Newsletter

Hello Friends, We are delighted to invite you to the Opening Concert of Chamber Music Society of St. Louis with “Open Strings”, marking the start of an extraordinary musical journey for Season 16! Please join us Monday evening for “Open Strings”, an evening of captivating music by Beethoven, Borodin, Mozart and one of the most popular works we have ever performed, Mendelssohn’s Octet for Strings. Musicians performing Monday are Xiaoxiao Qiang, Jessica Cheng Hellwege, Jesse Chen, Hannah Ji, Alejandro Valdepeñas, Chris Tantillo, Susan Gordon, Bjorn Ranheim and Davin Rubicz. The Prelude portion will feature a performance by our student musicians of the Lyra String Quartet, Zoe Baldwin, Hayden Baker, Reid Huntley and Sylvia Kennedy. Celebrate the power of music with us in our cabaret-style seating while enjoying a beverage from STL Barkeep at your table. There are just a few seats left so secure your tickets soon. We look forward to sharing the music with you. TICKETS Want to have some irreverent fun with music? Tune your radio or navigate your browser to Classic 107.3 for our final The Chamber At Home broadcast of the season on Saturday at 5pm and repeated on Monday at 10am. This week’s encore concert is “A Frivolous First”. As I warned the audience that night…I take no responsibility for what went on in the performance. Happy listening, Marc

Hello Friends, Monday night’s “Vintage Gala” celebrating Leonard Slatkin’s 80th birthday and The Chamber’s 15th Anniversary Season is a wrap. We thank everyone who championed and attended the event. We are very grateful for our Presenting Sponsor Noémi Neidorff and Artists Sponsor Dr. Tai Lin of Ariel Premium Supply. Thank you to our Mary Strauss and Tom and Carol Voss for serving as Honorary Chairs and their generous support. We appreciate the herculean efforts of Event Chair Miran Halen and her Co-Chairs Becky Domyan and Amalia Pfannenstiel. Special thanks to Miran for her video shown during the performance. If you would like to view the 5-minute video on the Slatkin family heritage, you can view it HERE. We greatly appreciate the artistry of the musicians who performed so beautifully. Ozzie Smith gave a delightful performance in presenting the Louisville Slugger custom baseball bat The Chamber had made for Leonard. Thanks also to Joan Berkman and our Media Advisory friends for their coverage of the Vintage gala and certainly to our Rader Young Artist student ensemble, The Lyra Quartet for their excellent performance during the cocktail hour.We are indebted to Ellen Condie for her expertise in guiding our team in planning the event and all the volunteers who made things work. To get a taste of the Monday night excitement, you can experience some videos and photos by visiting THIS PAGE. The Chamber At Home summer season is winding down. This week’s broadcast “Everything but the Kitchen Sink” is a ton of fun with Martinu’s La Revue De Cuisine and our dear friends, jazz piano duo Stephanie Trick & Paolo Alderighi. While you will enjoy listening to the music from these two wonderful musicians, if you have not seen them in person, watching them is just as much fun. You can do that when they join CMSSL for their 5th year in February with “4 Hands, 88 Keys”. The Chamber At Home broadcasts air on Classic 107.3 Saturdays at 5pm and Mondays at 10am. Happy listening, Marc

Greetings Everyone, We are so excited that our Vintage Gala is just about two weeks away! The program booklet will be sent to the printer next week. So if you wish to be acknowledged on the list of Sponsors and VIP Supporters, make a dash to the Vintage Gala page on our website HERE. There you can view the remaining sponsorship opportunities including a private event with Leonard Slatkin and Ozzie Smith “An Evening With Maestro and the Wizard”, purchase VIP Ticket Packages and navigate to view the Silent Auction Items available right now. Silent auction is live and includes these unique items: Dinner for 2 at Tony’s Restaurant in Clayton A case of Pinot Noir Fox Club VIP experience to enjoy the spectacular Neil Diamond musical, A Beautiful Noise at the Fabulous Fox Theatre A collection of chamber music CDs by St. Louis artists A table for Four with dinner and parking – Jeremy Davenport at Ferring Jazz Bistro A bottle of 1977 vintage port An official STL City SC Jersey, signed by players. You can bid on these silent auction items HERE now through Monday, September 9 until 9pm. Silent auction winners will be notified by email. You can also see the exciting entries included in the Live Auction at the event…with the exception of one surprise item. You can preview these exclusive items available at our live auction, including a St. George Island Florida vacation, a special St. Louis Cardinals package that includes throwing out a first pitch, plus a choice of a week in Orlando, FL or Myrtle Beach, SC. Live Auction items include         Choice of a week in Orlando, FL      A week at a St. George Island or Myrtle Beach, SC.                       Florida vacation home and                                     The St. Louis Cardinals’ Experience Check back frequently for new additions. If you can’t attend the gala but would still like to support this event honoring Leonard Slatkin, you can make a donation HERE. We’ll see you in your vintage best on September 9. Marc make a donation

