ETHEL to Open Cultural Center at St. John's in Brooklyn
Program director Noelle Tannen says the ETHEL performance will kick off a chamber music series envisioning music as conversation.
The award-winning string quartet Ethel Will come to the grand opening of Brooklyn's newest cultural hub at the historic St. John's Lutheran Church in Greenpoint on September 3, 2026. The performance begins at 6:30 PM, marking the launch of an exciting new chapter for the local arts community.
The opening night program, titled ETHEL's New York, pays homage to the city that both the church and the ensemble have called home for decades. The musical survey honors Brooklyn with celebrated works from Dan Friel and Marcelo Zarvos, alongside pieces from the Bang on a Can family, including Phil Kline and David Lang. The diverse repertoire also features works by iconic New York City legends Elliot Carter, George Gershwin, Meredith Monk, and Fred Hersch, as well as original compositions by ETHEL's own members.
“Our vision for the series is one that reflects chamber music as a conversation between performers in an intimate space rather than strict adherence to western classical conventions,” says Program Director, Noelle Tannen. “ETHEL is the perfect ensemble to kick off The Cultural Center at St. John's chamber music series and its broader programming for the future. Its performances navigate the tensions in exceeding the familiar expectations of chamber music into a more progressive and innovative expression of the genre. The Center envisions its future similarly: performances where the unexpected cuts against the dutiful reverence anticipated in the pews at St. John's.”
Known for its genre-defying music, ETHEL has appeared on major stages throughout the globe for almost three decades. Its storied history as a torchbearer for the arts includes premiering/commissioning over 500 new works and being commissioned by an array of institutions as composer-performers themselves. Along with the relentless quest for building artistic relationships, common creative expression, and developing live performance experiences surpassing what is typical in a concert hall, ETHEL has earned a reputation as a trailblazing, no-limits ensemble setting the standard for bold, daring musical experiences.
Members of the public and the press are invited to welcome Brooklyn's new home for vibrant artistic expression with music born right here in New York City.
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