Black Oak Ensemble – “Silenced Voices”

Here’s a trailer for the upcoming Black Oak Ensemble CD – “Silenced Voices.”

Click HERE to check it out.

Here are some photos taken at the event. Well done, Black Oak Ensemble.

Come join us on Saturday, September 29 @ 7PM as we host the Black Oak Ensemble for an entertaining evening of classical chamber music! The program’s theme is “Silenced Voices” – the music composed by young composers who were swept up by the Nazis and sent to the concentration camps.

The Black Oak Ensemble took root in 2011 when they performed for a standing-room-only audience on Chicago’s prestigious Music in the Loft Series. Since then, the ensemble has performed for the Stradivari Society and appeared at the Ravinia Festival, the Chicago Cultural Center, Art Institute of Chicago, Mayne Stage, WFMT Radio, Windy City Live, Eau Claire University, St. John School for the Arts, and the Latino Music Festival. The ensemble was featured on a Ravinia Festival tour from Barcelona to Monte Carlo, and in summer 2016 and 2017 they toured France, with concerts in Paris, Toulouse, and other cities.

The ensemble was named for the black oak, a beautiful tree native to their home state of Illinois (one stands in the front yard of Desirée Ruhstrat and David Cunliffe).

Desirée Ruhstrat and David Cunliffe are both founding members of the Lincoln Trio, which was nominated for a 2017 GRAMMY Award for best performance by a small ensemble. The third member of the trio, Aurelien Pederzoli, was a founding member of the 2017 GRAMMY nominated Spektral Quartet and the Anaphora ensemble. He has performed extensively in Europe and the U.S., including performances at the Verbier Festival, and under conductors Pierre Boulez, Kent Nagano, Daniel Barenboim, Valery Gergiev, and Lorin Maazel.

The event will take place at the residence of Dr. Nancy RG Church and Charles Jett at 180 East Pearson Street, Unit 3301, in Chicago. As usual, we are asking for each attendee to contribute $20.00 per person to cover costs.

RSVP is required. The number of guests will be limited to fifty (40).