Princeton Symphony Orchestra Launches a Season of Chamber Concerts with The Schubert Octet

The Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) launches its chamber season on Thursday, September 22, at 7:30 pm with The Schubert Octet. The concert spotlights Franz Schubert's robust, beloved Octet in F Major, D. 803 and will feature the artistry of guest violinist Daniel Rowland and principal musicians of the PSO. The concert is the first of four presented in partnership with the Institute for Advanced Study and will take place in Wolfensohn Hall. Additional chamber concerts will take place at the Princeton University Art Museum, marking a fresh collaboration of the PSO and the Museum.

The Schubert Octet performance follows the PSO's Classical Series Prologue The Seasons, which showcases guest violinist Daniel Rowland's passion and virtuosity. A dedicated chamber musician, Daniel is the first violinist of the renowned Brodsky Quartet and has performed with artists as diverse as Ivry Gitlis, Heinz Holliger, Gilles Apap, Marcelo Nisinman, Martin Fröst, Elvis Costello, and Lars Vogt.

Commissioned by renowned clarinetist Ferdinand Troyer and considered a chamber masterwork, the Octet is one of Schubert's most substantial chamber works. Given the composition's length and unusual instrumentation, it is rarely heard live. Daniel will be joined in this performance by Basia Danilow, violin; Junah Chung, viola; Alistair MacRae, cello; John Grillo, bass; Pascal Archer, clarinet; Rebekah Heller, bassoon; and Douglas Lundeen, horn.

Additional concerts in the PSO's Chamber Series at IAS feature PUBLIQuartet on October 23; Singularity Quartet on December 4; and PSO principal trumpet JerryBryant & Friends on March 12.

Separate from the PSO's traditional 4-concert chamber series at the Institute, two performances represent a new collaboration with thePrinceton University Art Museum. On Saturday, December 3, the PSO culminates the Museum's day-long South Asian Arts & Music Festival at 5:30 pm with a presentation of Bharatanatyam (Indian classical dance) by Ramya Ramnarayan with live instrumental accompaniment. The Museum will also co-present the Saturday, May 6, 6:00 pm PSO chamber performance centered on Zhou Tian's Red Trees, Wrinkled Cliffs performed by guest artist Robert Belini?, guitar, and PSO principals Alexander Chaleff, violin; Stephanie Griffin, viola; and Alistair MacRae, cello.

Through a special, ongoing partnership with the Institute for Advanced Study, concerts held in Wolfensohn Hall are free and open to the public on Thursday, September 22 and select Sundays at 4:30 pm via advance ticketed reservations at princetonsymphony.org, three weeks prior to each concert. Most concerts can also be taken in at no charge at the Monroe Public Library the following day.

Admission to the events at the Princeton University Art Musuem varies; please check listing information. In addition to the public concerts listed below, the Princeton Symphony Orchestra Chamber Series includes performances for residents of the Stonebridge at Montgomery and Princeton Windrows retirement communities.