Photo courtesy of Michael Cole
STRINGS ATTACHED. Cellist Miriam Shames will perform at the first SCCS concert in its Spotlight Series, “Styles and Ideas,” on Nov. 15.
For those seeking the full-bodied sounds of classic chamber music, look no further than the Second City Chamber Series (SCCS) first concert in its Spotlight Series, “Styles and Ideas.” This concert takes place on Nov. 15 at 4 p.m.
This first concert will include works from four German composers, including Schumann’s “Five Pieces in Folk Style, Op. 102,” Hindemith’s “Sonate für Violoncello solo, Op. 25, No. 3,” Webern’s “Drei kleine Stücke, op. 11,” and Brahms’s “Sonata in D Major for Cello” and “Piano, Op. 78, Rain.” Cellist Miriam Shames and pianist Tonya Siderius will perform the pieces.
Cindy Renander, managing director, says this year’s sampling represents a great German repertoire. “The composers all have connection because they were all influenced by each other,” Renander said.
For 33 seasons SCCS has been dedicated to performing chamber music masterworks. Each year many of the Northwest’s finest musicians are brought together to perform challenging chamber music in an artfully assembled series of programs for a growing Puget Sound audience. Assembling this year’s concerts is SCCS Artistic Director Svend Ronning, who is an associate professor of music at Pacific Lutheran University.
The purpose of these Spotlight concerts is to shed light on specific, individual performers in an intimate setting, Renander explained. “Most of our concerts have about 50 to 70 people attend,” she said. “We don’t get a lot of large crowds because when you have large numbers of people on stage, it’s a bigger spectacle. That’s always been the case with orchestras. With chamber music, there is more connection between the musicians on stage and the audience.”
Chamber performances differ from other forms of classical music in that chamber performances are done for smaller audiences. Also, the music is written for a small instrumental ensemble, usually one player per part.
The genre gained high popularity in the 18th and 19th centuries, while the 20th century branched out from the usual stringed quartet style and brought growing experimentation.
“I think chamber is becoming more influenced by current musical trends,” Renander said. “Musicians are starting to use more odd instruments. For example, chamber typically uses strings, however, now percussion is sometimes used, too.”
She recalls a chamber concert SCCS hosted last year that included a clarinet/trumpet combination. “There is definitely an influence from pop styles. There are lots of musicians who are taking it (chamber music) to coffee houses,” Renander said. “Performers love to play chamber music because there is such freedom for your own interpretation. You are solely responsible for your own part.”
SCCS Spotlight Concert Series takes place at First Lutheran Church, located at 524 S. ‘I’ St. in Tacoma. For more information, call (253) 572-TUNE or visit http://www.scchamberseries.org.
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