Rembrandt Chamber Musicians present: French Fantasies with Allegra Lilly

Rembrandt Chamber Musicians closes its season with an evening of elegance, color, and imagination featuring internationally acclaimed harpist Allegra Lilly, Principal Harp of the Houston Symphony. Joined by flutist Jennifer Gunn, clarinetist Jonathan Gunn, violinists John Macfarlane and Emily Nebel, violist Carol Cook, and cellist Calum Cook, Lilly leads a program celebrating the rich chamber music traditions of France and its European contemporaries. The concert opens with Camille Saint-Saëns’ enchanting Fantaisie for Violin and Harp, a work of lyrical beauty and virtuosic brilliance, followed by Max Reger’s rarely performed Serenade in G Major, whose warm melodies and intimate conversations showcase the expressive possibilities of chamber music.

Following intermission, the program turns to two of the most beloved works in the harp repertoire. Claude Debussy’s groundbreaking Sonata for Flute, Viola, and Harp creates a dreamlike sound world of subtle colors and delicate textures, while Maurice Ravel’s radiant Introduction and Allegro brings the full ensemble together in a dazzling display of instrumental virtuosity. Written to showcase the modern concert harp, Ravel’s masterpiece remains one of the defining works of French chamber music, providing a brilliant and unforgettable conclusion to the season.

PROGRAM

Camille Saint-Saëns (1835–1921)
Fantaisie for Violin and Harp, Op. 124

Max Reger (1873–1916)
Serenade in G Major for Flute, Violin, and Viola, Op. 141a

Claude Debussy (1862–1918)
Première Rhapsodie

Intermission

Claude Debussy (1862–1918)
Sonata for Flute, Viola, and Harp

Maurice Ravel (1875–1937)
Introduction et allegro pour harpe, flûte, clarinette et quatuor à cordes (1905)

ARTISTS

Allegra Lilly, harp
Jennifer Gunn, flute
Jonathan Gunn, clarinet
John Macfarlane, violin
Emily Nebel, violin
Carol Cook, viola
Calum Cook, cello

REMBRANDT CHAMBER MUSICIANS
Now entering its 36th season, Rembrandt Chamber Musicians continues to build upon its distinguished legacy while expanding its artistic vision for the future. The ensemble will broaden its programming to include not only classical chamber music, but also jazz and improvised music, as well as contemporary classical works presented at a variety of venues throughout the Chicago-land area. This evolution reflects the organization’s longstanding commitment to innovation, collaboration, and artistic exploration while remaining rooted in the ensemble’s core mission of presenting engaging, accessible, and deeply personal musical experiences. Praised by Chicago Tribune critic John von Rhein as “one of the more notable success stories in Chicago chamber music,” Rembrandt continues to be recognized for performances filled with “infectious verve, spontaneity, and abundance of feeling,” with concerts regularly featured on WFMT and highlighted among Chicago’s top classical music events.