Octets at Van Vleck
The repertoire for string octet is small but extraordinarily rich. I had the opportunity recently to record the mercurial Shostakovich and the glorious Mendelssohn under the aegis of the Montclair Orchestra at historic Van Vleck House and Gardens in Montclair. With the current pandemic conditions making it difficult for us to convene a full orchestra, I traded in my baton for the violin, joining three of my amazing Met colleagues and four splendid young talents from Juilliard. Here is a preview trailer for the concert, and a link for accessing the complete performance is below — tickets are $10 for a 7-day rental, available for a limited time.
Shostakovich: Two Pieces for String Octet, Op. 11
Mendelssohn: Octet in E-flat Major, Op. 20
David Chan, Sarah Vonsattel, Alice Ivy-Pemberton, and Njioma Grevious, violins
Dov Scheindlin and Devin Moore, violas
Julia Bruskin and Noah Krauss, cellos