EarRelevant Staff | 7 OCT 2024
MEMPHIS, Tennessee— The Memphis Chamber Music Society (MCMS) is undergoing a transition in its leadership this season. Marsha Evans, the society’s founder and artistic director, announced she will step down at the end of the 2024-25 season after 36 years at the helm. Pianist Victor Asuncion, a renowned performer and frequent collaborator with the society, will take over as artistic director beginning in the 2025-2026 season.
“It gives me great joy to know that the Memphis Chamber Music Society will continue to thrive under Victor’s leadership,” Evans said in a letter to patrons. “I am certain you will give him your full support, just as you have done for me over the years.”
Asuncion expressed his gratitude to Evans and shared his excitement about the future. “I have been incredibly fortunate to have met the legendary Marsha Evans who founded this veritable institution 35 years ago,” Asuncion posted on social media. “She has been a great mentor to me and my greatest supporter. I couldn’t be more pleased to continue her work and cement her legacy as the doyenne of chamber music in Memphis.”
The MCMS’s 2024-2025 season will once again showcase concerts in landmark homes and the David Lusk Gallery, promising an intimate setting for classical music lovers.
MCMS launched its new season on September 22 with a performance by cellist Alisa Horn and pianist Evan Solomon at the home of Eric Clauson. The program, titled “The Grand Tour,” took the audience on a musical journey through Europe, with works by composers such as Louis Vierne, Dora Pejačević, and Robert Schumann.
Upcoming concerts of the season include:
- October 13, 2024: “A Baroque Extravaganza” at the home of Keith and Julie Schap, featuring Memphis trumpeter Scott Moore, soprano Mary Wilson, and colleagues from the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. The program will include works by Bach, Handel, and Telemann.
- November 24, 2024: “The Return of the A-Team,” where the celebrated A-Team Piano Trio—violinist Marcin Arendt, cellist Alexander Hersh, and pianist Victor Asuncion—will perform Ravel’s *Piano Trio in A minor* and Shostakovich’s *Piano Trio in E minor* at the home of Jim and Blanche Williams in Germantown.
- February 16, 2025: “Música da Camera” will be held at the David Lusk Gallery, featuring the Ceruti String Quartet and pianist Adrienne Claire Park performing Amy Beach’s *Piano Quintet*.
- March 23, 2025: “A Piano Feast” at the historic Annesdale home, with virtuoso pianist Inna Faliks, who will perform works by Brahms, Fanny Mendelssohn, and Chopin.
- April 6, 2025: The season concludes with “Star Power,” featuring a recital by Asuncion and renowned cellist Zuill Bailey. The duo will perform works by Chopin and Rachmaninoff at the home of Drs. Ben Wheeler and Aimée Christian.
Evans and Asuncion will work together throughout the season to ensure a seamless transition in artistic leadership. “This is a season of exciting music, and we look forward to continuing to bring world-class chamber music to Memphis audiences,” Asuncion said.
For information on upcoming performances, tickets, and subscriptions, visit the Memphis Chamber Music Society’s website at memphischambermusic.org/ or call (901) 754-1516. ■
EXTERNAL LINKS:
- Memphis Chamber Music Society: memphischambermusic.org
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