CSO CONCERTMASTER ROBERT CHEN AND PIANIST MATTHEW HAGLE PERFORM JAN. 30 AT NICHOLS CONCERT HALL

Jan 02, 2022 admin_bitlc Features, Music News, Reviews 0

The Music Institute of Chicago presents Chicago Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster Robert Chen and Music Institute piano faculty Matthew Hagle performing Classical and Romantic masterpieces for violin and piano Sunday, January 30 at 3 p.m. The performance also will be available via livestream.

The program features Bach’s Sonata No. 2 in A minor BWV1003 for Solo Violin; Debussy’s Sonata for Violin and Piano; Prokofiev’s Sonata No. 2 in D Major, Op. 94bis for Violin and Piano; and Ysaÿe’s Sonata No. 5 in G Major, Op. 27 for Solo Violin.

Chen, a native of Taiwan, has served as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s concertmaster since 1999 performing as a featured soloist with Riccardo Muti, Daniel Barenboim, Pierre Boulez, and others. In addition to his work with orchestras, he is an avid chamber musician and has performed with artists including Itzhak Perlman, Pinchas Zukerman, and Yo-Yo Ma. A frequent participant at numerous festivals, he also has toured extensively with Musicians from Marlboro and is a founding member of the Johannes Quartet.

Chicago-area native Hagle, an active chamber musician and collaborator, has performed in concert halls throughout the U.S. and abroad with members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Avalon Quartet, and Quintet Attacca. He has released three acclaimed CDs on the Cedille label with violinist Rachel Barton Pine. He has served as a faculty member at the Music Institute since 1998 and teaches piano and composition. A Fulbright Scholar and graduate of Peabody Conservatory and Yale School of Music (where he received his DMA), he is also a Music Institute alumnus.

Coming up at Nichols Concert Hall:
– January 16: A free musical celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. features works by William Grant Still, Gustav Holst, and Joseph Bologne performed by Music Institute faculty and students.
– February 19: The genre-defying musical trio Time For Three returns with its uncommon blend of strings and vocals.
For concert updates, visit nicholsconcerthall.org.

Nichols Concert Hall is currently operating at full capacity, subject to future changes mandated by the state of Illinois, CDC, or other applicable local authorities. To ensure the safety of all persons on site, the Music Institute of Chicago requires that, upon entry to an event, all visitors older than age 11 show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination status OR a negative COVID PCR test processed within 48 hours prior to the day of the event. Visitors who have recently traveled internationally are not permitted in Nichols Concert Hall unless they show proof of a negative COVID PCR test taken three to five days after returning to the United States. The Music Institute additionally requires all visitors ages two and older to wear a mask over their nose and mouth for the duration of the event. Masks will be provided to those who do not have them. Anyone exhibiting any symptoms of COVID-19 the day of the performance, including fever, shortness of breath, or coughing, should not attend the event. Please note: All artists and staff on site are fully vaccinated. Vaccinated performers and presenters are not required to wear masks while on stage.

Robert Chen and Matthew Hagle perform Sunday, January 30 at 3 p.m.
at Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Avenue, Evanston.
In-person tickets are $50 for VIP seating and $25 in advance,
available at nicholsconcerthall.org, and $30 at the door.
Livestream access is $25, available at nicholsconcerthall.org.
All programming is subject to change.

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency and sponsorship from ITW.

Nichols Concert Hall
Noted architect Solon S. Beman designed the architecturally and acoustically magnificent First Church of Christ, Scientist, located at 1490 Chicago Avenue in Evanston, in 1912. In 2003, the building was sensitively restored to become Nichols Concert Hall, a state-of-the-art, 550-seat performance space and music education destination, easily accessible to numerous restaurants, on-street and metered parking, and the Davis Street CTA and Metra stations. The converted building, featuring a fully restored, 1914 E. M. Skinner pipe organ, received the Richard H. Driehaus Award for best adaptive use by the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois. Each year Nichols Concert Hall reaches approximately 15,000 people and hosts a world-class chamber music series, workshops and master classes, student recitals, and special events.

Music Institute of Chicago
The Music Institute of Chicago leads people toward a lifelong engagement with music through unparalleled teaching, exceptional performances, and valuable service initiatives that educate, inspire, and build strong, healthy communities. Since its founding in 1931, the Music Institute’s commitment to innovation, access, and excellence has served as an important community resource and helps to ensure music is available to everyone. Each year, the Music Institute provides personalized music instruction to more than 1,500 students, regardless of age, level of experience, or financial means, across eight Community Music School locations in Chicago, Downers Grove, Evanston, Lake Forest, Lincolnshire, and Winnetka, as well as online. In addition, the Music Institute brings music education, arts curriculum integration, professional development, and music performance and engagement opportunities to thousands in the Chicago area; offers scholarship opportunities to students in its Community School and its Academy, a nationally recognized training center for highly gifted pre-college pianists and string players; and (pre-pandemic) welcomes more than 15,000 visitors annually for performances, master classes, and special events at Nichols Concert Hall.

For information, visit musicinst.org.