Momenta Festival reveal and upstate NY gigs!

MOMENTA FESTIVAL X
October 4, 5, 8 and 9
and upstate New York gigs in September and October

Momenta Quartet in New Hampshire last month

Welcome back from your summer adventures... We refuse to believe that the summer is over - and, it's NOT! We have until September 22 (at 2:19pm Eastern), and let's make the most of it.

All of us went on our own travels this summer, but we convened in mid-August at the Avaloch Farm Music Institute in New Hampshire, where we started gearing up for our TENTH Momenta Festival on October 4 & 5 at Broadway Presbyterian Church, and October 8 & 9 at Americas Society.

​All concerts are at 7pm, and as usual ALL CONCERTS ARE FREE!

Saturday, October 4, 7pm 
"Searching" 
Curated by Emilie-Anne Gendron
Broadway Presbyterian Church

The opening night of Momenta Festival X commemorates two important composer anniversaries: Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525-1594) and Maurice Ravel (1875-1937). In four pieces spanning nearly six centuries, we examine the human urge to seek, strive, manipulate, and envision what might lie beyond our immediate surroundings–with varying results! Faith and introspection take center stage in a lush 16th-century sacred motet pairing by Palestrina and John Cage’s Zen-inspired String Quartet in Four Parts (1950); while Japanese composer Noel Hiyamizu explores human actions gone wrong in his wildly virtuosic (and theatrical!) solo violin work Human Error! / Dance (2019), “a folk song echoing in a shattered world.” Rounding out the program is Ravel’s seminal String Quartet (1903), a richly imagined world unto itself drawing on global musical influences.

Sunday, October 5, 7pm 
"Mozart and Modernism" with guest clarinetist Pascal Archer
Curated by Michael Haas
Broadway Presbyterian Church

In traditional Momenta fashion, “Mozart and Modernism” pairs two great works of chamber music from vastly different time periods and aesthetics: Mozart’s beloved Clarinet Quintet (with clarinetist Pascal Archer) and the rarely heard String Quartet of German-American modernist Stefan Wolpe. The String Quartet is one of Wolpe’s greatest works and, like the Mozart, was completed in the final years of his life. The program opens with the US premiere of Indris by Dominic Wills, which won the audience award when Momenta performed it at the 2025 Intimacy of Creativity Festival in Hong Kong this summer, and which is being featured on Momenta Festival X as part of a joint collaboration between the two festivals.

Wednesday, October 8, 7pm 
"Tutti Flutey" with guest flutist Roberta Michel
Curated by Stephanie Griffin
Americas Society

“Tutti Flutey” is a celebration of chamber music for flute and strings, featuring the newly-appointed flute professor at Bowling Green State University, Roberta Michel. No flute chamber music festivities would be complete without a Mozart quartet - we will play his famous Flute Quartet in D major. Roberta will play Stephanie Griffin’s own duet For Joni (2024) for alto flute and viola, and join the whole quartet for Elizabeth Brown’s Blue Minor (2001) and English composer Kaikhosru Sorabji’s seldom-performed Il tessuto d’arabeschi (1979).

Thursday, October 9, 7pm 
"Class of '75" with guest pianist Nana Shi
Curated by Alex Shiozaki
Americas Society

Featuring three anniversaries, “Class of ‘75” celebrates French impressionist Maurice Ravel, Mexican maverick Julián Carrillo, and contemporary Japanese composer Hiroya Miura. Carrillo’s intense and driving String Quartet No. 4 contrasts with the poised strum of the solo shamisen in Miura’s Vermillion, creating an exotic setting for Ravel’s colorful and world-inspired Piano Trio. Pianist Nana Shi joins Momenta musicians Alex Shiozaki and Michael Haas for the trio.

BROADWAY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (Oct. 4/5): 606 W. 114 Street, NY, NY 10027
AMERICAS SOCIETY (Oct. 8/9): 680 Park Avenue, NY, NY 10065
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The October 4 and 5 concerts at Broadway Presbyterian are a collaboration with Music for Food - admission is free, with a donation of any amount to Broadway Community.

We are not taking reservations for October 4 and 5, but reservations are required for the October 8 and 9 concerts at Americas Society. 
REGISTRATION WILL OPEN ON SEPTEMBER 10, HERE.

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Momenta Quartet fans upstate can also enjoy these upcoming concerts:

Saturday, September 6, 4pm in Red Hook, NY (NOT BROOKLYN - near Bard College), Classics for the Cows - music by Mozart, Elizabeth Brown and Ravel. It's already at "cow-pacity" but if you live in the area and would like to join in the festivities please RSVP.

Sunday, September 14, 3pm- Saratoga Chamber Players presents Momenta Quartet
Music by Palestrina, Julian Carrillo, and Ravel
Saratoga Springs, NY
Tickets and more information:  www.saratogachamberplayers.org

Sunday, October 19, 4pm- Sunday Music Series
Music of Ravel and Palestrina
chapelrestoration.org/sunday-music-series/
Chapel Restoration, Cold Spring, NY