Program Notes

San Francisco Symphony musicians have long been an important part of Music at Kohl Mansion's Chamber Music Series. Join us for this special opening concert as the Symphony's new Principal Bassist, Scott Pingel, joins violinists Sarn Oliver and Amy Hiraga, violist Nanci Severance, SFS Associate Principal Cellist Peter Wyrick, and flutist Timothy Day.

Artist Link

Program Notes

The Poulenc Trio brings together three uniquely gifted virtuosos on piano, oboe and bassoon, who combine 21st-century vibrancy with the best of the European classical tradition. Come hear how stunning this unique instrumentation can sound in the Great Hall of Kohl Mansion.

Artist Link

Program Notes

Violinist Maria Bachmann returns to Kohl Mansion following her well-received performance in March 2005 as first violinist of the Lark Quartet. This outstanding piano trio is a frequent guest of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and has also appeared at the Kennedy Center and on NPR's Performance Today.

"A force of nature." —The Washington Post.

Artist Link

Program Notes

Quartet-in-residence at the Cleveland Institute of Music, the Cavani Quartet has been described by the Washington Post as "completely engrossing, powerful and elegant." In addition to winning the prestigious Naumburg Chamber Music Award, the quartet has been a top prize winner in numerous competitions including the Coleman, Fischoff, Banff International, and Cleveland Quartet Competition.

"Comprised of consummate artists who blend like few others, the Cavani Quartet is an all-too-infrequent musical treat." —Cleveland Plain Dealer

Artist Link

"...our choice for [2002] Musicians of the Year because this superb piano trio ... combines scholarship, experience, and improvisatory abandon in equal measure. Their strong individual personalities collide and explode into an extraordinary fourth personality, the trio." —Boston Globe

Artist Link

Described by Alfred Schnittke as "an extraordinary ensemble that distinguishes itself with refined musical style, an unusually beautiful sound and palette of colors, and a tremendous artistic temperament, the members of the Moscow String Quartet are proteges of the famed Borodin Quartet and since 1997 quartet-in-residence a the University of Colorado in Denver.

". . .technical ease that seemed to allow an almost spiritual insight . . ." —Yorkshire Post, England

Artist Link

Since winning First Prize at the 1998 Banff International String Quartet Competition and the Naumburg Chamber Music Award in 2000, the Miró Quartet has become increasingly recognized as one of America's brightest and most exciting young chamber groups. They will perform a commissioned work by Brent Michael Davids, whose inspiration comes from his affliction with the hearing disorder tinnitus, a condition shared by Bedrich Smetana and referenced in his "From My Life" quartet.

"The great heritage of Western art music is secured for a while by a generation such as this." —Los Angeles Times

Artist Link

Internationally acclaimed pianist Garrick Ohlsson returns to Kohl Mansion, a regular venue for him, to present this special benefit recital. Proceeds from the event will support Music at Kohl's Artistic Development Fund, created to provide high-quality instruments for use by visiting pianists.

Prize-winners in the prestigious 1999 Bonn Chamber Music Competition, the Jacques Thibaud String Trio was founded at the Berlin School of Art in 1994. Since then, the ensemble has performed throughout Europe, Japan and over 40 States of the U.S., receiving tremendous acclaim from audiences and critics alike. Calling their playing "spontaneous and commanding," the New York Times said, "this could be the first string trio in some time to have a major career."

Percussionist, composer, writer and educator John Santos was raised in the Puerto Rican and Cape Verdean traditions of his family, surrounded by music. Widely respected as one of the top writers, educators and historians in the field, Mr. Santos is a member of the Latin Jazz Advisory Committee of the Smithsonian Institution and has contributed to international magazines. The San Francisco Bay Area community in which he still lives and works has presented him with numerous awards and honors for artistic excellence and social dedication.

Melody of China, a non-proft organization, is Chinese music ensemble based in the San Francisco Bay Area, formed in 1993 by a group of enthusiastic professional musicians from some of the most prestigious music conservatories in China. The ensemble has a twofold mission: to promote Chinese classical, folk, contemporary music, and to provide quality entertainment through the synergy between an ancient cultural tradition and the youthful, multicolored American culture.

Yaelisa & Caminos Flamencos, founded by Emmy Award-winning dancer and choreographer Yaelisa, presents contemporary, traditional and theatrical programs showcasing the changing face of flamenco today. Yaelisa & Caminos Flamencos have performed on stages from New York to San Diego. In this exciting and colorful program, audiences learn about Spanish dance, music and history, and other influences on flamenco's development including Gypsy, Jewish, and Moorish cultures. Caminos Flamencos explores percussive instruments including guitar, handclapping, castanets, cajon, and feet, teaching students how these elements combine into flamenco's vibrant character. Camino Flamencos introduces Spanish terms and later creatively "tests" the audience.

(Curriculum Connections: History and Social Studies, Multicultural Studies)