Chamber Concert: Wood Works

Wood Works bridges worlds and celebrates the synergy between nature, history, and the human spirit. Inspired by the Danish String Quartet’s acclaimed Wood Works album, this concert weaves together an eclectic collection of chamber works to create a tapestry of sound – where past and present, tradition and innovation, converge.

Each piece is a tribute to the idea that music – like wood itself – can be shaped, polished, and transformed while retaining its fundamental essence. Wood Works is not just a concert but an invitation to reflect on our relationship with nature, art, and the traditions that have shaped our cultural identities.

The program opens with Caroline Shaw’s Plan and Elevation, a fascinating exploration of spaces and forms that transforms architectural beauty into lyrical soundscapes. Next, Jan Freicher’s Souring in the Sky propels us upwards, as the music mirrors the liberating sensation of flight. This piece introduces contrasts – an expansion of freedom and movement against the rooted.

The program then revisits Shaw with Limestone and Felt, a tribute to natural materials and textures. Salina Fisher’s Komorebi captures the Japanese aesthetic of sunlight filtering through trees, enhancing the connection to nature that ties this program together.

After Christopher Deane’s Mourning Dove Sonnet offering a meditative, introspective moment, the evening’s musical voyage culminates with selections from the Danish String Quartet’s Wood Works album – a masterful re-imagining of Nordic folk melodies. These arrangements invite listeners to embrace the simplicity, elegance, and heartfelt storytelling of these time-honored traditions.

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Duration about 1 h 10 min (no intermission).

Free admission.