EDWARD SIMON, jazz piano

Wednesday, May 10 | 6:30pmHotel Rex

Tickets and More Information

415.398.6449 sfperformances.org

Photos: A

lexander String Quartet by R

ory Earnshaw

(front cover) and Shirley Singer (Upcom

ing Perform

ances) | Narek H

akhnazaryan by Marco B

orggreve | Philip G

lass by Johansen Krause

ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO PERFORMANCES

Since 1979, San Francisco Performances has been a pioneer in the Bay Area by introducing hundreds of classical music, jazz, and contemporary dance artists to audiences. With a strong artistic vision and adventurous programming, San Francisco Performances presents the world’s finest in music and dance, connecting audiences with artists in intimate settings.

UPCOMING PERFORMANCES YOU MAY ENJOY

2017–18 SALON SEASON

ALEXANDER STRING QUARTETShostakovich String Quartets: Part 2

4 Saturdays | 10amFeb 3 & 17, Apr 7 and May 19Herbst Theatre

NAREK HAKHNAZARYAN Cello

NOREEN POLERA Piano

Fri Feb 16 | 7:30pmSF Conservatory of Music Conert Hall

PHILIP GLASS @ 80Philip Glass, the Philip Glass Ensemble, SF Girls Chorus and Students from the SF Conservatory of Music

Music with Changing Parts

Tue Feb 20 | 7:30pmDavies Symphony Hall

ALEXANDER STRING QUARTETZakarias Grafilo | Violin Frederick Lifsitz | Violin Paul Yarbrough | Viola Sandy Wilson | Cello

MERAKI QUARTETJun Yong Liu | Violin/Viola Sofia Matthews* | Violin/ViolaAnna Renton | Violin/Viola Isabelle Nichols | Cello*Frederick Lifstiz will perform in place of Sofia Matthews in tonight’s performance.

Wednesday, January 31 | 6:30pmHotel Rex

Wednesday, October 18ADAM SHULMAN TRIO

Wednesday, November 15JENNIFER KLOETZEL | Cello

Wednesday, November 1TONI MARIE PALMERTREE | Soprano RONNY MICHAEL GREENBERG | Piano

Wednesday, January 31ALEXANDER STRING QUARTET MERAKI STRING QUARTET

EDWARD SIMON, jazz piano

Wednesday, May 10 | 6:30pmHotel Rex

PROGRAM

FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN String Quartet in C Major (1732-1809) Op. 76, No. 3, “Emperor” Allegro Poco adagio, cantabile Menuetto. Allegro—Trio Finale. Presto

Performed by the Meraki Quartet

JOHANNES BRAHMS String Quartet No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 51, No. 1 (1833-1897) Allegro Romanze. Poco adagio Allegretto molto moderato e comodo Allegro

Performed by the Alexander String Quartet

ARTIST PROFILES

The Meraki Quartet was formed in the fall of 2016, through Crowden Music Cen-ter’s Youth Chamber Music Program. The group, comprised of four tenth grade stu-dents, derived its name from the Greek “μεράκι εεεεε” meaning “soulfully artistic.” These young musicians have opened for the Alexander String Quartet at Herbst Theatre and the St. Lawrence String Quartet at Crowden Music Center in Berkeley. They have also performed for the National Guild for Community Arts Education and for former Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates. The Meraki Quartet has participated in several masterclasses led by esteemed ensembles such as the Juilliard, Baumer, Catalyst, Verona, Aizuri, and Alexander String Quartets, the Peabody Trio, and the Inscape Ensemble. In addition to its regular work with the Crowden chamber music faculty, the Meraki Quartet has also received personal coachings from Bonnie Hampton and members of the Delphi Trio. The Quartet took Second Place at the Galante Prize Competition at the Yehudi Menuhin Chamber Music Seminar in the spring of 2017, and has played the works of living composers Theodore Haber and Matthew Cmiel at the Getty Residence in San Francisco. The Meraki Quartet will appear on NPR’s From the Top with Christopher O’Riley on March 2nd and will perform the world premiere of Preben Antonsen’s Variations and Theme at Crowden’s Spring 2018 Gala.

Having celebrated its 30th Anniversary in 2011, the Alexander String Quartet has performed in the major music capitals of five continents, securing its standing among the world’s premiere ensembles. Widely admired for its interpretations of Beethoven, Mozart, and Shostakovich, the quartet’s recordings of the Beethoven cycle (twice), and the Bartók and Shostakovich cycles have all won international critical acclaim. The quartet has also established itself as an important advocate of new music through over 25 commissions from such composers as Jake Heggie, Cindy Cox, Augusta Read Thomas, Robert Greenberg, Martin Bresnick, César Cano, and Pulitzer Prize-winner, Wayne Peterson. A new work by Tarik O’Reagan commissioned for the Alexander by the Boise Chamber Music Series, will have its premiere in 2016. The Alexander String Quartet is a major artistic presence in its home base of San Francisco, serving since 1989 as Ensemble-in-Residence for San Francisco Performances and Directors of the Morrison Chamber Music Cen-ter in the College of Liberal and Creative Arts at San Francisco State University. For more information about ASQ visit: asq4.com.

