SUMMER 2024: June 27th - June 30th, 2024
Summer of Bohemia Chamber Music Festival
The traditional folk music of Bohemia influenced the work of Antonin Dvořák, Bedřich Smetana, Leoš Janáček, Bohuslav Martinů and Josef Suk. The great achievement of these composers was to join the warmth, joy and optimism of native Czech music to the great classical forms developed by Bach, Mozart and Beethoven. Please join us as we explore Bohemian composers and their extraordinary contribution to our musical traditions and culture.
These concerts are made possible by the generosity of Terri and Jerry Kohl.
You are cordially invited to come join us for the upcoming Summer of Bohemia Chamber Music Festival at the stunning Pompeian Room of the Doheny Mansion. These four concerts will feature 13 works that showcase the extraordinary music of Antonin Dvorák, Leos Janàček, Ernst von Dohnányi, Josef Suk, Bedřich Smetana and Bohuslav Martinů. All of these composers were influenced by Bohemian folk music. The great achievement of these composers was to join the warmth, joy and optimism of Native Czech music to the great classical forms developed by Bach, Mozart and Beethoven. Not unlike Johannes Brahms, these composers used their cultural heritage to guide and infuse their compositions with the unique melodies and harmonies of their countrymen. (Brahms was a dear friend, supporter and mentor to Dvořák) Bohemian music was also influenced by the New World. Both Dvorák and Martinu traveled to the United States to share their prodigious musical talents. Their exposure to our musical traditions inspired them to compose some of their most famous works.
Joining the New Hollywood String Quartet- violinists Tereza Stanislav and Rafael Rishik, violist Robert Brophy and cellist Andrew Shulman are some of the most accomplished chamber musicians from around the world. The guest artists are- violinist Margaret Batjer, pianist Rohan De Silva, pianist Rodolfo Leone, clarinetist Boris Allakhverdyan, violinist Roger Wilkie, violinist Jessica Guideri, violinist Susan Rishik, cellist Eric Byers, pianist Alin Allakhverdyan, and mezzo-soprano Jessie Shulman.
The Summer of Bohemia Festival brings together the Quartet’s esteemed friends and colleagues from around the world to perform the music that inspired them all as young musicians.
The Summer of Bohemia is the fifth chamber music festival since the New Hollywood String Quartet’s 2019 Summer of Brahms Festival, which featured performances of all 25 instrumental chamber works of Brahms in a series of eight consecutive sold out concerts. The LA Times praised the “enthusiastic robustness” and “sheer liquidity,” of the performances. In December of 2021, the NHSQ presented the Vienna Holiday Concerts which celebrated the chamber music of Schubert and Mozart. Classical Voice noted, “At the Huntington, the NHSQ exuded a refined and luminous presence in keeping with its growing reputation, 20 years into its history.” The 2022 Summer of Beethoven Festival presented some of the best of Beethoven’s vast chamber music output, showcasing repertoire from each of his compositional periods, to convey the arc of his evolution as a composer. The 2023 Summer of Paris featured the impressionist music of Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel. Their stunning legacy transformed musical expression at the early part of the 20th century and continues to shape our musical landscape to this very day.
SUMMER OF BOHEMIA CONCERT #1- June 27th, 2024 - 8 PM
Leoš Janàček - Sonata for Violin and Piano
1. Con Moto
2. Ballada
3. Allegretto
Tereza Stanislav-Violin, Rohan De Silva- Piano
Ernst von Dohnányi- Serenade in C Major for String Trio
1. Marcia (Allegro)
2. Romanza (Adagio non troppo)
3. Scherzo (Vivace)
4. Tema con variazioni (Andante con moto)
5. Rondo
Roger Wilkie-Violin, Robert Brophy-Viola, Eric Byers-Cello
Intermission
Antonin Dvořàk - String Quartet in F Major Op.96 “American”
1. Allegro ma non troppo
2. Lento
3. Molto Vivace
4. Vivace ma non troppo
New Hollywood String Quartet
SUMMER OF BOHEMIA CONCERT #2 - June 28th, 2024 - 8 PM
Josef Suk - ‘Piseñ’ “Love Song” for Violin and Piano
Adagio non troppo lento
Tereza Stanislav-Violin, Rohan De Silva- Piano
Antonin Dvořák- Piano Trio in E minor Op.90 ‘Dumky’
1. Lento maestoso — Allegro quasi doppio movimento
(E minor – E major)
2. Poco adagio — Vivace non troppo — Vivace (C♯ minor)
3. Andante — Vivace non troppo — Allegretto (A major – A minor – A major)
4. Andante moderato — Allegretto scherzando — Quasi tempo di marcia (D minor – D major)
5. Allegro (E♭ major – E♭ minor)
6. Lento maestoso (C minor – C major)
Margaret Batjer-Violin, Rohan De Silva- Piano, Andrew Shulman-Cello
Intermission
Leoš Janáček - String Quartet No.1 “Kreutzer Sonata’
1. Adagio con moto
2. Con moto
3. Con moto-Vivace-Andante-Tempo 1
4. Con moto
New Hollywood String Quartet
SUMMER OF BOHEMIA CONCERT #3 - June 29th, 2024 - 4 PM
Bohuslav Martinů - Sonata No.1 in B flat minor for Cello and Piano
1. Poco Allegro-Allegro
2. Lento
3. Allegro con brio
Andrew Shulman-Cello, Rohan De Silva-Piano
Antonin Dvořàk - Piano Quartet No.2 in E Flat Major
1. Allegro con fuoco
2. Lento
3. Allegro Moderato, grazioso
4. Allegro, ma non troppo
Rodolfo Leone-Piano, Rafael Rishik-Violin, Robert Brophy-Viola,
Eric Byers-Cello
Intermission
Bedřich Smetana - String Quartet in E minor ‘From My Life’
1. Allegro vivo appassionata
2. Allegro moderato alla polka
3. Largo sostenuto
4.Vivace
New Hollywood String Quartet
SUMMER OF BOHEMIA CONCERT #4 - June 30th, 2024 - 4 PM
Bohuslav Martinu - Eight Czech Folk Songs for Mezzo Soprano and Piano
1. Bohatá milá (The Rich Sweetheart)
2. Opuštěný milý (The Abandoned Lover)
3. Touha (Yearning)
4. Zvědavá dievča (The Inquisitive Girl)
5. Veselá dievča (The Happy Girl)
6. Smutný milý (The Mournful Lover)
7. Prosba (Prayer)
8. Vysoká veža (The High Tower)
Jessie Shulman- Mezzo-Soprano, Rohan De Silva- Piano
Antonin Dvorák - Terzetto in C Major Op.74 for Two Violins and Viola
1. Introduzione. Allegro ma non troppo
2. Larghetto
3. Scherzo. Vivace-Trio, Poco meno mosso
4. Tema con variazioni. Poco Adagio-Molto
Jessica Guideri-Violin, Susan Rishik-Violin, Robert Brophy-Viola
Bohuslav Martinu - Sonatina for Clarinet and Piano H. 356
1. Moderato
2. Andante
3. Poco allegro
Boris Allakhverdyan- Clarinet, Alin Allakhverdyan-Piano
Intermission
Antonin Dvorák - Piano Quintet in A Major Op.81
1. Allegro, ma non tanto
2. Dumka, Andante con moto
3. Scherzo (Furiant), Molto Vivace
4. Finale, Allegro
Rohan De Silva- Piano, New Hollywood String Quartet