Upcoming Concerts

THE CAPITOL ENSEMBLE PERFORM BEETHOVEN & SCHUMANN

FRIDAY, 12/13/19 @ 7:30 pm

CONTRAPUNTAL HALL, BRENTWOOD

THE CAPITOL ENSEMBLE WITH GUEST CELLIST ROBERT DEMAINE, PERFORM PIANO TRIO MASTERPIECES BY BEETHOVEN & SCHUMANN, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13TH, 7:30 PM, CONTRAPUNTAL HALL, BRENTWOOD. THE CAPITOL ENSEMBLE'S VIOLINIST PHILLIP LEVY AND PIANIST RINA DOKSHITSKY ARE JOINED BY SPECIAL GUEST ROBERT DEMAINE, PRINCIPLE CELLIST OF THE LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC, IN AN EXCITING EVENING OF PIANO TRIO MASTERPIECES BY BEETHOVEN AND SCHUMANN, IN THE UNPARALLELED ACOUSTICS OF BRENTWOOD'S BEAUTIFUL CONTRAPUNTAL HALL, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13TH AT 7:30 PM.  

BEETHOVEN'S PIANO TRIO IN E FLAT OP.70 NO.2, ONE OF HIS MOST ALLURING AND UNUSUAL COMPOSITIONS. GENTLE AND POETIC IN SPIRIT, EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS WORK PIECE FEELS LIKE AN EXPERIMENT OF GENIUS AND IS A FITTING TRIBUTE TO THE MASTERS UPCOMING 250TH BIRTH YEAR.  

ROBERT SCHUMANN'S PIANO TRIO OP.80 IS AN EXCITING MASTERPIECE THAT POINTS TOWARDS A NEW EXPRESSION IN MUSIC. SCHUMANN CREATES A NEW SOUND NEVER HEARD BEFORE, RICH AND ROMANTIC, YET CLASSICAL IN FORM. "IT IS ONE OF ROBERT'S PIECES THAT WARMS THE COCKLES OF MY HEART AND DELIGHTS ME FROM FIRST TO LAST. I LOVE IT PASSIONATELY AND COULD GO ON PLAYING IT FOREVER" (CLARA SCHUMANN)BUY TICKETS HERE 

AN EVENING OF STRING QUARTETS CELEBRATING THE BIRTHDAYS OF SCHUBERT AND MOZART PERFORMED BY THE CAPITOL ENSEMBLE. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2nd, 7:30 PM, CONTRAPUNTAL HALL, BRENTWOOD

PLEASE JOIN MEMBERS OF THE CAPITOL ENSEMBLE 
PHILLIP LEVY AND SERENA MCKINNEY-VIOLINS, 
ZACH DELLINGER-VIOLA AND ERIC BYERS-CELLO, IN THE BEAUTIFUL ACOUSTICS OF BRENTWOOD'S CONTRAPUNTAL HALL, FOR AN EVENING OF STRING QUARTETS CELEBRATING THE BIRTHDAYS OF MOZART AND SCHUBERT.

KNOWN AS HIS "LITTLE QUARTET IN E FLAT" SCHUBERT'S OP.125 IS ONE OF HIS MOST DELIGHTFUL AND CHEERFUL COMPOSITIONS. 
IT ALSO CONTAINS ONE OF THE  FASTEST SCHERZOS EVER WRITTEN AND A BOISTEROUS FINALE WHICH INCLUDES A MOST BEAUTIFUL MELODY THAT TRULY CHARMS THE EAR.

SCHUBERT MADE NO SECRET OF THE FACT THAT HE WAS ABSOLUTELY IN LOVE WITH MOZART'S MUSIC... "O MOZART! IMMORTAL MOZART", HE WROTE, " WHAT COUNTLESS IMPRESSIONS OF A BRIGHTER, BETTER LIFE HAST THOU STAMPED UPON OUR SOULS!"

MOZART'S STRING QUARTET IN G MAJOR K.387, NICKNAMED "THE SPRING", IS THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF SIX STRING QUARTETS DEDICATED TO HIS BELOVED MENTOR, JOSEPH HAYDN.
IT IS SAID THAT WHEN HAYDN HEARD THIS QUARTET, HE DECLARED TO MOZART'S FATHER, THAT "BEFORE GOD I STAND AND AS AN HONEST MAN, I TELL YOU THAT YOUR SON IS THE GREATEST COMPOSER KNOWN TO ME EITHER IN PERSON OR BY NAME. HE HAS TASTE AND, WHAT IS MORE, THE MOST PROFOUND KNOWLEDGE OF COMPOSITION"

IT IS A WARMLY LYRICAL COMPOSITION, BUT WITHIN IT,  MOZART PLAYS SEVERAL MUSICAL TRICKS ON THE LISTENER 

CAPITOL ENSEMBLE PERFORM DVORAK

Saturday, October 20, 2018 7:30 P.M., CONTRAPUNTAL HALL, BRENTWOOD

PLEASE JOIN CAPITOL ENSEMBLE'S VIOLINIST PHILLIP LEVY, AWARD WINNING ITALIAN PIANIST, RODOLFO LEONE AND RENOWNED CELLIST, ERIC BYERS, IN A PROGRAM OF CHAMBER MUSIC BY THE GREAT CZECH COMPOSER ANTONIN DVORAK.

