Notes in Nature: Folk and Fiddle

Notes in Nature: Folk and Fiddle – String Quartets Inspired by Folk Traditions
Saturday, May 31 2025
7pm – 8:30pm
$35 per person in advance; $40 at the door if seats are available. Reservations required. All tickets final sale. Rain or shine.

Celebrate the coming of summer under the open sky at the Cloister Garden at Main House’s with Folk and Fiddle, a captivating concert of string quartets inspired by folk traditions. This enchanting evening invites you to experience the vibrant essence of folk music through an engaging performance that blends folk-inspired melodies with the charm of a live string quartet, all set against the picturesque backdrop of Planting Fields. In the event of rain, the concert will be held in the Main House’s beautiful Great Hall.

The evening opens with Manuel de Falla’s Spanish Dance No. 1, a lively piece that captures the fiery spirit and rhythmic vibrancy of Spanish folk dance in just four minutes. Following this, immerse yourself in a Danish String Quartet Suite, that artfully combines sophistication with fiddling flair.

Next, enjoy Florence Price’s Four Folk Songs in Counterpoint, an exploration of American folk traditions, where Price’s intricate counterpoint enriches the soulful, folk-inspired melodies including “My Darling Clementine” and “Swing Low Sweet Chariot.” After a brief intermission, let the energetic rhythms of Béla Bartók’s Romanian Folk Dances transport you with their vibrant Eastern European melodies and energizing spirit.

The evening culminates with Antonín Dvořák’s American Quartet, a monumental work that masterfully weaves American folk influences with Romantic elegance. This exuberant quartet reflects Dvořák’s deep engagement with American musical traditions, offering rhythms and lyrical beauty that echo the spirit of the New World.

Immerse yourself in a remarkable musical experience at Planting Fields during our newest concert series in collaboration with Long Island Chamber Music: Notes in Nature!  

We invite you to embark on a captivating journey through the works of beloved composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, and Brahms, whose timeless masterpieces will be celebrated alongside rediscovered gems and exciting contemporary compositions. This series features five concerts, each presenting a unique opportunity to explore the rich landscape of chamber music and brought to life by the passionate performances of exceptional musicians. 

For questions, please contact Lilly McGurk, Stewardship Director at lmcgurk@plantingfields.org 

About Long Island Chamber Music 
Long Island Chamber Music (LICM) is a collective of professional musicians that bring classical music to Long Island communities through concerts and educational programs year-round. LICM was founded in 2020 by husband-and-wife musicians Eric Huckins and Gergana Haralampieva alongside composer Nick DiBerardino with the mission of making professional classical music of the highest caliber accessible to Long Island audiences. 
 
LICM performs chamber music at local venues across Long Island including concert halls, parks, libraries, churches, museums, and community centers. LICM works closely with its community partners to create concert programs that are relevant and compelling to audiences. Each concert showcases a variety of instrumentations drawing from LICM’s artist roster of over 20 professional musicians. LICM is strongly committed to programming works and featuring musicians from historically underrepresented communities in the classical music field. 
 
LICM provides a variety of highly interactive educational concerts and residencies in schools, libraries, and community centers that focus on fostering a love and understanding of classical music for all ages. 
 
LICM musicians are all drawn from Carnegie Hall’s Ensemble Connect, the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Astral Artists, Concert Artist Guild and several other of the country’s most prominent musical institutions. In addition to being leaders in their art form, LICM musicians are teaching artists, entrepreneurs, and socially-minded advocates for classical music.  

Long Island Chamber Music is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. All Long Island Chamber Music programs are made possible through the efforts of our community partners, support from local businesses, and the generosity of the Long Island community. 

By registering for this event, you consent to Planting Fields Foundation photographing and filming during the event. These images may be used for promotional purposes, including social media, on our website, newsletters, grant requests, reports. As it may not be feasible to identify individuals who may wish to opt out, your registration implies your consent to be photographed. If you have any concerns, please contact us at lmcgurk@plantingfields.org