Classical pianist Brian Ganz joins with the Sunrise String Quartet to present a free online concert premiering Sunday, August 30, 2020, at 3:00 p.m., through the Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis (UUCA) website www.uuannapolis.org/arts-in-the-woods/ Part of the UUCA Arts in the Woods concert series, now in its seventh season, the August 30 premiere will be followed by an opportunity to meet the musicians for questions and conversation during a virtual post-performance reception. No tickets or reservations are required for either the concert or the reception.

“Music for Friends,” features favorite solo and duo works composed for or requested of friends. Videos of the performers will include the stories behind their selections. While the Covid pandemic prohibits gathering in large groups, the intimacy of chamber music offers the opportunity for friends to express their feelings through music and for audiences to enjoy the music in the intimacy of their own settings. The program includes works by Bach, Mozart, Chopin, and Sunrise violist and composer Osman Kivrak.

This is the first time Brian Ganz and Sunrise String Quartet have performed together. Ganz is widely regarded as one of the leading pianists of his generation. He has performed as a soloist with numerous orchestras and is well known for his multi-year partnership with the National Philharmonic to perform all of Chopin’s works. Sunrise String Quartet, founded in 1991 and based in Washington, DC, has performed at the Kennedy Center, the National Building Museum, the Corcoran Museum, the Phillips Collection, the Mozart Festival at the World Bank, and the Chautauqua Festival at Dickinson College. The Quartet also performs as the National Gallery String Quartet at the National Gallery of Art in Washington. Members of the ensemble include: Claudia Chudacoff, violinist, Teri Lazar, violinist, Osman Kivrak, violist, and Marion Baker cellist.

Links to both the concert on YouTube and the post-performance reception via Zoom will be posted at www.uuannapolis.org/arts-in-the-woods/ The concert will continue to be available for on-demand viewing following the premiere, but the conversation with the artists is only available with the August 30 performance.