Join us on Saturday, February 7, 2026, for Sky Island Performance: Mentors to Revolutionaries, a concert that explores the deep connections between tradition and transformation in chamber music. The program highlights two composers who shaped the course of musical history in very different musical eras: Alexander Zemlinsky and Joseph Haydn. Indeed, their works represent distinct but connected chapters in music’s evolution.
We’ll open the evening with Haydn’s String Quartet in B-flat Major, Op. 76, No. 4, nicknamed the “Sunrise.” This radiant work clearly showcases Haydn’s gift for invention and lyricism, beginning with a gentle, ascending melody that evokes the rising sun. Furthermore, as one of the foundational figures of the string quartet form, Haydn’s influence on generations of composers is undeniable. Indeed, his quartets are full of wit, elegance, and emotional depth, and Sunrise is a shining example of his late style at its most poetic.
Zemlinsky’s music offers a compelling contrast. Indeed, straddling Romantic and Modern eras, his works show intense expression, rich harmony, and deep sensitivity to texture. Moreover, as Schoenberg’s mentor, Zemlinsky bridged tradition and revolution, preserving and expanding musical language. Finally, his quartet writing is passionate and nuanced—an ideal pairing with Haydn’s clarity and classicism.
Mentors to Revolutionaries invites listeners to hear the threads of mentorship, innovation, and artistic evolution woven through time. Then, the performance starts at 7:00 PM in an intimate setting, ideal for enjoying the quartet’s dynamic interplay up close.
We invite you to join us for this evening of reflection, contrast, and musical dialogue as we honor the legacy of composers who shaped—and reshaped—the language of string quartet music.
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