Distinguished guest artists mezzo soprano Megan Ihnen, violist Michael Hall and the Villiers String Quartet will perform concerts and work with music students in March as part of the Shpachenko and Friends Chamber Music Festival.
Known for their effusiveness and encouraging presence, the Ihnen + Hall Duo are passionate about being new-music-friends-next-door who invite you into a listener-focused experience with contemporary classical chamber music.
Mezzo-soprano Megan Ihnen and violist Michael Hall on March 5 will work with piano, voice, and string students from 1-3 p.m. On March 6 at 8 p.m. they will be joined by Grammy-nominated Cal Poly Pomona professor and pianist Nadia Shpachenko to perform a powerful program of chamber works by living American composers Mary Kouyoumdjian, Libby Larsen, Eric Malmquist, Jessica Meyer, Jessica Rudman, Garrett Schumann, and Nina C. Young. This program poignantly brings to light some of the darkest events in recent history, including the war in Kosovo and the tragedy of 9/11.
The United Kingdom’s University of Oxford Quartet-in-Residence, the Villiers String Quartet, will work with piano, string, and wind students March 14 in a master class from 1-3 p.m. At 8 p.m., they will perform string quartets by Thea Musgrave and Alexander Goehr, as well as the Piano Quintet by Frank Bridge, together with Shpachenko.
All events will be held in the music recital hall. Tickets for the concert performances are $15 general admission and $10 student admission and can be purchased online at csupomona.tix.com or the Dr. Andrew G. Chong Box Office Building 24, room 188 weekdays from noon-1 p.m. and one hour prior to the concert.