Da Capo Chamber Players – Past Concerts

The Da Capo Chamber Players has been hailed by The New Yorker as a "distinguished ensemble...at the center of the New York new-music scene for forty-five years" (May 2016). Winner of the Naumburg Chamber Music Award early in its trajectory (1973), the ensemble enters its 50th season in 2022. It is a five-member "Pierrot" ensemble (flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and piano). The internationally acclaimed group has worked closely with today's most respected composers, building a heritage of present-day American chamber music drawn from an enormous spectrum of styles.

Known for its unique and dedicated attention to every work, its dynamic performances are consistent with the highest musical standards found in performances of traditional repertoire. A further very important goal is to bring exciting American music to other destinations around the world, and to present musics of global cultures for American audiences.

The Da Capo Chamber Players' annual New York series has been praised for "superb" and "gripping" performances. Ground-breaking programs have included premieres by Elliott Carter, George Perle, Louis Karchin ('American Visions', setting of poems by Yevgeny Yevtushenko, with the poet as guest reader), Joan Tower, Shulamit Ran, Chinary Ung, and countless others. The five ensemble members bring years of creative insight, involvement, and artistic vision to their work and performances of today's repertoire, including over 150 works written especially for the group. Adventuresome programs with electronic sounds, works by young composers, and collaborations with choreographers – all have sparked the imagination of listeners. Their Merkin Concert Hall celebration of the centenary of Arnold Schoenberg's 'Pierrot Lunaire' (with Lucy Shelton) received a standing ovation, just as it did again at New Music New College in Sarasota, FL, in 2016.

In 2010, NPR named the ensemble's recording, 'Chamber Music of Chinary Ung' (Bridge Records), as one of the five Best Contemporary Classical CDs of the Year.

Educational outreach has always been and continues to be a vital part of Da Capo’s work. The ensemble shares its love and commitment to this important repertoire with next generation artists through its ongoing residency at Bard College and touring engagements that feature masterclasses, readings, and performances. As young composers continue to develop after graduation, Da Capo continues to program them, helping them with career-building.

The COVID-19 pandemic has not stopped the ensemble from reaching out to its audiences. In 2021, anchored by Da Capo Chamber Players’ conviction regarding culture, diversity, and human rights, the Da Capos presented Musical Offerings for Human Rights, a three-concert virtual series through YouTube Premiere: Hearing the African-American Experience; Asian Echoes; and Paean To Merging Cultures.

Since its founding in 1970, the Da Capo Chamber Players has received funding from the New York State Council on the Arts. This season, it has received increased support from NYSCA for its 50th anniversary.