Mary Anne Rennolds Chamber Concerts
About the series
Since 1983, VCU has offered the premiere chamber music concert series in Richmond.
Originally founded as the Terrace Concerts at VCU, the series was presented in partnership with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. In 1990, an endowment fund was established by Mary Anne Rennolds, one of Richmond’s great music patrons, to support the series. The series was renamed the Mary Anne Rennolds Terrace Concerts at VCU in her honor and was underwritten by CSX Corporation for the following five years.
Today the concerts are made possible by the Mary Anne Rennolds endowment fund, subscription and ticket sales and support from the Department of Music in VCU’s School of the Arts. Performances are presented in the Sonia Vlahcevic Concert Hall at VCU’s W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts.
Mary Anne Rennolds (1922-1989) rests in Richmond’s historic Hollywood Cemetery, where her tombstone reads, “To a valiant heart nothing is impossible.”
Click here to order tickets online
2013-14 season
- Joyce Yang, piano
- Menahem Pressler, piano with the New York Chamber Soloists
- Escher String Quartet with Jason Vieaux, guitar
- Alisa Weilerstein, cello
- Pamela Frank, violin; Nobuku Imai, viola; & Clemens Hagen, cello
- American String Quartet with Roberto Diaz, viola & Andres Diaz, cello
Tickets and Information
Joyce Yang, piano
September 28, 2013
8 p.m.
With decades of performance experience behind her, Joyce Yang is as seasoned as musicians twice her age. At 26, Yang has crossed the globe several times over, captivating audiences with a virtuosity that combines technical skill with deeply sensitive interpretation. She began her life’s journey in Korea, where her aunt introduced her to the piano at age four, and by age 19, she had won multiple awards in the 12th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and made history as the youngest contestant, ultimately taking home a silver medal. Continually asked to perform with the world’s most respected symphonies, Yang is universally recognized as one of her generation’s leading talents. Her debut recording, Collage, distributed by harmonia mundi usa, runs an exhilarating gamut from Scarlatti to Debussy, demonstrating Yang’s remarkable breadth and unmistakable passion.
Menahem Pressler, piano with the New York Chamber Soloists
October 12, 2013
8 p.m.
Menahem Pressler, founding member and pianist of the Beaux Arts Trio, is one of the world’s most distinguished and honored musicians, with a career that spans over six decades. After 53 seasons at the helm of the Beaux Arts Trio, he now embarks upon a seasonthat marks and celebrates the legendary pianist’s 90th birthday. The twelve-member New York Chamber Soloists are known for performing widely diverse repertoire in creatively programmed concerts and have carved out a unique niche in the chamber music world as being able to accommodate unusual orchestrations for performances of seldom-heard works. The combination of seasoned virtuoso and innovative ensemble makes for a musically dynamic and completely unique experience.
Escher String Quartet with Jason Vieaux, guitar
February 15, 2014
8 p.m.
Hailed by The Boston Globe as having its own “dark ambrosial brew” of sound, the Escher String Quartet has received acclaim for its individual sound, inspired artistic decisions and unique cohesiveness. Since its inception in 2005, the quartet has performed in prestigious venues from Music@Menlo to the Louvre to Carnegie Hall, interpreting classics and newly commissioned works alike. The four join forces in this performance with classical guitarist Jason Vieaux, 
who brings with him a reputation of unparalleled expressive gifts and remarkably wide repertoire. Together, this powerhouse of talent promises an evening of rich orchestration and electric energy.
Alisa Weilerstein, cello
March 29, 2014
8 p.m.
American cellist Alisa Weilerstein has fascinated classical music fans worldwide for combining a natural virtuosic command with intensity and spontaneity. She went from her first public concert at age four to her debut with the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra at age 13 to Carnegie Hall two years later. Granted to musicians who “show exceptional merit and promise for continued and enhanced creative work,” the MacArthur Fellowship became Weilerstein’s in 2011, a year before her debut album was released on Decca. A fervent champion of new music, Weilerstein is known for her commitment to expanding the cello repertoire and introducing audiences to groundbreaking works.
Pamela Frank, violin; Nobuku Imai, viola; & Clemens Hagen, cello
April 12, 2014
8 p.m.
Pamela Frank’s violin, Nobuku Imai’s viola, and Clemens Hagen’s cello make up a renowned trio of instruments whose players weave together stunning musical tapestries. Frank enjoys an outstanding international reputation for her varied range, one which makes her one of the most sought-after chamber partners by today’s most distinguished ensembles. Imai, one of the world’s most prominent violinists, has become a prolific recording artist with a multi-decade performing career to match. Add to the mix Hagen, who began his celebrated career in Salzburg, the city of Mozart, and the evening’s program is sure to impress even the most discriminating ear.
American String Quartet with Roberto Diaz, viola & Andres Diaz, cello
May 3, 2014
8 p.m.
Internationally recognized as one of the world’s finest quartets, Peter Winograd, Laurie Carney, Daniel Avshamalov, and Wolfram Koessel have spent decades honing the luxurious sound for which the American String Quartet is famous. In 2014, the quartet will celebrate its 40th anniversary by collaborating with Andrés and Roberto Díaz, the current President of the Curtis Institute of Music. The two brothers brought their already blossoming talent to the United States from Chile at a young age. Both educators as well as performers, the dexterity and heart they put into viola and cello, respectively, have made a significant impact on American musical life, regularly performing in major ensembles and holding prestigious positions in the educational institutions where they inspire future virtuosos on a daily basis.
Tickets and Information
Six concert subscriptions and three concert mini subscriptions are currently available. Current subscribers will be given priority to order their tickets until July 15, 2013. After July 15, we will process new subscriptions in the order they were received. Single tickets will be for sale beginning July 15.
HOW TO ORDER TICKETS
- Print out our PDF order form and mail in with your payment: ORDER FORM
- Contact the VCU Music Box Office by email at musictix@vcu.edu.
- Contact the Box Office by phone 24 hours a day and seven days a week at (804) 828-6776.
- After July 15, order tickets online at showclix.com:
Ticket prices
| Adults | $34 |
| VCU Alumni Association Members | $31 |
| Senior (60+) | $31 |
| VCU employees | $31 |
| Full-time students | Free; limited quantities. See below. |
Free Student Tickets
A limited amount of tickets to the Mary Anne Rennolds Chamber Music Series will be reserved for VCU students. Student tickets may be reserved in advance by emailing musictix@vcu.edu. Once the allotment of student tickets have been reserved, students may purchase tickets at the regular adult price.
New this year: Complimentary valet parkingfor subscribers
We are pleased to offer complimentary curbside valet parking for those who purchase full (six-concert) and mini (three-concert) subscriptions. Your car will be parked in a secure lot and returned to you at the end of the event. Other patrons may purchase this service for $10. All valet parking must be reserved or purchased in advance by marking the applicable place on the ticket order form, calling the Box Office at (804) 828-6776, or emailing musictix@vcu.edu.
Limited parking is available on the streets surrounding the Singleton Center. Parking is also available in the conveniently located W. Broad Street parking deck at the corner of Broad and Harrison, only three blocks
from the Singleton Center.