Griaß di (Hello There), Music on the Saturday broadcast of The Chamber At Home will salute the Viennese tradition with works by Johannes Brahms, Fritz Kreisler and W.A. Mozart. Violinist Hannah Ji and pianist Brian Woods perform the powerful Brahms D minor Sonata. Violinists Xiaoxiao Qiang and Asako Kuboki join violist Susan Gordon and cellist Ranya Iqbal who will play Mozart’s #17 string quartet K458, “The Hunt”. Brian joins in for a piano trio by Fritz Kreisler….his whimsical Miniature Viennese March. So, when 5pm rolls around on Saturday evening, tune your radio to 107.3 FM, or your HD radio to 96.3 HD 2, or navigate to Classic 107.3 to listen on the internet. Then pour yourself an Ottakringer Vienna Lager and enjoy the music. If you plan to hear the rebroadcast on Monday morning at 10am, maybe a cup of Viennese Blend Coffee would be more appropriate for some of us. Whichever day…whichever brew…enjoy the music. Have you secured your tickets to help us celebrate Leonard Slatkin’s 80th birthday at our September 9 Vintage Gala? Special guests include internationally renowned pianist Olga Kern, violinist Cho-Liang (Jimmy) Lin and Baseball Hall of Fame Legend Ozzie Smith plus some surprises. Information on the event and tickets can be found here. Switching from Austria to Italy/Egypt…Union Avenue Opera has one performance remaining of Verdi’s Aida. This opera is presented in a concert version in the original Italian with projected English supertitles. You can find information and purchase tickets HERE. Auf Wiederschauen,Marc

Hello Chamber Family, While our in-person concerts are on hiatus for a couple of months, you can satisfy your chamber music cravings with encore performances of The Chamber starting Saturday on The Chamber At Home series by listening to Classic 107.3. These broadcasts begin July 6 and will air on Saturdays at 5pm with a repeat broadcast on Mondays at 10am. The complete series schedule and repertoire can be found HERE. We acknowledge our Independence Day Weekend featuring music with an American focus—–MADE IN AMERICA. Only the best things that last through time can be called vintage. Invitations to our September 9 Vintage Gala, commemorating Maestro Leonard Slatkin’s 80th birthday and the 15th Anniversary of Chamber Music Society of St. Louis will be in the mail this weekend. If you wish to join us in celebration with Leonard and support The Chamber, you can find information on VIP ticket packages and sponsoring opportunities HERE. There will be an announcement of silent auction items with information on access to view and/or bid. Best wishes to everyone for this singularly American Independence Day Holiday as we celebrate all the things that make our country and our city a wonderful place to live. Marc

Read “Fashion-Filled Evening Kicks Off Upcoming Gala” by Joan Berkman / Photos by Suzy Gorman Read more about our “Vintage” Gala here Event Chair Miran Halen with Co-Chairs Becky Domyan and Amalia Pfannenstiel View Photos and story by Christina Kling-Garrett, Ladue News Lori Lock, Joan Berkman Arlene Maminta Browne, Jane Roodman Weiss, Galia Movitz Melissa Miller, Kelly Bagwe, Heidi Gorham Adam Foster’s Fine Jewelry, St. Louis Ted Wight, Suzie Nall, Sagy (Saruul) Purev Gala Kick-off Hosts Adam Foster and Mary Steward Amalia Pfannenstiel Kelly Bagwe Fashion design by Alex Teih, New York Barbara Barenholtz Sagy (Saruul) Purev, Miran Halen, Ali Breitbach, Amalia Pfannenstiel Marc Gordon and Cindy McTee Slatkin Watch Video of Event HERE Naomi Fitzgerald De Grave, Charles Whimper Becky Domyan

