Florida Chamber Music Project opens 10th season Sept. 18

Florida Chamber Music Project (FCMP) will open its 10th season on Sept. 18 at the Beaches Museum Chapel at the Beaches Museum at 505 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville Beach.

“We are celebrating a decade of performances with concerts that will highlight greatest hits and new masterpieces,” said Susan Pardue, artistic director of FCMP. “Guest pianist Hyunsoon Whang will return, and we open with a piece from Jacksonville composer and violinist Piotr Szewczyk.”

Season tickets for the six-concert series cost $150 and are available online at flchambermusic.org. Individual concert tickets are $27.

Sept. 18

“Spring Tales” by Piotr Szewczyk

String Quartet in F Major, Opus 59, No. 1 by Ludwig van Beethoven

FCMP started its first season with a piece commissioned from Szewczyk, so it seemed appropriate to begin this milestone season in the same way. “Spring Tales” has three movements. In the previous seasons, FCMP has played all of Beethoven’s “middle” quartets except for this one, so FCMP will be completing the cycle for its 10th anniversary.

Nov. 20

String Quartet Op. 76, No. 6 by Joseph Haydn

String Quartet No. 1 in D Major, Op. 11 by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

This concert features two contrasting masterpieces of the chamber music repertoire.

Jan. 15

“Lullaby” by George Gershwin

Octet in E-flat Major, Op. 20 by Felix Mendelssohn

FCMP can’t play a lullaby in every concert, because, as beautiful as this one is, lullabies make listeners sleepy. However, following this little lullaby with the Mendelssohn Octet, one of the most energetic and joyful pieces ever written, along with a group of eight virtuoso musicians, will make the audience leave the concert energized and invigorated by the music.

March 26

String Quartet No. 19 in C Major, K. 465 “Dissonance” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

“The Lick Quartet” by David Bruce

In this concert, FCMP pairs an undisputed, established masterpiece with a new masterpiece by a living composer.

April 23

Quartettsatz, D 703 by Franz Schubert

String Quartet No. 14 in D minor “Death and the Maiden” by Franz Shubert

These Schubert pieces are both pillars of the string quartet repertoire. They are also some of FCMP’s favorites.

June 4

Quartet for Piano and Strings in E-flat Major, Op. 44 by Robert Schumann

Pianist Hyunsoon Whang returns for this big piece and will offer some solo piano music as well. Whang is a favorite of the FCMP audience.

Beaches Museum Chapel is wheelchair-accessible and has free parking along Pablo Avenue near 4th Street north of Beach Boulevard. All concerts begin at 3 p.m.

The Florida Chamber Music Project was founded 10 years ago by violist Susan Pardue. Joining her are violinists Patrice Evans, Siyu Zhang and Ann Hertler and cellist Laurie Casseday. All are members of the Jacksonville Symphony.

For advance tickets online, go to flchambermusic.org.