Phantastic Journey: Music for Strings and Winds
On Saturday, January 31, the North Fork Arts Center became a gateway to 20th-century Europe as audience members took a musical journey through England, Hungary, and Russia. Phantastic Journey: Music for Strings and Winds invited listeners to escape the cold and encounter the unexpected beauty of a remarkable repertoire, brought to life by musicians at the top of their craft.
Despite the winter chill outside, the theater was alive with warmth and energy as over 160 community members gathered. Six acclaimed NFAC Chamber Musicians led the musical journey for guests: Robert Chausow (violin), Sarah Adams (viola), Daniel Miller (cello), David Romano (bass), Randall Wolfgang (oboe), and Benjamin Baron (clarinet). Together, they created the illusion of having traveled far without ever leaving Greenport.
The evening opened in London with Benjamin Britten’s Phantasy for Oboe and Strings, a work often described as “consummately crafted.” With its nods to 16th-century forms and its gently pastoral character, the piece evoked an English countryside.
From there, the program traveled east to Budapest for Ernst von Dohnányi’s Serenade for String Trio. The Serenade showcased the expressive range of the strings, blending classical elegance with earthy Hungarian folksiness.
The final destination was Russia—by way of Paris—with Sergei Prokofiev’s Quintet, composed in 1924 while the composer was living abroad and originally commissioned as a ballet. Circus-like in spirit, the piece crackled with clashing harmonies and vivid textures, serving as a bold finale to the program.
Diana Gordon, a key supporter of NFAC’s classical music programming shared, “It was exciting to feature music that North Forkers wouldn’t often hear, and played by such accomplished musicians.” Other audience members praised the concert’s intimacy and enthusiastic crowd, with one guest referring to the evening as “a glorious event filled with beautiful music and great energy.”
The evening also brought exciting announcements for the future of classical music at NFAC. Through an initiative spearheaded by Diana Gordon and generous donors known as the Piano Angels, NFAC has received a 9-foot Steinert Concert Grand Piano. Refurbished by expert technician Doug Gregg, the piano will soon take its home on the stage of Theater 1. This extraordinary instrument will expand NFAC’s musical programming and provide unparalleled performance opportunities for the community. In celebration, a piano concert is scheduled for Saturday, June 20th. The NFAC team hopes to see you there.
