February 18, 2015
Whidbey Island Center for the Arts Classical Music Series presents pianist Sheila Weidendorf and members of Island Consort at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 1.
Everyone is welcome to enjoy this immersion into the (mostly) classical era with music by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Hummel, with one throwback to the Baroque and a sonata by Johann Sebastian Bach—all played by Island Consort members: Cynthia Morrow, violin; Brian Kenney, violin; Linda Morris, viola; James Hinkley, cello; Dyanne Harshman, flute and Weidendorf, piano.
“The classical era—following the Baroque and before the Romantic era—gave us certain structures of musical perfection within which the gamut of human emotion and experience is explored,” Weidendorf said.
This afternoon, she hopes, will allow the audience to ride the wave of this deeply emotional music.
“From the frolicking to the fierce, the silly to the sublime, this afternoon with the great masters of the age is sure to rouse, please and inspire,” Weidendorf added.
While the pianist noted that she often likes to perform concerts that juxtapose radically different music, she said the March 1 program is a coherent one that follows the musical development of a period in time. The program will include Bach Sonata for Violin and Keyboard in C Minor, BWV 1017; Haydn String Quartet Op 7, No. 1 in G Major; Mozart Piano Quartet #1 in G Minor, K478; Beethoven “Spring” Sonata for Violin and Piano, Opus 24 No 5 in F Major; Hummel Adagio, Variations and Rondo on a Russian Theme, Opus 78, No 6 for Piano, Cello and Flute.
“I am very excited about this program, featuring music from some of the greatest composers of the classical age, with one earlier gem from Bach because, frankly, nothing is greater than Bach!”
Members of the Consort, Whidbey’s resident early music ensemble, regularly perform chamber music concerts with works from all eras. Island Consort will be back at WICA in May for the first annual “Schubertiade”—an all-Schubert program featuring Schubert’s F Major Octet and his beloved Trout Piano Quintet.
Ticket prices are $20 for adults, $15 for senior, and $12 for students.
Online tickets are available at www.wicaonline.org until noon the day of the show. For tickets by phone, call the box office at 800-638-7631 or 360-221-8268. You can also buy tickets in person at the box office at 565 Camano Ave in Langley between 1 and 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday or two hours before any show.
