ETHEL and Friends is a music series lovingly programmed for “Date Night” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Great Hall at the Balcony Bar by The Met’s Resident Ensemble, ETHEL.
The Great Hall Balcony Bar “Date Night” Artists perform 2 sets on Fridays and Saturdays:
6 PM to 7 PM and 7:20 PM to 8:20 PM
ABOUT ETHEL
ETHEL is one of the most acclaimed ensembles in contemporary music. With an eye to tradition and an ear to the future, the quartet is a leading force in concert music’s re-engagement with musical vernaculars, fusing diverse performance practices into a vibrant, engaging sound. ETHEL and ETHEL members perform regularly and they welcome celebrated friends to the series–such luminaries as JP Jofre, Alexis Michelle, Kaki King, Allison Loggins-Hull and Raja Rahman.
ETHEL & FRIENDS SERIES CALENDAR
December 26th & December 27th
Transatlantic Piano Duo
Evelyn Ulex, piano
Pablo Lavandera, piano
German-born Steinway Artist Evelyn Ulex and Argentinian master pianist Pablo Lavandera, present a program inspired by dance and tango rhythms with music by Astor Piazzolla and his “New Tango” inspired masterpieces, Latin Grammy Winner Argentinean classical composer Claudia Montero, Pablo Ziegler and Carlos Guastavino… plus holiday favorites!
January 2nd & January 3rd
Rock Paper Scissors
Lavinia Pavlish — violin
Ralph Farris — viola
Eleanor Norton — cello
New York’s most engaging string trio brings classics old and new with their signature high-energy spirit — from Beethoven and Kodály to Hailstork, Hu, and New Jersey’s own Stanley Grill.
January 9th & January 10th
ETHEL with Special Guest Jeff Peterson
Ralph Farris — viola
Kip Jones — violin
Corin Lee — violin
Dorothy Lawson — cello
Jeff Peterson — guitar
ETHEL is joined by longtime collaborator and slack-key guitar legend Jeff Peterson, performing selections from Jeff’s extensive catalogue of Hawaiian originals and classic songs, along with favorites from the House Band — including music by Philip Glass, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and Janis Joplin.
January 16th & January 17th
Booked by The Met
January 23rd & January 24th
Chamber Musicians of the New York Youth Symphony
The New York Youth Symphony (NYYS) is one of the most awarded youth programs of its kind in the nation, recognized for its innovative educational initiatives for talented young musicians. The NYYS Chamber Music Program, founded in 1983, fosters artistic growth in an intimate setting. More than 2,000 students ages 12–22 have participated since its inception, making it one of the most comprehensive training programs in the country for strings, winds, brass, and piano.
January 30th & January 31st
Blair McMillen, piano
Blair McMillen — piano
Blair McMillen has established himself as one of the leading American pianists of his generation. Known for an unusually broad repertoire, he has built a career strongly shaped by contemporary music. McMillen serves on the piano faculties at Bard College Conservatory and Mannes/The New School, and has been hailed by The New York Times as “brilliant” and “new music’s torchbearer.” He performs music of John Adams, Bach–Busoni, Margaret Bonds, Robert Schumann, DBR, and Tan Dun.
Stay tuned. More dates to be announced.
ETHEL at THE MET
ETHEL has been in Residence at The Met for over a decade– originally on the Balcony Bar, and for the past two years in the virtual realm, producing The Met’s celebrated “Balcony Bar from Home” series where the group presented weekly celebrations of ETHEL’s wide world of music, featuring collaborations with an extraordinary collection of guest artists from Svjetlana Bukvich to Jarrett & Raja; from Layale Chaker to Rhett Price; from Ron Carter to Todd Rundgren.
Visit ETHEL’s YouTube Channel, featuring a playlist of some of ETHEL’s classic BBfH offerings.
Here is a sampling:
