Escher String Quartet with Luke Fleming, Viola November 01, 2025 Sunset Center, Carmel

The extraordinary Escher String Quartet will open our 59^th Season at Sunset Center on November 1st, and will be joined by violist Luke Fleming for a program of Haydn, Rogerson, and Brahms.  Described by the Guardian as “one of the finest quartets of their generation,” we welcome the Escher back for their third performance for Chamber Music Monterey Bay.  The Brahms and the Rogerson are viola quintets, which are works less frequently programmed (one has to hire an additional musician!) and feature an especially rich sound courtesy of the two violas. We are fortunate to have the acclaimed violist Luke Fleming as CMMB’s Artistic Program Director, and he will join the Escher Quartet as a performer in the viola quintets. The Gramophone lauded Mr. Fleming’s “superlative technical and artistic execution.” 

Composer Chris Rogerson’s compositions have been praised for their “haunting beauty” and “virtuosic exuberance” by The New York Times, and celebrated for their lyricism. The Philadelphia Inquirer hailed him as a “big discovery.” Rogerson has composed music for cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Benjamin Beilman, pianist Anne-Marie McDermott,  the Dover Quartet, and many others.  His music has been programmed at venues around the world.  He was awarded the 2022 Stoeger Prize from the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the highest honor awarded for contributions to chamber music. Chamber Music Monterey Bay co-commissioned the Rogerson viola quintet, and the performance in Carmel will be the West Coast Premiere.  We invite you to join us for our Season Opening performance and for Escher’s “high voltage interpretations” (The Strad).

The concert will be preceded by a 30-minute talk by violist and Artistic Program Director Luke Fleming. These informative and entertaining talks begin at 6:30 and will provide ticket-holders with deeper insight into the evening’s program.