Beethoven for Winds

Beethoven for Winds comes to Emerson Concert Hall on Friday, March 5, 2027, from 12 PM to 1 PM. It's part of the Cooke Noontime Series presented by the Emory Chamber Music Society of Atlanta, and the program focuses on Beethoven's chamber music for winds. The lineup features the Vega Quartet joined by Jesse McCandless on clarinet, Alexandra Prior on oboe, Bruce Heim and Barbara Hill on French horn, Joli Wu on viola, and William Ransom on piano. Together they'll play a Quintet for Winds and Piano, a Sextet for two French Horns and Strings, and a Duo for Clarinet and Bassoon.

The concert fits into a larger theme for the society. The 2026-27 season is a yearlong celebration of Ludwig van Beethoven, marking the 200th anniversary of the composer's death on March 26, 1827, when he was 56. The Vega Quartet is at the center of that tribute, performing Beethoven's complete cycle of 16 string quartets across six concerts throughout the season. This particular show steps away from the quartets to highlight his writing for wind instruments.

The Vega Quartet is an international award-winning ensemble and the Quartet-in-Residence at Emory University. They've toured widely, with residencies at the Sitka Music Festival and the Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival, and concerts at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and Kneisel Hall. The Emory Chamber Music Society of Atlanta has been running for 34 years, pairing professional performance with education and community engagement, notably through its Music for Healing initiative.

It's a lunchtime concert, so you can catch it during your break. The music starts at 12 PM at Emerson Concert Hall, part of the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts in Atlanta.