The third concert in Wilton Candlelight Concerts’ 70th anniversary season will feature Opus One Piano Quartet in a program of works by Mozart, Fauré, and Sierra. The concert will take place on Sunday, March 11, at 4 p.m. in the Wilton Congregational Church.
Opus One brings together four of the leading musicians of our time: Pianist Anne-Marie McDermott, Violinist Ida Kavafian, Violist Steven Tenenbom, and Cellist Peter Wiley. Veterans as well as present members of the world’s most prestigious chamber groups including the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Tashi, the Beaux Arts Trio and the Orion and Guarneri String Quartets, Opus One is the result of a mutual love of music- making between four extraordinary instrumentalists and friends. As soloists as well as chamber musicians, they are each familiar figures in concert halls throughout the world and have joined together to form one of the most exciting groups performing anywhere.
The members of Opus One are deeply committed to chamber music education, and one of the innovative projects they have developed is workshops with amateurs as well as students. Concepts to help break down barriers include special concerts in which the members of Opus One collaborate together with young musicians. Their dedication to the works of contemporary American composers is reflected in their programming, and the sheer, obvious joy they have in performing together communicates directly to their audiences.
1998-99 marked the inaugural season of Opus One. The group made their debut on October 23, 1998 at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, to a packed, enthusiastic house. Subsequent seasons have included recital debuts in New York, Detroit, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, San Diego, Philadelphia, and Portland, OR, all to great acclaim. Their orchestral debut was with the Chattanooga Symphony, performing Beethoven’s “Triple Concerto” and a work written by Douglas Lowry especially for the entire group with orchestra. Opus One has presented several other World Premieres as well. Along with the Pittsburgh and Cleveland Chamber Music Societies, Opus One commissioned the outstanding composer, Stephen Hartke, to write a new quartet, “Beyond Words” which was premiered in December, 2001. The piece, an emotional musical tribute to 9/11, was enthusiastically received.
The March 11th concert will take place at 4 pm at the Wilton Congregational Church, just north of Wilton Center on Route 33. Tickets may be obtained at the door for $30; $25 for seniors; 16 years old and under, free. For more information on this concert or on the Candlelight series, go to the Candlelight Series website. If you would like to be added to the brochure mailing list for the 2018/2019 season, call 203.762.3401. Candlelight Concerts benefit the Wilton Library Association and happily accept individual and corporate tax-deductible contributions. This series is in its 70th season.