Performing Arts Series

Winners of a 2023 Avery Fisher Career Grant and the 2022 Banff International String Quartet Competition, the Isidore String Quartet was formed with a vision to revisit, rediscover, and reinvigorate the repertory. After energizing a packed Robison Hall during their Middlebury debut last season, we’re thrilled to welcome them back with the world premiere of composer/pianist Billy Childs’ Quartet No. 4, “American Mosaic,” written expressly for them.

Friction is a genre-breaking sound world brought to life in this Vermont premiere by composer and flutist Allison Loggins-Hull, in collaboration with the two-time GRAMMY-winning vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth. This debut collaboration weaves a striking tapestry of songs, composed by Loggins-Hull, delving into the intricate dance between the forces that shape us. Those forces—our influences, inheritances, relationships—like friction itself, generate both light and heat, and have the capacity to reveal our greatest strengths and most closely held flaws.

Dreamers’ Circusis one of the most acclaimed and adventurous acoustic bands from the Nordic region. This Middlebury favorite seamlessly blends Nordic folk with classical lyricism, jazz improvisation, and pop energy, creating a sound that is both rooted in tradition and forward-looking. The trio’s latest album, “Handed On,” reflects on their musical heritage, while their dynamic live shows showcase the playful joy and precision that define their unique sound.

Perennial favorite, cellist Sophie Shao, opens our 106th season with an accomplished, all-female ensemble. Shao is joined by violinist Carmit Zori and pianist Ieva Jokubaviciute to perform selections from François Couperin’s Five Concert Pieces for Cello & Piano, as a nod to the Museum of Art’s “Le Petit Salon” exhibition. Additional works include Amy Beach’s Piano Trio, the Vermont premiere of Elena Ruehr’s second Cello Sonata, and Dvorák’s F Minor Piano Trio.

Fusing butoh dance theater, hip-hop mixology, new music, and multimedia,the Vermont premiere of time/life/beauty by Michael Sakamoto and Paul D. Miller (aka DJ Spooky) is inspired by the legacy of famed composer-musician and activist Ryuichi Sakamoto (1952–2023). Inspired by the variety and mystery of Ryuichi’s music, interdisciplinary collaborations, and environmental and anti-war commitments, time/life/beauty looks at the past, present, and future of acute cultural, social, and ecological themes in our historical moment.

Fusing butoh dance theater, hip-hop mixology, new music, and multimedia,the Vermont premiere of time/life/beauty by Michael Sakamoto and Paul D. Miller (aka DJ Spooky) is inspired by the legacy of famed composer-musician and activist Ryuichi Sakamoto (1952–2023). Inspired by the variety and mystery of Ryuichi’s music, interdisciplinary collaborations, and environmental and anti-war commitments, time/life/beauty looks at the past, present, and future of acute cultural, social, and ecological themes in our historical moment.

Don’t miss the Vermont debut of this wholly original, classically-trained, composing pianist Nahre Sol, who’s amassed over 75 million views on her YouTube channel. Sol’s music draws from her diverse musical influences, from chamber music to ambient soundscapes, improvisation, and more. Expect to hear solo music (both familiar and original) that’s playful, colorful, agile, emotional, and picturesque.

Approximate running time: 100 minutes including one intermission.

About the Artist:

Learn more about this concert’s music in a free pre-concert lecture by Professor Emeritus of Music Larry Hamberlin.

Learn more about this concert’s music in a free pre-concert lecture by Professor Emeritus of Music Larry Hamberlin.

Food Drive at the MAC

Rising star jazz pianist Isaiah J. Thompson makes his Middlebury debut with “A Guaraldi Holiday,” which promises to start your December in a swinging mood. Thompson will highlight the works of composer/pianist Vince Guaraldi, who introduced generations to jazz through his Peanuts cartoon-accompanying scores. Guaraldi’s works are in good hands with Thompson, who’s already been named a Steinway artist, and is the winner of the 2023 American Pianists Association Awards, as well as their Cole Porter Fellow in Jazz.