The Amabile Bach Ensemble

The Amabile Bach Ensemble provided a wonderful evening of music by JS Bach for the Chamber Music at The Playhouse series on Thurday evening, March 8. The Founder's Room of The Players Playhouse turned out to be a perfect fit for this music.

Susan Clark Joul started us off and wowed the audience with the cello solo Suite No. 1 in G Major (BWV 1007).

Not to be outdone, the foursome consisting of Catherine Sherwin (flute), Sonia Lee (violin), Ms. Joul (cello) and Angelina Pashmakova (harpsichord) completed the Trio Sonata IV in c minor, from the Musical Offering (BWV 1079) absolutely flawlessly.

Then, after lovely refreshments provided by the Fine Arts ladies, Ms. Joul's wonderful voice led the way through the cantata "Weichet nur, betrubte Schatten," (BWV 202). The accompaniment of the mini-orchestra consisting of Ms. Lee and Michael J. McGillivray on violins, Lynne Marie Flegg on oboe, Constance Marckwick on viola, Eugene Zenzen on cello, Ms. Pashmakova on harpsichord and Dale Anderson on double bass was something to both see and hear. The balance between musicians allowed us to hear every note from every instrument. Fabulous!!!

The Detroit Reed Collective

The Detroit Reed Collective (with Paul Onachuck, Pete Kahn, Mark Kieme and Mark Berger) filled The Playhouse with some exciting music from saxophones, clarinets, oboes and a variety of other reed instruments (18 different instruments in all).

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The jazzy evening was enjoyed by all!

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The music included pieces by Lennie Niehaus, Juan Tizol, the 29th Street Saxophone Quartet, Thrasher Sax Quartet, Astor Piazzolla, Charles Mingus, The Six Brown Brothers, Billy Strayhorn, J.P. Sousa and the debut of a new piece by Detroiter Walter White Forwind Motion for Woodwind Quartet.

The Amabile Flute Quartet

The second of our Chamber Music at The Playhouse concert series on January 11th gave us another wonderful evening, filling The Players Founders Room with beautiful people and with even more beautiful music!

Catherine Sherwin(flute), Michael J. McGillivray(violin), James Greer(viola) and Susan Clark Joul(cello) are all to be thanked and congratulated!

Their opening with Haydn's "London" Trio captured the audience, which was then entranced with selections from "Carmen" and Beethoven's String Trio in c minor.

After a pleasant intermission, with goodies provided by Harbortown Market, we heard some hauntingly beautiful Japanese music by Toshitsugu Ogihara. The duets for flute and violin were presented to perfection by Cathy and Mike.

And finally, we were treated to Mozart's Quartet in D Major for flute, violin, viola and cello. One certainly couldn't tell that Mozart didn't like the flute. The piece was wonderful.

Throughout the evening, I was particularly aware of the lack of noise from the notoriously sqeaky Players chairs.

I'm now looking forward with great anticipation to our next concert on February 8. Check out the details by clicking below.

http://fineartssociety2.blogspot.com/2006/09/chamber-music-at-playhouse.html

Taking Leave

Taking Leave, was brilliantly presented on the Fine Arts stage by Donna Ridella and her cast of Gary Miller (Eliot-1), Mickey Hertzog (Eliot), Heather Bondy (Mrs. Fleming), Kim Czasnojc (Alma), Agnes Dmochowski (Liz) and Becky Dennis (Cordelia).

The three sisters (Alma, Liz and Cordelia) encounter numerous roadblocks (one of which is the caring Mrs. Fleming) in their quest to solve their father's situation,

while Eliot's alter ego drifts in and out of reality.

Eliot finds himself in the fogginess between our world and the one that comes after taking leave.

There is much discussion and consternation,











Before Cordelia slowly wins her father's confidence and takes on the task of escorting him through the remainder of his life.

The Adventure Club Cello Quartet

The November 9th Chamber Music at The Playhouse concert was a smashing success, filling The Players Founders Room with beautiful people and with even more beautiful music!

Naomi and David Levine, Deborah Shuster and Irina Tikhonova are all to be thanked and congratulated!

From their opening of Vivaldi's Concerto in D Major to the closing with Sousa's Stars and Stripes Forever, The Adventure Club's music was fascinating and entertaining to all.

This concert was a fitting start to what we hope will be a long string of Chamber Music at The Playhouse concerts.

See the posting below for information on the next concert by The Amabile Flute Quartet in January.