KC Friends of Chamber Music will roar back for a new season, starting with ‘Beowulf’

Hwæt! As an Anglo-Saxon bard might have said.

Listen up! The Friends of Chamber Music just announced its 2021-2022 season, and it’s big news, indeed. With everything from Benjamin Bagby’s “Beowulf” to a bounty of Beethoven, it’s a welcome return after a pandemic-induced absence from live, in-person concerts.

The season will include some of the finest pianists of our time, like powerhouse Vladimir Feltsman playing Mussorgsky’s complete “Pictures at an Exhibition” and Sergei Babayan performing Robert Schumann’s “Kreisleriana.”

“Revolutionary Icons” will celebrate musical rebels as diverse as Beethoven and Miles Davis. And speaking of Beethoven, there’s a two-day Beethoven Festival that will feature all of the composer’s piano trios, as well as panel discussions with Beethoven experts.

Starting things off on Oct. 29, it’s the Old English epic “Beowulf.” You’ll feel as though you’re in an ancient, torch-lit mead hall, as early music scholar Benjamin Bagby sings the tale of monsters and heroes and accompanies himself on a six-stringed harp.

“We’re excited to host it at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral because it will be such a great backdrop for this presentation,” said Leia Barrett, the group’s acting executive director.

Barrett is serving as executive director until the Friends finds a permanent replacement for Cynthia Siebert, the series’ founder, who stepped down earlier this year.

An important element of Siebert’s legacy of quality programming is the Master Pianist series. Next season, in addition to Feltsman and Babayan, Garrick Ohlsson, noted for his muscular interpretations, will perform the music of Beethoven, Chopin and Prokofiev.

Ohlsson became the first American to win the International Chopin Music Competition in 1970. In 2005, Rafał Blechacz won the prestigious competition. Blechacz will give a recital at the Folly on April 10.

“Rafał won this huge competition, but decided to go back to school to finish his Ph.D. specifically so he would have a deep grasp of repertoire and be able to provide insightful performances,” Barrett said. “His talent and musicality is unmatched, but he is really just starting his career, even though most people would say that winning the Chopin competition means you already have an impressive resumé.”

The Friends will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Brentano Quartet with a special performance on Jan. 14. The Brentano was the first quartet to win the Cleveland Quartet Award, which the Friends of Chamber Music helped fund 30 years ago.

“Almost every quartet which has won the award since has gone on to have stellar careers,” Barrett said. “I felt like that was a special anniversary and we wanted to honor that.”

The Beethoven Festival on March 5 and 6 will feature the Morgenstern Trio performing all of Beethoven’s piano trios. There will also be two panel discussions with musicologists from the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Conservatory of Music and Dance.

“These are not just music professors,” Barrett said. “We also have professors talking about Beethoven’s influence on German theater, visual arts and German history.”

Ensemble Correspondances conducted by harpsichordist and organist Sébastien Daucé is one of Europe’s most acclaimed early music ensembles. They’ll make their Kansas City debut on May 15 with a program called “The Eternal City.” Featuring music that baroque composer Charpentier wrote for plays by Molière, the concert will celebrate the 400th anniversary of Molière’s birth.

On May 6, cellist Eckart Runge and pianist Jacque Ammon will walk on the wild side with “Revolutionary Icons.” Performing the music of Beethoven side by side with works by Paul McCartney, Astor Piazzolla and Chick Corea, the concert will contrast musical rebellion as expressed in various genres.

“Eckhart was the founding cellist for the Artemis Quartet, and he is really just an astonishing person,” Barrett said. “He and Jacque are going to be doing a week-long residency and we’re planning to do several master classes in unique spaces. I really believe that this concert is going to be one of the most creative on the program.”

For tickets and more information, 816-561-9999 or chambermusic.org.

7:30 p.m. Oct. 29: Benjamin Bagby’s “Beowulf.” Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral, 415 W. 13th St.

7:30 p.m. Dec. 9: Stile Antico. Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 416 W. 12th St.

7:30 p.m. Jan. 14, 2022: Brentano Quartet. Folly Theater, 300 W. 12th St.

7:30 p.m. Jan. 28: Garrick Ohlsson, piano. Folly Theater.

7:30 p.m. Feb. 11: Vladimir Feltsman, piano. Folly Theater.

2:30 p.m. Feb. 20: Goldmund Quartet. Folly Theater.

2 and 8 p.m. March 5 and 2 p.m. March 6: Beethoven Festival, Morgenstern Trio. Panel discussions at 4:30 p.m. March 5 and 12:30 p.m. March 6. 1900 Building, 1900 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Mission Woods.

7:30 p.m. March 18: Sergei Babayan, piano. Folly Theater.

2:30 p.m. April 10: Rafał Blechacz. Folly Theater.

7 p.m. May 6: “Revolutionary Icons” with Eckart Runge and Jacque Ammon. Yardley Hall, Johnson County Community College, 12345 College Blvd., Overland Park.

3:30 p.m. May 15: Ensemble Correspondances. Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.

You can reach Patrick Neas at patrickneas@kcartsbeat.com and follow his Facebook page, KC Arts Beat, at www.facebook.com/kcartsbeat.