Our first season featured a world-premiere by a local composer, vocal and guitar soloists, a two-part festival exploring connections between classical music and the blues, and a cross-genre collaboration with stage direction and acting. Five different programs over ten concerts and eight venues, ranging from a solo recital to a chamber orchestra, were performed by sixteen different musicians. Three of our programs focused on chamber music for string quartet and trio.

O Magnum Mysterium at Holy Family church in South Deerfield was a winter concert with Christmas carols, baroque concerti by Corelli and Torelli, excerpts from Handel’s ‘Messiah’ with tenor and soprano soloists, a classical divertimento by Mozart, and a Renaissance motet by Victoria. January 30th, 2022

A benefit concert for Ukraine, at Gateway City Arts in Holyoke March 6th, 2022 

Beethoven’s Blues, Part I happened at congregational churches in Plainfield and Ashfield and Applewood retirement community in Amherst in early June. Duos and trios by Beethoven, Kodály, and Rebecca Clarke complemented the premiere of Kenny Butler’s ‘Mercy’s Door’ for blues guitar and strings. May 29th, June 3rd and 5th, 2022

Ignacy Gaydamovich performed a solo program in Ashfield in August, featuring Bach’s first cello suite and Kodály’s sonata for solo cello. August 7th, 2022

Beethoven’s Blues, Part II took place at Hawks and Reed Performing Arts Center in Greenfield, the Amherst Historical Society, and Three Sisters Sanctuary in Goshen at the end of August.The program included viola quintets by Beethoven and Schubert and a string quartet by black English composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. August 25th, 26th, and 27th, 2022

Chocolates and Sardines, our season finale in September, was a collaboration with actor-directors Joan and Michael Haley. Dvorak’s ‘Cypresses for string quartet’ was performed alongside plays adapted and performed by the Haleys at a horse riding barn in Conway and in Amherst. September 17th and 19th