Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival’s 40th Anniversary Season continues to dazzle in its second week, with violinist Cho-Liang Lin headlining a performance of Mendehlssohn’s astonishing Octet for Strings.
Cho-Liang Lin and Friends brings together the talents of Lin and violinists Jessica Wu, Justin Bruns, and Alice Hong; violists Yinzi Kong and Scott Rawls; cellists Guang Wang and Charae Krueger, and pianist Dr. William Ransom.
Mendelssohn’s composition is particularly challenging for its performers and exhilarating for its audience. The eight musicians must play as a single ensemble capable of many interactive permutations, though most octets of the period utilize two sets of string quartets as independent units.
In the first two movements, Mendelssohn opens a first-violin part bursting with virtuosity. The Allegro moderato ma con fuoco tumbles forth with blistering energy, and the second movement injects deeply felt emotional undercurrents beneath the imaginatively scored ambling.
The Scherzo, which has become famous as a stand-alone piece, is a cousin to the composer’s renowned Midsummer Night’s Dream music.
Lin’s concert career was launched in 1980 with his performance of the Mendelssohn Concerto with the New York Philharmonic and Zubin Mehta. He has since performed as soloist with virtually every major orchestra in the world.
He is currently music director of La Jolla SummerFest and the Hong Kong International Chamber Music Festival. Ever-so-keen about education, he was music director of the Taiwan National Symphony music camp and youth orchestra for four years.
On Sunday, July 11, and Monday, July 12, Raza String Quartet makes its Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival debut with performances of Beehoven’s Quartet in C Minor and Ravel’s Quartet in F Major.
This Boston-based quartet is quickly emerging as one of New England’s finest ensembles and consists of violinist Maura Shawn Scanlin and Kiyoshi Hayashi; violist Brianna Fischler, and cellist Eunghee Cho.
They received first prize in the Chamber Music Yellow Springs Competition and the Music Teachers National Association Chamber Music Competition and have performed with multiple appearances with Rockport Music, Martha’s Vineyard Chamber Music Society, Boston New Music Festival, and Brian O’Donovan’s St. Patrick’s Day Celtic Sojourn.
Highlands concerts will be staged Fridays at 6 p.m., and Sundays at 5 p.m., at the Highlands Performing Arts Center at 507 Chestnut Street.
Cashiers performances will be staged Saturdays and Mondays at 5 p.m., at the Village Green Commons on Frank Allen Road.
For a full listing of performances and artists and special events, visit h-cmusicfestival.org