Black Oak Ensemble program

LUTHERAN CHURCH OF THE REDEEMER 731 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta, GA 30308 Sunday, September 21, 2025 ~ 2:30 pm

BLACK OAK ENSEMBLE Desirée Ruhstrat, violin Aurélien Fort Pederzoli, viola David Cunliffe, cello Aria from Goldberg Variations, BWV 988

Ganz Kleine Nachtmusik, K. 648

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) arr. Dmitry Sitkovetsky Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Trio for violin, viola and cello Allegro Lento Molto Vivace

Gideon Klein (1919-1945)

**INTERMISSION** Making Hay Commissioned by Black Oak Ensemble SOUTHEAST PREMIERE

Errollyn Wallen (b. 1958)

Trio à cordes en forme de divertissement I. Prelude II. Nocturne III. Final

Henri Tomasi (1901-1971)

Trio pour violon, alto et violoncelle I. Premier Mouvement IV. Très Animé

Jean Cras (1879-1932)

**The Black Oak Ensemble appears by arrangement with Epstein Fox Performances** This concert is sponsored in part by an anonymous donor.

All are invited to a reception following the concert in Sims Atrium.

BLACK OAK ENSEMBLE Praised for its “insigh tful, co mmitted and masterful p erformances” (Classics Tod ay 10/10) and “fierce eloquence” (London Times), th e Black Oak Ensemble is one of the most innov ativ e and ex citing chamb er ensembles on th e international stag e.

The ensemb le has co llaborated with renowned artists such as guitarists Mak Grgic, Goran Iv anovic, Denis Azab agic and José Ferreir a, harpsichordis t Jory Vinikour, members of Eighth Blackbird, and flutist Eugenia Molinar. As passionate advocates of new works , they have commissioned and premier ed string tr ios from renowned composers such as Michael Nyman, David Ludwig, Mischa Zupko, and Conr ad Tao and discovered works by Dick Kattenburg, Geza Fr íd, Gustave Samazeuilh, Henri Tomasi and Rob ert Casad esus.

Recent intern ation al tours have taken the Black Oak Ensemb le to Amsterdam, Genev a ( a special p erformance dedicated to human rig hts), the Ever lasting Hope Festival in Terezin, (in honor of composers persecuted and mur dered by the Nazis during the o ccupation of Prague), Paris, Grenob le, Lyon, R ennes, Co rsica, Prague, and Ath ens. In the summer of 2022, the ensemb le co llaborated with v iolin ist Rachel Kolly and cellist Nadege Ro chat for sold out performan ces at th e Schubertiade in Fr ibourg, Switzer land. In th e U .S. they have appeared at the Newport Music Festiv al, Music at the Morgan, Rav inia Festival, New York University, Chicago Cultural C en ter, Art Institu te of Chicago, Latino Music Festiv al (Chicago), University of Oregon an d many other v enues.

The Black Oak Ensemb le’s latest CD release, “Avant l’or age,” a doub le album of French string trios, reached #1 in the Billboard C lassical Charts in July 2022 and was featured as Album of the week on Symphony Hall Siriu s XM and in November nominated for a 202 3 ICMA International Chamb er Music Award. Since then it has been lauded in the U.S. and International pr ess, including C anada, Finland, The Nether lands and Germany. Fanf are Magazine said, “th e players fully inhab it th e spirit of whatever work they ar e p lay ing at themoment, perfor ming each one with as ar dent a flame as if they had written it themselv es.” Black Oak’s debut albu m, "Silenced Voices" (Cedille R ecords), is dedicated to Jewish composers, most of whom lost th eir lives during the Holocaust. It ha s been featured in Gr amophone and Str ings magazines and on BBC Radio 3, Th e Violin Ch ann el and Sirius XM. As dedicated educators, th eir studen ts and ensembles have b een prize winners of nation al and intern ation al co mpetitions and hav e held residencies at th e University of Wisconsin -

Eau Claire, St. John’s School for the Arts ( USVI) and Arizona State University. They are proud to collaborate with 'In Crescendo ' bas ed in Colomb ia, South Amer ica, Evanston Young Artists, Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative and the RAVINIA Festiv al's El Sistema program.

The Black Oak Ensemb le consists of vio linist Desirée Ruhstrat and cellist David Cunlif fe, members of th e GRAMMY -nominated Lin co ln Trio, and v iolist Aurélien Fort Ped erzoli, a founding memb er of the ground -breaking, GRAMMY -nominated Spektral Quar tet. They are curren tly ensemb le -in-r esidence at New Music School in Chicago.

The Redeemer Concert Series enriches lives through memorable musical events.

Keep up to date with all our concerts at www.redeemer.org.

UPCOMING EVENTS Saturday, October 25, 2025 – 5:30 pm

Friday, January 30, 2026 - 7:30 pm Organ Anniversary Concert Nathaniel Gumbs

The Riverside Church, New York City

Sunday, November 16, 2025 – 7:00 pm

Friday, March 21, 2025 - 7:30 pm Bach Birthday Bash

Join us for worship on Sunday

9:00 am with the Redeemer Jazz Trio 11:00 am with choir and organ

mornings.