Schubert's "Cello Quintet" in the Berkeley Hills

Schubert's last completed work, the "Cello Quintet", invites superlatives: it is considered to be among his finest compositions, and perhaps the greatest single piece of chamber music every written. Writing only weeks before his death at age 31, Schubert added an additional cello to the standard string quartet, composing a monumental, hour-long, symphonic work.

Isaac and friends are delighted to host two performances of the Schubert Quintet to an historic home in the North Berkeley Hills: choose from a 6pm "garden party" performance in the back yard, or an 8:30pm "sunset serenade" in the living room, overlooking San Francisco Bay.

"Up to date" Covid vaccination required, and masks required indoors.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Violist Sarah Lee has performed with numerous orchestras, chamber ensembles, and internationally performed solo works. Sarah is a member of the Monterey Symphony, the Santa Cruz Symphony, and performs with several other distinguished Californian symphonies. Sarah is a passionate and dedicated educator. She is Suzuki certified and is Applied faculty at West Valley College, Convent and Stuart Conservatory of Music, and has a private studio in San Francisco. She received Suzuki training units 1-3 from Cathryn Lee. Recently, she was asked to perform a solo viola recital for Monterey Symphony’s Balcony Sessions and was invited as a solo guest artist at Piedmont Hills High School. She also enjoys coaching for Youth Orchestras like California Youth Symphony, Golden State Youth Orchestra, and Youth Music Monterey.

Cellist Isaac Pastor-Chermak enjoys a diverse and varied career in symphony and opera orchestras, chamber music, and solo and recording engagements, as well as engaging deeply with his community as a conductor, educator, and nonprofit board member. He is Principal Cellist of Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony; Associate Principal Cellist of Stockton Symphony; Assistant Principal Cellist of Opera San Jose and Fresno Philharmonic; and a member of Berkeley Symphony, Santa Barbara Symphony, Monterey Symphony, Santa Cruz Symphony, and Reno Philharmonic. He spends his summers at the Eisenstadt Classical Music Festival in Austria, and partners with regular sonata collaborators Alison Lee and Miles Graber, in addition to myriad one-off creative projects every season. As an educator, Pastor-Chermak is Adjunct Professor of Music History at San Francisco Conservatory of Music, coaches adult amateur chamber music at the Crowden Music Center, and teaches a small private cello studio. He sits on the Board of Directors of East Bay Music Foundation and Calliope East Bay Music and Arts, and is Music Director Emeritus of Solano Youth Chamber Orchestra. isaacpastorchermak.com

William Cayanan loves music. Originally from San Leandro, CA, William enjoys a career as a cellist and composer, and makes beats when he can. He has most recently been the Associate Principal Cellist of the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic and the Assistant Principal Cellist of the Terre Haute Symphony. While pursuing graduate degrees at Indiana University, he studied cello with Eric Kim and composition with P.Q. Phan. While at IU, he has appeared as a concerto soloist with the IU Baroque Orchestra. William completed his undergraduate studies at the Cleveland Institute of Music, studying with Richard Weiss and Melissa Kraut, while earning a minor in composition with Keith Fitch. A passionate chamber player, he has also performed with members of Quatuor Ebene and the Ariel String Quartet. William also enjoys soup year-round.

Host or Publisher Isaac Pastor-Chermak