Spanish Brass to open NDMOA Concerts in the Galleries season
Musicians from Spain, Russia and all over the United States will be visiting Grand Forks this season to perform in the galleries of the North Dakota Museum of Art.
The Museum’s chamber music series, “Myra Foundation Presents: Concerts in the Galleries,” will open its 33rd season on Sunday, Sept. 22, with the Spanish Brass – a group of five musicians from Valencia, Spain.
“They are one of the world’s finest brass quintets ranking up there with Empire Brass, Canadian Brass and American Brass,” said Greg Alley of the New York Brass Conference. Recipients of the National Music Prize from Spain’s Ministry of Culture, the ensemble will spend four days in Grand Forks, performing at the Museum, visiting local schools, and giving a master class for music students at UND.
Other musicians this season will include the Beo String Quartet on Nov. 17, whose founding members are from Devils Lake and are known for their innovative approach to chamber music. In February, Alisa Sadikova will perform on the harp. Alisa was a child prodigy in Russia who gave her first public performance when she was six years old. She is currently completing her undergraduate studies at the Juilliard School in New York. Rebecca Fischer, who started her career in Grand Forks as the first violinist with the Chiara Quartet, will be returning to give a joint concert with internationally acclaimed pianist Simone Dinnerstein in March. In April, the final concert of the season will feature classical guitarist Jason Vieaux.
This season of chamber music performed by nationally and internationally known musicians is the only series of its kind in the Grand Forks area. Chamber music can include both vocal and instrumental music played by a small ensemble with only one player to a part. Though often associated with string quartets, nearly any instrument and music from any musical period including modern and contemporary can be found on a chamber music concert program. The Museum has excellent acoustics for this kind of intimate performance, and concerts are always followed by a free wine and cheese reception where audience members have a chance to meet the visiting musicians.
All concerts are held Sundays at 2 p.m. in the NDMOA galleries located at 261 Centennial Drive, Grand Forks, N.D. on the campus of UND. Parking is free for concerts; the Museum is ADA accessible.
Individual ($10-35) and season ($120-140) tickets available (ndmoa.com or 701.777.4195). Children 12-and-under and student band and orchestra members from ages 13 to 18 are admitted free. All concerts are followed by a reception (included in ticket price).