9th Street Chamber Music

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Arlington, VA
9th Street Chamber Music

9SCM is dedicated to engaging the audiences and culture of our current time through chamber music.

12/17/2025

A departure from your traditional holiday concert, 9th Street Chamber Music and Lifescape Visionary are excited to present our third event centered around the themes of the winter solstice. 9th Street Quartet will perform works that invite listeners into the stillness of winter interspersed with readings of contemplative poetry and prose, all supplemented by a digital booklet filled with fine art and photography. This one-night-only event promises to be a precious moment of reflection and repose in the midst of an otherwise bustling season.

Musical selections and readings have been carefully chosen to celebrate the connection between the astronomical significance of winter and the most internal spaces of the heart. You’ll hear beautiful music from the late 20th and current century, including composers such as Danish String Quartet, Steven Snowden and Caroline Shaw.

Guests 21+ can enjoy a complimentary mug of mulled wine and non-alcoholic hot cider will also be served. Lastly, in an effort to carry the calm forward, all audience members will receive a digital booklet with their ticket that, in addition to fine art and photography, includes journal prompts and reflections for the weeks that follow.

10/12/2025

Reel rehearsal moments:
Steven Snowden’s Appalachian Polaroids is one of our favorite pieces - chances are if you’ve seen us anywhere outside our Saint George’s home, we’ve performed this piece for you! We love every note, here’s a clip of a viola/cello duet in the middle.

09/24/2025

🎻🎻🎻Dear Friends! We are so excited to begin rehearsals for our 5th season in a few weeks, but we need your help!

We need two more violinists to fill out our record-setting 8 String Quartets for this season. If you have or know an advanced violinist who is a senior in High School and you think might be interested, please send them our way!

07/21/2025

We had an absolute blast performing this past week with the Shippensburg Festival Orchestra together! It is the first time (of hopefully many!) that we’ve all been there - though Andrew and Liz have enjoyed this annual summer performance tradition for many years. Thank you to our friend Trever Famulare for the wonderful experience!

05/23/2025

👋🏼 Meet our String Quartet Intensive members!

As we approach audition deadlines for the 2025-26 season, we thought it would be fun to introduce you to the quartets making up our program this year!

Last but definitely not least: 26 Tacos!
From left, Jack Oliver (vln), Tony Diller (vln), Amir Barrage (vc), and Sanjan Vaid (vla)

We asked each of our quartets a series of questions for you to get to know them and their experiences in SQI. We were only able to get answers from violinist Tony Diller, representing his group!

What do you like best about 9SCM String Quartet Intensive?
I like the opportunity to play music with other musicians in a setting that is not large. I also like the coaching we get on how to not only play the pieces but how to create the best sound possible. I like focusing on the musicality.

What do you like about performing in a string quartet?
I like how as a group we can sometimes communicate nonverbally during the performance, and we know that we are either entering together or playing a similar passage. It forces me to be very cognisant of the sound of the performance as a whole and not just my part.

How do you enjoy spending your time outside of music?
Outside of music, I am the pitcher and first-baseman for my high school baseball team and for a travel team. I am also on my school's robotics team. I also enjoy painting and photography.

And, as a bonus question, when asked what aspirational piece they’d really love to learn?
I recently heard the Turtle Island String Quartet's versions of "Crossroads" and "All Along The Watchtower" and I thought they would be really exciting to play.

Thanks for getting to know each of our seven quartets of the 2024-25 season! Stay tuned for next year’s members in the fall. 💙

05/22/2025

📣 Our rescheduled season finale date is here, and we can’t wait! Join us on Sunday, June 8 at 4pm!

🎨 ‘Evocative’ is the vibe of this crafted program - featuring not one, not two, but *three* living composers and the groundbreaking Debussy String Quartet in G minor!

Once again to wrap our season, we’re taking on one of the most epic pieces in the repertoire, Debussy’s String Quartet in G Minor. Groundbreaking for its impressionistic and sensual style, we are pairing this monumental work with equally evocative works of our current time: ‘Not Getting Out’ by Florence Anna Maunders, ‘Bird Catching From Above’ by Steven Snowden, and ‘Pisachi (Reveal)’ by Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate.

🗣️ Immediately following the concert, we are incredibly excited to host a virtual Panel Q&A with all of the composers on our concert (minus Debussy, understandably!). All audience members (in person and virtual) are invited to join us.

