Up Close with Amaryn Olmeda

About this event

Step into an intimate, immersive musical experience where chamber masterworks shine with exceptional clarity and emotional depth. This upcoming concert brings together an extraordinary lineup of musicians for an afternoon of intricate textures, sweeping melodies, and powerful personal expression. Designed without an intermission, the program offers a continuous, uninterrupted flow of stunning artistry from start to finish.

Led by violinist and Artist-in-Residence Amaryn Olmeda , the ensemble features guest performers Ludek Wojtkowski on violin, violists Michael Davis and Sarah Bromberg, cellist Jocelyn Hartley, and pianist Dean Zhang. The music launches with Jessie Montgomery’s modern masterpiece, Musings for 2 violins . Inspired by Bartók’s legendary duets, Montgomery crafts a series of brief, vivid musical vignettes that feel like spontaneous thoughts shared between two violins. It is sharp, conversational, and immediately engaging , setting the stage with playful rhythms and fresh contemporary energy.

The performance then shifts to Antonín Dvořák’s lush Terzetto in C Major . Written for the uncommon lineup of two violins and a viola, it carries a fascinating back-story: Dvořák originally wrote it for a housemate who turned out not to be quite advanced enough to play it, leaving behind a piece deceptively full of virtuosic sparks. From its sweet, singing slow movement to its fiery, dance-like scherzo, the music shows off how much color and warmth three string players can extract from every single note .

The afternoon reaches its grand conclusion with Robert Schumann’s Piano Quartet in E-flat Major , one of the crown jewels of Romantic chamber repertoire . Schumann pits the warmth of the strings against the dramatic power of the piano, building from a mysterious opening into a whirlwind of heart-on-sleeve lyricism. Keep an ear out for the third movement’s famous cello melody, it is one of the most soaring, romantic tunes ever written , leading straight into a runaway finale.

The TSO Up Close Series is generously sponsored by Minna Shah.

Plan Your Visit

• This concert is available as part of a TSO Up Close Subscription .

• This concert will be presented without an intermission.