First Monday at Jordan Hall

NEC faculty have always enjoyed playing chamber music together, but it was cellist Laurence Lesser—at the time Conservatory President— who transformed these occasional musical evenings into a stellar, regularly occurring series. Twenty-seven years later, chamber music buffs eagerly anticipate the six free concerts held on the first Mondays of October, November, December, March, April, and May. They know they can count on fascinating repertory that ranges from Bach and Brahms to Bartók and beyond. They know they can hear the concerts in one of the great halls of the world. And they know they can expect illuminating performances by some of the world's greatest artists—NEC faculty, alumni, students and friends, who donate their services in exchange for the opportunity to experience together music that is among the most transcendent expressions of human culture.  This year, the thematic thread running through the programs is "Brahms and Birthdays." This concert pays tribute to the 100th Birthdays of John Cage and Conlon Nancarrow. 

Beethoven String Trio in A Major, Op. 9, No. 1
     Masuko Ushioda, violin; Kim Kashkashian, viola; Paul Katz, cello

New Piano Paths in the 20th Century:
Conlon Nancarrow: Studies for Player Piano No. 3a and No. 21 (Canon X)
                            Trio No. 1 for Clarinet, Bassoon, and Piano
     Alexis Lanz, clarinet; Christopher Watford, bassoon; Yukiko Takagi, piano

John Cage: Music Walk (for one piano with several players , plus radio and/recordings)
     Members of NEC piano faculty:Bruce Brubaker, Veronica Jochum, Victor Rosenbaum, Stephen Drury, Alexander Korsantia,
     Anthony Coleman, Ben Schwendener.

Mendelssohn Piano Trio in C Minor, Op. 66
     Masuko Ushioda, violin; Paul Katz, cello; Pei-Shan Lee, piano