Face the Chamber Music

Tulsa Camerata’s season begins with its “Bold Combinations” concert October 27.

Musicians of Tulsa Camerata include (L to R) Phil Wachowski, Liza Villarreal and Jesus Villarreal.

Tulsa Camerata, Green Country’s musician-run chamber music ensemble, begins its ­second season of diverse and engaging performances with its “Bold Combinations” concert on Thursday, October 27 at All Souls Unitarian Church (2952 S. Peoria) at 7 p.m.

Jesus Villarreal, one of the founders of Tulsa Camerata, plays double bass for the group. He is also a member of the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra and Signature Symphony. “My wife Liza, who plays the violin for Tulsa Camerata, and I saw the need for chamber music in Tulsa,” he says. “This is music we love.”

Unlike a symphony, ­chamber music allows each ­musician’s personality to come out through the music, Villarreal says. “That’s a very important part of chamber music. A chamber music concert is an intimate experience. It isn’t like going to the symphony. It’s in a small, cozy venue, and you almost feel like you’re on stage with the musicians. A lot of people ­particularly enjoy that.”

Tulsa Camerata actively works to make its concerts as high quality as possible. “We ­feature between 8 and 15 ­musicians per concert, and we choose the very best musicians we can find,” Villarreal says. “Most of us are from the Tulsa area, and many are from the Tulsa Symphony. Everyone plays at a high level, and because so many of us are friends with one another, we have very good chemistry as well.”

Tulsa Camerata takes a ­progressive approach to its music. “We’ll play anything. A lot of groups shy away from early music and music from the 20th century, but we play everything from the 16th century through the present. Anything’s fair game. We like to be eclectic.”

Tulsa Camerata’s first ­concert of the season, “Bold Combinations” on October 27, is a good example of this ­eclecticism. This concert will go beyond standard chamber music genres to spotlight works composed for unusual combinations of instruments. In addition to music by Golijov, Mozart and Schubert, “Bold Combinations” will feature the world premiere of University of Tulsa professor W. Roger Price’s “Sextet for Piano and Winds,” the commission of which was underwritten by the Hyechka Club of Tulsa in honor of its longest tenured member, Miriam Spindler Lynch, who will be celebrating her 100th birthday in December.

This season, all of Tulsa Camerata’s concerts will be held at Emerson Hall at All Souls Unitarian Church. “All Souls is a very musically active church, and we’re very happy to be there,” says Villarreal. “They have great acoustics and a ­wonderful Steinway piano.”

Tulsa Camerata is a member of the Arts and Humanities Council of Tulsa. Sponsorships are available at a variety of levels, beginning at $10, and donations are tax-deductible.

Tulsa Camerata tickets are $15 per show for general ­admission, or $50 for season tickets. Tickets for students and seniors (65 and up) are $5 per show or $20 for season tickets. For more information or to ­purchase tickets, visit www.tulsacamerata.org. 

Tulsa Camerata 2011-2012 CONCERT SCHEDULE

“Bold Combinations”
Thursday, October 27, 2011 - 7.pm.
Featuring music by Golijov, Mozart, W. Roger Price, and Schubert

“Chamber Virtuosi”
Thursday, December 15, 2011 - 7.pm.
Featuring music by Vivaldi, Sperger, Schumann, Waxman, and J. S. Bach

“Rustic Inspiration”
Thursday, February 16, 2012 - 7.pm.
Featuring music by Bartok, Takemitsu, Ligeti, and Dvorak

“Darkness and Light”
Thursday, April 26, 2012 - 7.pm.
Featuring music by Janacek, Beethoven, and Dohnanyi.

For more information, contact

Tulsa Camerata

(918) 406-5440