TREASURES, CLASSIC AND CONTEMPORARY
TWO RIVERS CHAMBER ORCHESTRAwith Ava Pakiam, violin
- Matthew Kimbley — Chariot of the Clouds (world premiere)
- Samuel Barber — Violin Concerto, Op. 14
- Franz Joseph Haydn — Symphony No. 104 in D major
The season opens with treasures of youthful brilliance as well as the vigorous expression of Haydn’s most celebrated symphony, the “London,” a work bursting with energy, vitality, good cheer, and fireworks. Sixteen-year-old sensation Ava Pakiam brings power and poetry to the concerto by Samuel Barber, which teems with melody, deft textures, and in the finale, extreme virtuosity. Rising star Matthew Kimbley’s Chariot of the Clouds rings with a sense of clarity, sonority and expression. This world premiere is thanks to the J. Kimo Williams 2026 Music Commissioning Initiative.
Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church
Shepherdstown, WV
$40/ticket
Saturday
October 3, 2026
7:30 pm
Sunday
October 4, 2026
3:00 pm
BACH, BERNSTEIN, AND BEYOND!
TWO RIVERS BRASS QUINTET
- Johann Sebastian Bach — Contrapunctus IX
- Leonard Bernstein — West Side Story selections
- Other spectacular surprises!
The remarkable versatility of Two Rivers Brass Quintet is on full display: one moment they are channeling the intricate, structured precision of the 18th century, and the next, they are bursting with the jazz-infused energy of modern American theater. With trumpets, horn, trombone, and tuba, the ensemble pushes the boundaries of brass performance with music that sings, soars, and sparkles. Come witness this festive performance by one of the orchestra’s outstanding quintets!
Trinity Episcopal Church
Shepherdstown, WV
$35/ticket
Sunday
November 15, 2026
3:00 pm
HARPING ON IT!
TWO RIVERS CHAMBER ORCHESTRAwith Jacqueline Pollauf, harp
- Jules Massenet — Valse très lente
- Claude Debussy — Danses sacrée et profane
- Maurice Ravel — Introduction et allegro
- Franz Schubert — Five German Dances
- Gustav Mahler — Symphony No. 5 – Adagietto
- György Ligeti — Old Hungarian Ballroom Dances
Are we harping on it? Maybe—but with the brilliant Jacqueline Pollauf as soloist, how could we not? This two-part program contrasts the supple, exquisite writing of French post-Romantics with the lively salon and ballroom music of Central Europe. Expect to be swept up in French musical colors and moved to tap your feet to Austro-Hungarian dances by Schubert and Ligeti. At the program’s heart is Gustav Mahler’s passionate, romantic love letter to his future wife, Alma.
Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church
Shepherdstown, WV
$40/ticket
Saturday
March 20, 2027
7:30 pm
Sunday
March 21, 2027
3:00 pm
CLASSICAL DRAMA
THE VIVALDI PROJECT
- Joseph Haydn
- FranÇois-Joseph Gossec
- Giuseppe Maria Cambini
- Luigi Boccherini
The Vivaldi Project returns with its exquisite portrayals of classical string trios. Theater music—opera, dance, and staged drama—was a most fashionable and prestigious form of entertainment in the 18th century. So much so, that instrumental pieces always sought to tell a story or paint a picture. This program explores that dramatic spirit, providing the listener with an enthralling sensory experience.
Trinity Episcopal Church
Shepherdstown, WV
$35/ticket
Sunday
April 25, 2027
3:30 pm
LUCKY SEVENS
TWO RIVERS CHAMBER ORCHESTRAwith Adam Booth, narrator
- Ludwig van Beethoven — Septet in E-flat major
- Igor Stravinsky — L’Histoire du soldat (“The Soldier’s Tale”) – Suite
We are thrilled to team up with award-winning storyteller Adam Booth in this program of two septets. Each composition calls for seven distinct instruments, yet they are wildly different in mood, attitude, and scoring. Beethoven’s originality is apparent from the opening bars of his early smash-hit, which is both cheerful and symphonic. In The Soldier’s Tale, Stravinsky’s textures are quirky and fun, his rhythms saucy and confounding, and the story fabulistic. Adam narrates this tale of music, wealth, and wagers with the devil!
Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church
Shepherdstown, WV
$40/ticket
Saturday
May 22, 2027
7:30 pm
Sunday
May 23, 2027
3:00 pm
FRIENDS OF MUSIC, INC. • PO BOX 220 • SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV 25443 • 304-876-5765 • info@friendswv.org