Olivier Messiaen premiered his Quatuor pour la fin de Temps (Quartet for the End of the World) as a POW in World War II Germany. The unusual ensemble that performed the piece was living inside the reality it described — experiencing both the horrors of war and the triumph of goodness. See how music provides liberation in captivity and allows us to reclaim our humanity, even in the darkest of times. You’ll also hear Marti Epstein’s Abîme des oiseaux (Abyss of Birds) for wind sextet, which is a response to a movement of Messiaen’s magnum opus.
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REVELATION | Radius Ensemble
Saturday • April 9, 2022 | 8:00 pm
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Radius Ensemble liberates classical music for a new generation of music lovers with a fresh combination of eclectic programming and intimate performances by extraordinary musicians.
Named Boston’s Best Classical Ensemble 2016 by the Improper Bostonian, and winner of a 2013 CMA/ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming, Radius Ensemble’s thoughtfully curated programs balance old and new, with repertoire ranging from beloved masterworks to riveting new music – brilliantly performed by some of the best Boston-based musicians. Radius’s go-for-broke performances are interspersed with “live liner notes,” brief remarks that enlighten and entertain. Musicians, composers, and listeners truly connect.
A chamber music ensemble of winds, strings, and piano, Radius Ensemble was founded in 1999 by oboist and impresario Jennifer Montbach. Radius’s subscription season includes a four-concert series at Pickman Hall at the Longy School of Music of Bard College, where the group has been Ensemble in Residence since 2011. Radius has also appeared on concert series throughout New England, including Rockport Music and Clark University. Radius has commissioned and premiered numerous works by Boston-area composers and has won several Meet the Composer grants. Committed to community engagement, Radius presents a free Saturday-morning family concert in Harvard Square, donates free tickets to disadvantaged children and their parents or mentors through local community service agencies, and works with students at Cambridge Rindge & Latin School.
Nine core members comprise Radius Ensemble. They are joined by additional musicians as repertoire warrants, including (but not limited to) harp, percussion, and double bass. The group has also collaborated with a thereminist, several narrators, and dancers; and has appeared with film, live and recorded electronics, and other multimedia.
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Thanks to our partnership with the Massachusetts Cultural Council and their “Card to Culture” program, Longy School of Music of Bard College can offer free tickets to many of our diverse and innovative performance offerings. See the full list of participating “Card to Culture” organizations offering EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare discounts.