The West Kortright Centre is a non-profit performing arts and community organization, located in a repurposed historical church, located at 49 West Kortright Church Rd., midway between Oneonta, Delhi, and Stamford. Follow signs from state Route 23 in Davenport Center or state Route 10 east of Delhi. For exact travel directions and more information, visit www.westkc.org

The West Kortright Centre’s 2015 arts and community programs are funded in part by WKC members, by contributors to the 2015 Program Fund Drive, by the Bert Santora Trust, and by grants from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and from the O’Connor, Robinson-Broadhurst, and Dewar foundations.

On Sunday, September 20th at 3PM, Friends of Music of Stamford NY, Inc. presents the Lark Quartet, the sixth concert of their 29th season, generously hosted by the Stamford United Methodist Church at 88 Main Street, Stamford.  Formed in 1985, the Lark Quartet features Caroline Stinson (cello), Basia Danilow (violin), Kathryn Lockwood (viola), and
 Deborah Buck (violin), and has a discography comprised of more than a dozen CDs. They have performed in many of the world’s great cultural centers, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, The Library of Congress, London’s Wigmore Hall, L’Opéra de la Bastille in Paris, and appeared at numerous international festivals.

For this concert, The Lark will play Hugo Wolf’s Italian Serenade in G Major, Haydn’s String Quartet in C Major, Op. 20 Nr. 2, and Beethoven’s String Quartet no. 15 in A minor, Op. 132. This performance is made possible, in part, with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts Decentralization Grant Program, administered in Delaware County by the Roxbury Arts Group, Inc, by a generous grant from the Robinson-Broadhurst Foundation, and individual donors.

Suggested donation is $12 per person, and $6 for seniors & students. There is no charge for those under age 13. Refreshments by A Taste of Europe will be served at the conclusion of the concert.

According to Ray LaFever, Archivist at the Delaware County Historical Association, notes created in the 1980s by the late Rev. William Phinney mention that the United Methodist Church hosted concerts in the 1870s, including performances by the Gilbert Family and the Searles Family of Vocalists. The semi-circular seating even has seat numbers typical of a theater! Friends of Music concerts have taken place at other local venues in the past; they are especially pleased to now be part of such a wonderful ongoing tradition at the United Methodist Church.
For more information about Friends of Music of Stamford, and for a complete listing of concerts planned for this season, visit www.friendsmusic.org.

Both The West Kortright Centre and the Stamford United Methodist Church are handicap accessible and have ample parking.