BENNINGTON — Bennington Museum's 2020 Music at the Museum concert series will begin at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 29 with a performance by Quartet 131, four accomplished musicians who have each built a wide ranging and impressive career in the American music scene.
Titled "Old World - New World," the performance brings together the wonderful quartet of Lilit Gampel and Laura Jean Goldberg, violin; Andy Lin, viola; and Robert La Rue, cello.
The program includes Cassatio in B-flat Major, Op. 1 No. 1 composed by Joseph Haydn; Quartet in C minor, Op. 51 No. 1 by Johannes Brahms; Chippewa Farewell Song by Charles Griffes; and Quartet No. 5 in F minor, Op. 8 Antonin Dvorak.
The concert, to be held in the Ada Paresky Education Center and Paul Paresky Court of the Bennington Museum, is free and open to the public thanks to the support of Alison Nowak and Robert Cane. Reservations are not required. Admission to the galleries is not included, but is always free for museum members.
"It has been an amazing four years of wonderful and diverse music at the museum," Deana Mallory, the museum's director of public programs, said in a release. "I continue to be delighted at the diversity and quality of musical offerings we have available in our region. Thanks to our sponsors, who through their generous support, allow us to offer these concerts free of charge.
"It gives me great joy to make this music available to the public. I look forward to presenting concerts for years to come," Mallory said.
The Performers
Violinist Lilit Gampel enjoys a varied career as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral musician, and teacher. She has performed as guest soloist with the New York and Los Angeles Philharmonics, Boston Symphony, and the Concertgebouw, and has collaborated with the legendary Pierre Fournier, Kiril Kondrashin, and Zubin Mehta, among others. Her recitals have included appearances at the San Francisco Opera House and Chicago's Symphony Hall. Gampel has also performed regularly as a member of the Mostly Mozart Festival, American Ballet Theatre, New York Chamber, and Gotham Chamber Opera orchestras.
Laura Jean Goldberg, violin, is a seasoned chamber musician, solo artist and teacher. She performed as soloist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and is a member of the Chamber Music Faculty at The Juilliard School pre-college division. As a founding member of the Cassatt Quartet, Goldberg was a prizewinner at Banff, Coleman, and Fischoff competitions, held residencies at Juilliard, Yale, Tanglewood, Caramoor, and performed internationally. She performs with Random Access Music, a contemporary music group that presents the Queens New Music Festival in LIC and has worked with leading composers of our time.
Taiwanese-born violist and erhuist Andy Lin is recognized as one of the most promising and the only active performers who specialized in both Western and Eastern instruments. Lin is the artistic director and co-founder of the New Asia Chamber Music Society. He has also appeared as a soloist with the viola and/or erhu with orchestras such as the Busan Metropolitan Traditional Music Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Grant Park Symphony Orchestra, Incheon Philharmonic, the Juilliard Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony, Orford Academy Orchestra, River Oaks Chamber Orchestra and Yonkers Philharmonic Orchestra. Lin is also a member of the Musicians of Lenox Hill and serves as principal violist of the New York Classical Players and the Solisti Ensemble.
Robert La Rue was the winner of the National Society of Arts and Letters Cello Competition, whose jury was chaired by Mstislav Rostropovich. Formerly the cellist of the New England String Quartet, he is a member of the Alcott Trio and the cello ensemble, VC3. He appears regularly with the Phoenix Chamber Players at Manhattan's Center for Jewish History and has been a guest of the Locrian Chamber Players and the Alaria Ensemble. La Rue has performed as soloist with the Banff Festival Orchestra, the American Symphony Orchestra and orchestras in Seattle, Phoenix and Denver.
Bennington Museum is located at 75 Main St. in Bennington. The museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Tuesday, and closed Wednesday through May. It is wheelchair accessible.