THE SONATINA FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO OP.100, IS A DELIGHTFULLY FRESH AND SUNLIT OPUS, FULL OF CHEERFUL MELODIES.  IN STARK CONTRAST, THE PIANO TRIO OP.65, HAS TO BE ONE OF DVORAK'S MOST BROODING AND DRAMATIC COMPOSITIONS. ITS A PIECE HE STRUGGLED OVER FOR A LONG TIME BEFORE PUBLISHING. EPIC IN PROPORTION, THIS TRIO CONTAINS SOME OF DVORAK'S MOST ANGUISHED AND EMOTIONALLY RAW WRITING.

THE CONCERT TAKES PLACE IN THE BEAUTIFUL ACOUSTICS OF CONTRAPUNTAL HALL, BRENTWOOD.

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THE CAPITOL ENSEMBLE PERFORM SCHUBERT AND DVORAK
Friday, July 13th, 2018 7:30 P.M., CONTRAPUNTAL HALL, BRENTWOOD

VIOLINISTS PHILLIP LEVY AND JULIE GIGANTE, 
VIOLIST ALMA FERNANDEZ AND CELLIST JACOB BRAUN 
WILL PERFORM TWO GREAT MELODIC STRING QUARTETS BY SCHUBERT AND DVORAK, IN THE DELIGHTFUL ACOUSTICS OF BRENTWOOD'S CONTRAPUNTAL HALL.

SCHUBERT'S QUARTET IN A MINOR  OP.29 "ROSAMUNDE" WITH IT'S UNDENIABLE LYRICAL BEAUTY CONTAINS SOME OF THE MOST PURE AND TENDER MELODIC LINES EVER PENNED BY SCHUBERT, CONJURING  UP AN ATMOSPHERE OF DEEP SERENITY AND PATHOS.

IN STARK CONTRAST, DVORAK'S EVER POPULAR  "AMERICAN" STRING QUARTET OP.96 BUBBLES WITH ENERGY, RHYTHMIC DRIVE AND VITALITY THAT SHINES ITS WAY THROUGH THE MUSIC. TAKING MUCH OF HIS INSPIRATION FROM NATURE AND AMERICAN SPIRITUAL MUSIC, DVORAK PAINTS  MUSICAL PORTRAITS THROUGH THE COUNTRYSIDE AND IS 
UNDOUBTABLY HIS MOST POPULAR PIECE OF CHAMBER MUSIC.

THE CAPITOL ENSEMBLE PERFORM WORKS BY SCHUBERT & BRAHMS
Saturday, February 3rd, 2018 7:30 P.M., CONTRAPUNTAL HALL, BRENTWOOD

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VIOLINIST PHILLIP LEVY
VIOLIST RODOLFO LEONE
CELLIST LYNN HARRELL
AND PIANIST RODOLFO LEONE

LISTEN TO LOS ANGELES' PREMIERE CHAMBER ENSEMBLE JOINED BY TWO AMAZING GUEST ARTISTS, WORLD RENOWNED CELLIST LYNN HARRELL AND AWARD WINNING ITALIAN PIANIST RODOLFO LEONE, (1ST PRIZEWINNER OF THE 2017 INTERNATIONAL BEETHOVEN PIANO COMPETITION, VIENNA AND THE BUSONI INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION) IN TWO MAGNIFICENT MASTERPIECES BY SCHUBERT AND BRAHMS.

SCHUBERT'S HAUNTING ADAGIO FOR PIANO TRIO ("NOTTURNO" D.897),  IS A WORK OF EXQUISITE BEAUTY. BASED ON A SONG ALLEGEDLY SUNG BY WORKERS ON THE DANUBE RIVER, SCHUBERT HYPNOTIZES THE LISTENER BY BUILDING UP THIS SIMPLE MELODY INTO A SPELLBINDING MOVEMENT OF ORCHESTRAL PROPORTIONS.

BRAHMS' THIRD PIANO QUARTET OP.60 IN C MINOR IS SURELY ONE OF THE MOST SOMBER AND EMOTIONAL PIECES OF CHAMBER MUSIC WRITTEN IN THE ROMANTIC ERA.
DEDICATED TO HIS AILING FREIND AND MENTOR ROBERT SCHUMANN,THE WORK IS ALSO A SECRET DECLARATION OF BRAHMS' ADORATION AND DEVOTION TO CLARA SCHUMANN.  

