In two weeks, the KSO Merchant & Gould Concertmaster Series, Gabriel Lefkowitz & Friends, continues with Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet on Wednesday, January 11 and Thursday, January 12 at 7:00 p.m. at the Knoxville Museum of Art.  These performances are sponsored by Merchant & Gould and the Knoxville Museum of Art. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased here or at the door.

 

The KSO Merchant & Gould Concertmaster Series is a unique concert setting with small ensembles performing in the Knoxville Museum of Art’s Great Hall where patrons can see and hear musicians up close. The January installment of Gabriel Lefkowitz & Friends features the well-known “Spring” from The Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi, Bach’s Concerto for Violin and Oboe in C minor, and Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet. Concertmaster Gabriel Lefkowitz will be joined by his KSO colleagues Claire Chenette, Principal Oboe; Gary Sperl, Principal Clarinet; Gordon Tsai, violin; Sean Claire, violin; Edward Pulgar, violin; Rachel Loeske, violin, Kathryn Gawne, viola; Eunsoon Corliss, viola; Andy Bryenton, cello; Ted Kartal, cello; Steve Benne, bass; Carol Zinavage Shane, keyboard.

 

“The collaborative aspect of this Series is has always been my favorite part of the whole shebang,” said KSO Concertmaster Gabriel Lefkowitz. “The KSO is so fortunate to have a world-class principal oboist in Claire Chenette, and I can’t wait to perform Bach’s hauntingly beautiful Double Concerto for Violin and Oboe with her with a mini-orchestra of our colleagues as accompaniment.

 

“A few years ago, our performance of Vivaldi’s “Winter” from The Four Seasons elicited a level of enthusiasm that took me by surprise. As a follow-up to that, we’ll be performing “Spring” from the same work. “Spring” is a cheery and bright movement that I hope warms us all, even if the temperature outside is freezing!

 

“The second half of the performance features Mozart’s masterful Clarinet Quintet with Gary Sperl on clarinet. Gary is so much more to this community than simply KSO’s fantastic principal clarinetist. He’s a a fixture about town who was a beloved teacher who served on faculty at UT for many years, and an inspiring world citizen who spends his summers teaching and advocating conservancy in Tanzania. It will be an honor to perform the Series’ first offering of Mozart alongside him and KSO string principals.”