Chicago is the premier city for the arts. Our musical scene is to be envied. We have two wonderful orchestras that play traditional classical music and a wealth of new music. Chicago is also the stage for the best in chamber music. Nova Linea Musica launched its inaugural season of contemporary chamber music at Guarneri Hall on Wednesday night
Nova Linea Musica is a new chamber music presenter with a threefold mission. According to the website, it infuses new music into the performing space, providing resources and space for development. Second, it brings the creators, musicians, and audience into a more intimate and connected experience. The ultimate purpose is to further elevate Chicago's reputation as a leader and innovator in the classical music world. Desirée Ruhstrat, the artistic director, is a Grammy-nominated artist who has graced top American and European venues. Michele Mohammadi, the founder of Nova Lenea Musica, started her career as an educator. At the post-show reception, she told me about the salons she hosts at home featuring musicians and prominent figures in the arts.
The opening performance for Nova Linea Musica began with a fascinating talk by Spektral Quartet violist and scholar Doyle Armbrust. It was an intimate pre-concert conversation about what can be celebrated about America. Armbrust is deeply knowledgeable about the composers of the evening's music and gives an overview of how the composers were influenced, the structural components of the works, and an insider's view of the composer's process. Also, the attendees become members of the Society of Disobedient Listeners! It's about becoming intimate with the music and listening in an unconventional way. It's more than just a measure of music being played. Emotional and spiritual investment is needed to hear and feel the music.
The Dover Quartet graced Guarneri Hall for the first Nova Linea Musica experience. They are Joel Link on violin, Bryan Lee on violin, Julieanne Lee on viola, and Camden Shaw on cello. I was blown away by the virtuosity of the performance and the musicians' visible connection to what they were performing. The first piece was by Jessie Montgomery, who just completed a residency with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Strum is a whiplash of pizzicato and strumming on the strings. It blends traditional classical with Americana for an atmospheric and tactile listening experience. I felt transported beyond the hall and could envision the beautiful wonders of America.
The second piece was Mason Bates's Amber Frozen. In the pre-show talk, cellist Camden Shaw spoke about how unusual Bates’s composition was and expressed amazement at how it came together for the Dover Quartet. Armbrust described notes and rhythms with odd phrasing as "atomized" in the pre-show discussion. It was an apt description, as was sound gelling into multi-dimensional layers. I had the visual in my head as something coming to life after being extracted from amber. It was described as "Jurassic," and it fit perfectly. I felt something loosen into the air, musical notes coming alive.
The third piece was by George Walker, and it was an emotional experience for me. Walker was a prodigy and the first Black composer to win a Pulitzer for music. String Quartet No. 1, Lyric II Molto adagio, was dedicated to his beloved grandmother, who had escaped slavery. She died when he was 19 and entered the Curtis Institute to study piano. The music impacted the young composer deeply, and I could feel some of his grandmother's story in the music. As a Black descendant of the South with a granny that I adored, I recalled her stories of chopping cotton on scalding earth without shoes. I believe that Walker's grandmother's spirit imbued this piece.
The final performance of Celebrate America! was by a non-American, Czech-born Antonin Dvořák. I had read that Dvořák was influenced by Black American music, which is evident in his compositions. There is a gospel influence from his friendship with Harry T. Burleigh, who wrote the classic spirituals "Go Down Moses" and "Deep River." Burleigh's music was as influential as Beethoven's, which is discernible in String Quartet No 12 in F Major, Op. 96 (American). The Dover Quartet played all four movements in a rousing finale. I saw more than technical brilliance in these fine players; I saw a conversation among them. A subtle inhale, a brief gaze, and the way they interacted with their instruments as if they were an extension of their bodies were magical.
Nova Linea Musica is a gift to Chicago, and I highly recommend getting tickets to attend any upcoming performances/experiences. The pre-talk, the concert, and a lovely reception with the performers are in store for the audience. Please check the website https://www.novalineamusica.org/ for more details and upcoming events. Performances will be at Guarneri Hall, 11 E. Adams St., 3rd floor. Tickets are $40, with some limited student tickets available.
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