Newport Classical continues its fourth full-season Chamber Series, featuring twelve concerts held on select Fridays at 7:30 pm at the organization’s home venue the Newport Classical Recital Hall (42 Dearborn St.), with two performances in February.
Spend a perfect Valentine’s Day, February 14, with the impressive married duo Boyd Meets Girl – classical guitarist Rupert Boyd and cellist Laura Metcalf – who have toured the world sharing their eclectic mix of music from Debussy and Bach to Radiohead and Beyoncé. Trio Karénine, an established group on the French and international scene lauded for its musical integrity and joie de vivre, takes the stage on February 28.
Boyd Meets Girl pairs Australian guitarist Rupert Boyd with American cellist Laura Metcalf. The duo’s two studio albums have received over 4 million streams on Spotify alone.
The duo arranges much of their repertoire themselves, drawing inspiration from artists across all genres, and often speak from the stage about the works to create an engaging, conversational concert experience that breaks down boundaries not only between musical genres but between audience and performer.
Boyd Meets Girls brings music ranging from Bach, Elgar and Ravel to the Beatles and Radiohead to Newport for a memorable Valentine’s Day concert on February 14.
Founded in Paris in 2009, Trio Karénine bears the name of Tolstoy’s beautiful and emotionally honest heroine. The trio of Julien Dieudegard (violin), Louis Rodde (cello) and Paloma Kouider (piano) is acclaimed by critics and audiences for its musical integrity and passionate interpretation.
The group has performed in the world’s most prestigious halls, including the Philharmonie and Auditorium du Louvre in Paris, London’s Wigmore Hall, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Frick Collection in New York, Salle Bourgie in Montréal, the Konzerthaus in Berlin, the Herkulessaal and Prinzregententheater in Münich, the Leiszhalle in Hamburg, and Sydney Opera House.
In a true celebration of the piano trio, Trio Karénine’s program in Newport on February 28 opens with Schubert’s second piano trio – one of the very last compositions completed during his lifetime – and concludes with Dvořák’s rarely programmed second piano trio, which is filled with color, warmth, lively dance, and Slavic folk elements.
Newport Classical’s Chamber Series takes place at Newport Classical Recital Hall in downtown Newport, known for its striking architecture and excellent acoustics. The Chamber Series, newly expanded to twelve concerts held between September and June, reaffirms Newport Classical’s commitment to offer year-round classical music programming. Audiences are invited to enjoy performances by world-class classical musicians in a relaxed setting, with a complimentary glass of wine from Greenvale Vineyards and homemade treats by Newport Classical volunteers.
As part of Newport Classical’s desire to create connections between classical music, the artists who perform it, and the Newport community, all musicians performing on the Chamber Series also visit Newport-area schools to perform for, speak with, and inspire students, through Newport Classical’s Music Education and Engagement Initiative.
Up next, the Newport Classical Chamber Series continues with oboist James Austin Smith, hailed by The New York Times as “virtuosic,” and for his “dazzling” and “brilliant” performances, who joins forces with acclaimed pianist Gloria Chien in music by William Grant Still, Clara Schumann, Camille Saint-Saëns, and more, on March 21. On April 25, Bulgarian-American violinist Bella Hristova, who has won international acclaim for her “expressive nuance and rich tone” (The New York Times) presents the music of Bach and Messiaen, alongside works by Grieg and Indian-American composer Reena Esmail, with pianist Anna Polonsky. Pianist Orion Weiss, known for his “powerful technique and exceptional insight” (The Washington Post), returns to Newport for a solo recital of Bach’s beloved Goldberg Variations on May 16. On June 13, the GRAMMY®-nominated Norwegian Trio Mediaeval, who captivate audiences with their crystalline voices, closes the 2024-2025 Newport Classical Chamber Series with an enchanting evening of Norwegian and Swedish traditional songs, hymns, fiddle tunes, and ballads.
The 2025 Newport Classical Music Festival will take place from July 4-22, 2025, with programming to be announced at the end of March.