French Chamber Music Mystique

Chamber music was hard to sell in 19th century Paris which was totally absorbed by opera, but a few composers took a stand and stood out. Two of them were women, Louise Farrenc, the first female professor at the Paris Conservatory, and Mélanie Bonis, who disguised her gender by using the first name of Mel on her publications to sound like a man. Mel’s story will break your heart, but her music will melt it, and this all-French program as a whole will bring you into the intimate confines of the secret French chamber music societies that worked so hard to develop a rich genre in the shadows of the period’s over-blown operatic fixation.

Salon concerts offer an intimate, in-home musical experience. We encourage guests to arrive between 6:00 and 6:30 PM to allow time for parking, gathering, and seating. The performance will begin at 7:00 PM. Following the performance, guests are warmly invited to enjoy a reception and conversation with the musicians.

Parking might be limited depending on the venue. When necessary, we offer shuttle services, parking attendants, or signage to assist you. If you need accessible parking, please inform our staff in advance, and we will do our best to accommodate you.