Hello Chamber Friends, We are all excited about our upcoming “Return Visit to Vienna” Monday evening. Performing the music will be a collection of marvelous musicians… Hannah Ji, Brian Woods, Xiaoxiao Qiang, Asako Kuboki, Susan Gordon and Ranya Iqbal. These folks will be playing some delightful repertoire to bring the flavor of Vienna to your table in the Pillsbury Theatre. As we wind down our 2023-24 Season, we have a big crowd coming, so arrive early, visit STL Barkeep to grab your beverage of choice and settle in at your table. We will regale you with music by Brahms, Mozart, Hummel, Kreisler, and of course, Johann Strauss Jr. will be represented with his waltz….On the Beautiful Blue Danube. SELECT YOUR TABLE AND PURCHASE TICKETS HERE If you made a guess on composer/composition on the manuscript in the graphic from the last email…and you guessed Brahms…you would be correct. And, the composition just happened to be the Brahms Sonata Op.108 that Hannah and Brian will be performing Monday evening. Our concert will open with the Prelude segment featuring Rader Young Artists, Sophia Heaton, violin and Brody VanWave, viola. IMPORTANT REMINDER: That April 30 date has passed but you can still get your subscription forms for the 2024-25 Season in before ticketing reverts to the e-ticket system. SUBSCRIBE NOW. By the way, they will be performing with other Rader Young Artists side by side with CMSSL musicians… in a free concert on Sunday, May 26th at 6:00pm at First Congregational Church in Webster Groves.  INFO IS ON OUR WEBSITE Lastly, if you are a pianist or have a child or grandchild that is an aspiring pianist, encouragement and information are free at Sunday’s Piano Master Class with Shen Wen. So much can be learned from watching and listening, including those not actually playing in the class.  All classes are free and open to the public. We will be pleased to have you join us on our journey to this “City of Music”. See you then, Marc

Greetings All, Over the years, you have heard me introduce and thank Bond Architects as a regular Concert Sponsor. Principals Susan Pruchnicki and Art Bond also generously provide Chamber Music Society of St. Louis with the wonderful Clayton office space and infrastructure that we enjoy thanks to their philanthropic spirit. Their kindness allows us to focus our resources on the music and education activities to serve our community. Bond Architects specializes in municipal buildings that many of us frequent and use regularly. Here are a few with other projects currently in progress: The Center of Clayton Kirkwood High School Crestwood Community Center and Pickleball/Family Games Complex University City Public Library Whitecliff Park Quarry Lake Master Plan St. Louis County Library District The Muny Scene Pavilion Clayton High School Wellness Center Ladue City Hall Crestwood City Hall Architect Susan Pruchnicki gave a live and streamed presentation on the history of the University City Library, as well as the expansive update Bond Architects recently completed. If you would like to view the 40-minute video with some historic photos, facts and stories, you can access it HERE. By the way, don’t forget to pack your bags for our May 6 “A Return Visit To Vienna” concert. You will hear music by Johannes Brahms, W. A. Mozart, Johann Strauss Jr., Franz Liszt, Fritz Kreisler, and Johann Nepomuk Hummel. Make your reservations HERE Happy travels, Marc

Dear Friends, We are enthusiastically looking forward to the return of our cabaret-seating format on November 20 in the Pillsbury Theatre at the 560 Music Center with “Chamber Music For People In A Hurry”. This program theme is affectionately borrowed from delightful astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson’s book Astrophysics for People in a Hurry. I was amused by the title and I did make a valiant effort to get through the book several years ago. Libations to enjoy during the concert will be available for purchase from STL Barkeep. You can choose from available tables and get e-tickets HERE. Congratulations to CMSSL Board member Miran Halen. Miran directed The Places Music Has Taken Me: The Unfinished Story of Sarah Bryan Miller, a documentary film tribute to St. Louis music critic Sarah Bryan Miller who passed away in 2020. Miran’s documentary was chosen by our friends at Cinema St. Louis to be included in the 2023 St. Louis International Film Festival. There were 2,419 submissions for consideration from 32 countries out of which 278 were selected. The documentary includes commentary by numerous classical music dignitaries, both local and national. We want to congratulate our Rader Young Artist Competition winners Micaela Chyu (Grand Prize), Sophia Heaton (Runner-up) and prizewinners Hayden Baker, Jean (Julie) Park, Samuel Wenger-Stickel and Broday VanWave. The level of playing was remarkable. Thanks to CMSSL Director of Education, Davin Rubicz, for organizing and managing a successful event. We wish to thank the fabulous teachers who provided the guidance to these talented young musicians. You can read more and hear them HERE. In no current particular hurry, Marc