Again, the concert is Sunday, June 8 at 4:00pm. 9th Street Quartet’s concerts feature inventive programming that highlights the work of present-day composers alongside the richly vast traditional chamber music repertoire. Concerts are intended to feel informal, a place to come and enjoy beautiful music with insightful commentary. 
Regular admission is $30, but we don’t want ticket prices to be a barrier for anyone to attend our performances, so you may also choose the option to pay an amount that is comfortable for you. Conversely, if you love our mission and have the means to value our performance with a higher ticket contribution, your support is greatly appreciated.

Students are free! And, tickets always include a complimentary glass of wine for 21+ audience members. Also, if you can’t join us in person, not to worry - livestream tickets are only $10.

We look forward to seeing you there!

05/19/2025

👋🏼 Meet our String Quartet Intensive members!

As we approach audition deadlines for the 2025-26 season, we thought it would be fun to introduce you to the quartets making up our program this year!

Next up: La Sorella Quartet 👯‍♀️
From left, Vika Glass (vln), Aidyn Ellis-Otovo (vln), Evy Glass (vc), and Addie Ellis-Otovo (vla)

We asked each of our quartets a series of questions for you to get to know them and their experiences in SQI.

What do you like best about 9SCM String Quartet Intensive?
Aidyn: My favorite part of this program is the music choices. What I mean by that is the concert seasons are always Classical, Romantic, and lastly 20th century. It really shows the contrasts between these periods.
Evy: I love how 9SCM offers different coaching experiences which gives us different perspectives on the music we are playing.
Addie: I like that we get to collaborate with top chamber musicians and get to learn from them as well.

What do you like about performing in a string quartet?
Aidyn: I love the social aspect of chamber quartets. Unlike an orchestra, you really get to know your members better and build a connection that makes playing together more fun and impactful than playing in an orchestra where you know no one.
Evy: I enjoy performing in a string quartet because it allows me to collaborate with other musicians and have an important role in the music.
Addie: I like being able to talk and meet new people. I also love learning how to play with different people who might have different styles and ideas.

How do you enjoy spending your time outside of music?
Aidyn: I love to do animation and art. It really helps me relax and also helps me with my music because part of animation is storytelling which is an integral part of music, to create a story. (Win-Win)
Evy: Outside of music, I enjoy hanging out with friends and skiing.
Addie: I enjoy singing, and dancing. I also enjoy baking and sketching.

Stay tuned to get to know each of our seven quartets of the 2024-25 season! 💙

05/16/2025

👋🏼 Meet our String Quartet Intensive members!

As we approach audition deadlines for the 2025-26 season, we thought it would be fun to introduce you to the quartets making up our program this year!

Next up: ‘Lord of the Strings’ 🕺🏻
From left, Jake Davidson (vln), Lucy Ferguson (vc), Olivia Zee (vln), and Tess Reynolds (vla)

We asked each of our quartets a series of questions for you to get to know them and their experiences in SQI.

What do you like best about 9SCM String Quartet Intensive?
Jake: It’s fun to be able to be your whole section instead of just being a part of one. You also play a bigger role because if you are not there, there is no one to cover for you.
Olivia: I like that each coach gives their own unique tips during rehearsal. This program has helped me grow in my own playing and playing as a group.
Tess: The intelligent and supporting staff that know exactly how to improve my group and my musicianship.

What do you like about performing in a string quartet?
Jake: I like the fact that instead of trying to blend with people that are playing the same part as you, you have to blend with everyone else, and they are all playing differently parts.
Olivia: I enjoy playing in a quartet because unlike an orchestra where you can blend in, in a quartet you really stand out and play a major role to help your group.
Tess: I like the importance and responsibility I hold in the group while still having support from my quartet so that performing by is less stressful and more fun.

How do you enjoy spending your time outside of music?
Jake: I like to play video games and sports.
Olivia: Ice skating, watercolor, playing with my dog.
Tess: Ultimate frisbee

Stay tuned to get to know each of our seven quartets of the 2024-25 season! 💙

04/25/2025

‼️ Due to a quartet member’s urgent family emergency, we have to postpone our Season Finale concert to later this spring. We’re hurrying to firm up a new date as soon as possible, so please stay tuned for that information within the next week or so. While we’re disappointed to not be making music for all of you this weekend, we look forward to doing so soon!

Address

915 N Oakland St
Arlington, VA
22203

Website

http://9thstreetchambermusic.com/, https://www.9thstreetchambermusic.com/string-quartet-intensive

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