By Aidan Carney
(Image above: Jupiter Quartet, photo by Todd Rosenberg)

As spring breathes new life into Buffalo, the city prepares for a week of invigorating and deeply moving performances, bringing together world-renowned chamber ensembles, cutting-edge electroacoustic works, and beloved symphonic masterpieces.

The Jupiter String Quartet Returns to Buffalo

April 8, 2025 @ 7:30 p.m.
Mary Seaton Room, Kleinhans Music Hall

The celebrated Jupiter String Quartet, hailed by The New Yorker as “an ensemble of eloquent intensity,” will bring its signature blend of warmth, brilliance, and adventurous spirit to Kleinhans Music Hall for a performance that spans centuries and styles.

Founded in 2001, this tight-knit ensemble — featuring Nelson Lee and Meg Freivogel on violins, Liz Freivogel on viola, and Daniel McDonough on cello — has become a mainstay of the American chamber music scene. Their program begins with Haydn’s buoyant Quartet in F major, Op. 77 No. 2, followed by Caroline Shaw’s mesmerizing Entr’acte, a modern reflection on classical forms. The evening concludes with Brahms’ dramatic and brooding Quartet in C minor, Op. 51 No. 1 — a work of stormy passion and exquisite lyricism.

RELATED MEDIA: Jupiter String Quartet, Marsalis: String Quartet No. 1

The Music of Ákos Rózmann

Thursday, April 10, @ 8 p.m.
Asbury Hall

Audiences will be transported into the atmospheric world of Hungarian-Swedish composer Ákos Rózmann through two rarely performed electroacoustic masterworks via Hallwalls:

• De Osynliga Trådarna (The Invisible Threads) for mixed ensemble and tape (1980–1983)
• KULOR. Nagra Studier Framför Helvetes Portar och Sorgetoner (Balls. Some Studies in Front of the Gates of Hell, and Mournful Tones) (1981–1984)

These haunting, visionary pieces – both American premieres – will be brought to life by specially assembled ensembles featuring members of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Buffalo Chamber Players and the fra/ctured String Quartet, alongside guest artists including:

The ensembles include:

• Shannon Reilly – Violin
• Isabel Ong – Violin
• Janz Castello de Armas – Viola
• Nicolas Jones – Contrabass
• Ed Gnekow – Contrabass
• Matt Reimer – Soprano
• Maria Lihuen Sirvent – Flutes
• Antonella Di Giulio – Harpsichord

Guests include Matt Reimer, soprano; Maria Lihuen Sirvent, flutes; Antonella Di Giulio, harpsichord; Betsy Rettig, cello; Peiwen Zou, conductor.

Rózmann, a reclusive genius of musique concrète, composed much of this music in a self-built basement studio beneath a Catholic cathedral, forging a harrowing and sublime sound world. These performances offer a rare and visceral journey into his singular sonic universe.

Presented in part with generous support from Peter Forbach, Honorary Hungarian Consul of WNY, and Kaitlin and Laszlo Mechtler.

RELATED MEDIA: Gloria I (Triptykon 1989-1996, version 2, 2022, Orgelstycke VI). Performed by Ákos Rózmann

Verona Quartet to Close Out Slee Beethoven String Quartet Cycle

April 10 and 11, 7:30 p.m. – Slee Hall, University at Buffalo

The Verona Quartet will return to Lippes Concert Hall in Slee Hall on the University at Buffalo’s north campus for the final two performances of the Slee Beethoven String Quartet Cycle, Part II, performing on back-to-back nights.

In addition to its two performances, the Verona Quartet will lead a master class in Lippes Concert Hall at 11 a.m. on Friday, providing a unique opportunity for students and music enthusiasts. The master class is free and open to the public.

Established by a bequest from the estate of Frederick and Alice Slee in the 1950s, the series dictates the order in which the entirety of Beethoven’s string quartets should be performed. Concert V is Thursday and Concert VI is Friday.

Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra: Nordic Drama and Persian Color

Friday, April 11, 10:30 a.m.
Sunday, April 13, 2:30 p.m.
Kleinhans Music Hall
JoAnn Falletta, conductor | Nikki Chooi, violin

BPO’s upcoming weekend concerts at Kleinhans Music Hall promise a thrilling blend of old-world vigor and modern elegance. The program includes:

• GLINKA – Overture to Ruslan and Ludmila
• BEHZAD RANJBARAN – Violin Concerto (with Nikki Chooi, violin)
• SIBELIUS – Symphony No. 1

From the dazzling fireworks of Glinka’s overture to the expansive, Persian-tinged beauty of Ranjbaran’s concerto — interpreted by BPO Concertmaster Nikki Chooi — this concert builds to the majestic emotional sweep of Sibelius’ Symphony No. 1, a sonic portrait of Nordic landscapes and inner longing.

Sunday attendees are invited to stay after the performance for Musician’s Nightcap, a relaxed post-concert gathering hosted by BPO double bassist Jonathan Borden with fellow musicians. Held in the lower level of Kleinhans, this free event includes complimentary refreshments and open conversation — a perfect way to wind down and reflect on the music.

RELATED MEDIA: Leonard Bernstein conducts Sibelius’ Symphony No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 39 with the Wiener Philharmoniker.

Avanti Music Presents Two Special Performances

Saturday, April 12, 7:30 p.m. – Slee Hall, UB
Sunday, April 13, 2 p.m. – St. Benedict’s Church, Buffalo

The chamber music celebration continues with Avanti Music, who will perform in two distinct venues this week. These concerts highlight collaboration between instrumentalists and the University at Buffalo Chamber Singers under the direction of Claudia Brown.

The program will feature vocal soloists Adwoa Ampiah-Bonney, Robert Bartolotta and Emelia Bottoms. It will offer an uplifting and introspective musical experience, showcasing the synergy between voice and chamber ensemble.

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Whether you’re drawn to the emotional richness of Brahms, the shimmering sonic worlds of Rózmann, or the sweeping drama of Sibelius, there’s something for everyone in Buffalo’s chamber and symphonic music scene this week.