CHAMBER MUSIC IN AN IDEAL SETTING

Glorious acoustics, a resonant space, and musicians
who know how to listen to one another.

There are few places in Los Angeles better suited to chamber music than St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, whose warm, luminous acoustics allow strings to bloom and piano lines to resonate without ever turning brittle. The current home of The Music Guild, now in its phenomenal 81st season of eight programs, this gorgeous Westwood location is an atmosphere that encourages both intimacy and grandeur—exactly right for an evening that moves from the elegance of Fanny Mendelssohn to the folkloric fire of Dvořák. Hearing this repertoire on Monday, January 12 in a space that enhances blend and clarity rather than fighting it, is reason enough to mark the date, but this concert offers much more than ideal ambience.

A PROGRAM OF RICH VOICES AND DEEP CONNECTIONS

Music shaped by lineage, friendship, and expressive generosity.

Violinist Martin Chalifour, longtime concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and a musician prized for both technical command and lyrical warmth, leads an ensemble of trusted colleagues in works that reward close listening. Fanny Mendelssohn’s String Quartet reveals a composer of wit, poise, and emotional directness, its Romantic voice long overdue for full recognition. Josef Suk’s Four Pieces offer a more inward, mercurial world—by turns passionate, melancholic, and playful—while Dvořák’s Piano Quintet No. 2 crowns the evening with one of the chamber repertoire’s great celebrations of melody, rhythm, and national character. Together, these works form a program that balances intimacy and exuberance, shaped by performers who understand that chamber music is ultimately about conversation. And speaking of conversation, you can join your fellow music-lovers for treats and coffee at intermission, courtesy of The Music Guild. Highly Recommended.

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Martin Chalifour & Friends
presented by The Music Guild
Monday, January 12, 2026 • 7:30 PM
St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, 580 Hilgard Ave. in Westwood
for tickets and more info, visit Music Guild

Ensemble
Martin Chalifour – Violin
Duncan McDougall – Violin
Yu-Ting Hsu – Viola
Shengyu Meng – Cello
Samuel Glicklich – Piano

Program
Fanny Mendelssohn: String Quartet in E-flat major
Josef Suk: Four Pieces for Violin and Piano, Op. 17

Intermission

Antonín Dvořák: Piano Quintet No. 2 in A major, Op. 81

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