EDWARD SIMON, jazz piano

Wednesday, May 10 | 6:30pmHotel Rex

PROGRAM

FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN String Quartet in C Major (1732-1809) Op. 76, No. 3, “Emperor” Allegro Poco adagio, cantabile Menuetto. Allegro—Trio Finale. Presto

Performed by the Meraki Quartet

JOHANNES BRAHMS String Quartet No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 51, No. 1 (1833-1897) Allegro Romanze. Poco adagio Allegretto molto moderato e comodo Allegro

Performed by the Alexander String Quartet

ARTIST PROFILES

The Meraki Quartet was formed in the fall of 2016, through Crowden Music Cen-ter’s Youth Chamber Music Program. The group, comprised of four tenth grade stu-dents, derived its name from the Greek “μεράκι εεεεε” meaning “soulfully artistic.” These young musicians have opened for the Alexander String Quartet at Herbst Theatre and the St. Lawrence String Quartet at Crowden Music Center in Berkeley. They have also performed for the National Guild for Community Arts Education and for former Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates. The Meraki Quartet has participated in several masterclasses led by esteemed ensembles such as the Juilliard, Baumer, Catalyst, Verona, Aizuri, and Alexander String Quartets, the Peabody Trio, and the Inscape Ensemble. In addition to its regular work with the Crowden chamber music faculty, the Meraki Quartet has also received personal coachings from Bonnie Hampton and members of the Delphi Trio. The Quartet took Second Place at the Galante Prize Competition at the Yehudi Menuhin Chamber Music Seminar in the spring of 2017, and has played the works of living composers Theodore Haber and Matthew Cmiel at the Getty Residence in San Francisco. The Meraki Quartet will appear on NPR’s From the Top with Christopher O’Riley on March 2nd and will perform the world premiere of Preben Antonsen’s Variations and Theme at Crowden’s Spring 2018 Gala.

Having celebrated its 30th Anniversary in 2011, the Alexander String Quartet has performed in the major music capitals of five continents, securing its standing among the world’s premiere ensembles. Widely admired for its interpretations of Beethoven, Mozart, and Shostakovich, the quartet’s recordings of the Beethoven cycle (twice), and the Bartók and Shostakovich cycles have all won international critical acclaim. The quartet has also established itself as an important advocate of new music through over 25 commissions from such composers as Jake Heggie, Cindy Cox, Augusta Read Thomas, Robert Greenberg, Martin Bresnick, César Cano, and Pulitzer Prize-winner, Wayne Peterson. A new work by Tarik O’Reagan commissioned for the Alexander by the Boise Chamber Music Series, will have its premiere in 2016. The Alexander String Quartet is a major artistic presence in its home base of San Francisco, serving since 1989 as Ensemble-in-Residence for San Francisco Performances and Directors of the Morrison Chamber Music Cen-ter in the College of Liberal and Creative Arts at San Francisco State University. For more information about ASQ visit: asq4.com.

EDWARD SIMON, jazz piano

Wednesday, May 10 | 6:30pmHotel Rex

Tickets and More Information

415.398.6449 sfperformances.org

Photos: A

lexander String Quartet by R

ory Earnshaw

(front cover) and Shirley Singer (Upcom

ing Perform

ances) | Narek H

akhnazaryan by Marco B

orggreve | Philip G

lass by Johansen Krause

ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO PERFORMANCES

Since 1979, San Francisco Performances has been a pioneer in the Bay Area by introducing hundreds of classical music, jazz, and contemporary dance artists to audiences. With a strong artistic vision and adventurous programming, San Francisco Performances presents the world’s finest in music and dance, connecting audiences with artists in intimate settings.

UPCOMING PERFORMANCES YOU MAY ENJOY

2017–18 SALON SEASON

ALEXANDER STRING QUARTETShostakovich String Quartets: Part 2

4 Saturdays | 10amFeb 3 & 17, Apr 7 and May 19Herbst Theatre

NAREK HAKHNAZARYAN Cello

NOREEN POLERA Piano

Fri Feb 16 | 7:30pmSF Conservatory of Music Conert Hall

PHILIP GLASS @ 80Philip Glass, the Philip Glass Ensemble, SF Girls Chorus and Students from the SF Conservatory of Music

Music with Changing Parts

Tue Feb 20 | 7:30pmDavies Symphony Hall

ALEXANDER STRING QUARTETZakarias Grafilo | Violin Frederick Lifsitz | Violin Paul Yarbrough | Viola Sandy Wilson | Cello

MERAKI QUARTETJun Yong Liu | Violin/Viola Sofia Matthews* | Violin/ViolaAnna Renton | Violin/Viola Isabelle Nichols | Cello*Frederick Lifstiz will perform in place of Sofia Matthews in tonight’s performance.

Wednesday, January 31 | 6:30pmHotel Rex

Wednesday, October 18ADAM SHULMAN TRIO

Wednesday, November 15JENNIFER KLOETZEL | Cello

Wednesday, November 1TONI MARIE PALMERTREE | Soprano RONNY MICHAEL GREENBERG | Piano

Wednesday, January 31ALEXANDER STRING QUARTET MERAKI STRING QUARTET