WE ARE PLEASED TO WELCOME BACK A DEAR FRIEND, VIOLIST, SIMON OSWEL, WHO WILL JOIN US TO PERFORM THIS GREAT QUARTET.-----------

THE CAPITOL ENSEMBLE PERFORM WORKS BY BEETHOVEN
Saturday, December 16th, 2017 7:30 P.M. 
CONTRAPUNTAL HALL, BRENTWOOD

VIOLINIST PHILLIP LEVY
CELLIST ERIC BYERS (CALDER QUARTET)
AND PIANIST RINA DOKSHITSKY

JOIN THE CAPITOL ENSEMBLE FOR A CELEBRATION OF BEETHOVEN’S 246TH BIRTHDAY AT THE INTIMATE AND ACOUSTICALLY WONDERFUL CONTRAPUNTAL HALL.

The concert will include a performance of his greatest and most beautiful piano trio, the "ARCHDUKE" Op.97.
Dedicated to his piano student, the Austrian Archduke Rudolph, this trio is one of Beethoven's most majestic and grandest of chamber works and stands at the pinnacle of the piano trio literature.
Also on the program is a seldom performed, youthful trio without an Opus number (WoO.39)
A lovely light hearted and pastoral movement, composed by the fifteen year old Beethoven for his childhood sweetheart.

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THE CAPITOL ENSEMBLE PERFORM WORKS BY BARTOK AND MOZART

Saturday, August 19th, 2017 7:30 P.M. CONTRAPUNTAL HALL, BRENTWOOD

VIOLINISTS PHILLIP LEVY & SERENA MCKINNEY,
VIOLIST ALMA FERNANDO

AND TWO WORLD RENOWNED GUEST ARTISTS,
VIOLIST KAREN DREYFUS (LYRIC PIANO QUARTET) AND CELLIST ERIC BYERS (CALDER QUARTET) IN A PERFORMANCE OF MOZART'S MAJESTIC STRING QUINTET IN C MAJOR K515.  

THIS QUINTET WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR SCHUBERT'S GREAT C MAJOR CELLO QUINTET AND IS AS GRAND CREATIVE AND COLORFUL AS MOZART'S LATE SYMPHONIES.

IN THE 1920's, HUNGARIAN COMPOSER BELA BARTOK TRAVELLED TO HUNDREDS OF SMALL VILLAGES, (COMPLETE WITH A WAX CYLINDER RECORDING MACHINE)TO DOCUMENT THE RICH AND VARIED FOLK MUSIC OF HIS HOMELAND AND NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES.
HE LATER INCORPORATED THIS MUSIC INTO MANY OF HIS COMPOSITIONS.

IN THESE IMAGINATIVE AND ENCHANTING DUOS FOR TWO VIOLINS, BARTOK FAITHFULLY REPRODUCES MANY OF THE FOLK TUNES HE RECORDED WITH PATHOS, BEAUTY, HUMOR AND A FEW SURPRISES.

WITH THE SUPERB ACOUSTICS OF CONTRAPUNTAL HALL, THESE LITTLE GEMS  BY BARTOK,PAIRED WITH MOZART'S MONUMENTAL QUINTET, PROMISE AN ENCHANTING  EVENING THAT WILL HOPEFULLY LEAVE YOU ALL WITH A SMILE.

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THE CAPITOL ENSEMBLE PERFORM ELGAR & MOZART AT CONTRAPUNTAL HALL, BRENTWOOD, FRIDAY, JUNE 9TH AT 7:30PM

PHILLIP LEVY, SERENA MCKINNEY- VIOLINS
ALMA FERNANDEZ, MICHAEL LARCO- VIOLAS
JACOB BRAUN- CELLO
PETER LLOYD- DOUBLE BASS

THE CAPITOL ENSEMBLE PERFORM ELGAR & MOZART AT CONTRAPUNTAL HALL, BRENTWOOD, FRIDAY, JUNE 9TH AT 7:30PM
THE CAPITOL ENSEMBLE'S ALL STAR LINE UP WILL PERFORM RARELY HEARD TRANSCRIPTIONS OF TWO MASTERPIECES BY ELGAR AND MOZART AND DELIGHT YOU WITH A BONUS MUSICAL SURPRISE !

MOZART'S "GRANDE SESTETTO CONCERTANTE" IS A VIRTUOSIC 18TH CENTURY TRANSCRIPTION OF HIS BELOVED "SINFONIA CONCERTANTE FOR VIOLIN, VIOLA AND ORCHESTRA K.364". A CROSS BETWEEN A CONCERTO AND A SYMPHONY, ALL SIX INSTRUMENTS (INCLUDING DOUBLE BASS) TAKE ON  BRILLIANT ROLES AS BOTH SOLOISTS AND ORCHESTRA.

SIR EDWARD ELGAR'S CHARMING AND IDYLLIC STRING SERENADE OP.20, WILL BRING A PIECE OF THE ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE TO LOS ANGELES PLUS A MUSICAL SURPRISE THAT WILL ENTERTAIN ALL !