Saint-Saëns, Debussy, & Brahms at The Kate

Saint-Saëns, Debussy, & Brahms at The Kate brings Chestnut Hill Concerts to Old Saybrook on Friday, August 14, for an evening of chamber music spanning the elegance of late Romantic France, Debussy’s impressionistic sound world, and the dramatic sweep of Brahms. The 7:30 p.m. program features six musicians performing three works whose instrumentation changes throughout the evening, from the delicate pairing of violin and harp to a full piano quartet.

The concert opens with Camille Saint-Saëns’ Fantasie for Violin and Harp, a graceful work that gives both instruments room to shine. Claude Debussy’s Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp follows with an unusual combination of instruments and shifting colors before the evening moves into considerably bigger territory with Johannes Brahms’ Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor.

Presented by Chestnut Hill Concerts at The Kate, the performance is part of the organization’s long-running summer chamber music tradition on the Connecticut shoreline. Rather than relying on a permanent ensemble, the series brings accomplished musicians together in different combinations, allowing each week’s repertoire to determine who’s onstage.

The Program

Saint-Saëns: Fantasie for Violin and Harp, Op. 124

Camille Saint-Saëns composed his Fantasie in 1907, pairing two instruments capable of both delicacy and considerable virtuosity.

The violin carries long melodic lines while the harp does far more than provide accompaniment, moving between shimmering textures and intricate exchanges with the violin. It’s an intimate opening to the evening and a showcase for the unusual chemistry between the two instruments.

Performers: Todd Phillips, violin; Stacey Shames, harp.

Debussy: Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp

Claude Debussy wrote his Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp in 1915, near the end of his life. Its instrumentation was unusual then and remains one of the work’s defining features.

Instead of the weight of a traditional piano or string ensemble, Debussy uses flute, viola and harp to create constantly changing textures. The flute can float above the ensemble, the viola adds a darker middle voice, and the harp supplies both rhythm and color.

Performers: Laura Gilbert, flute; Matthew Sinno, viola; Stacey Shames, harp.

Brahms: Piano Quartet No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 25

The second half moves from French delicacy to one of Johannes Brahms’ most substantial chamber works.

Written for piano, violin, viola and cello, the Piano Quartet No. 1 was completed when Brahms was still in his twenties. Across four movements, the piece moves through lyrical passages, darker moments and increasingly restless energy before reaching its famous finale.

That final movement, marked Rondo alla Zingarese, draws on Hungarian and Romani-influenced musical styles that fascinated Brahms. It’s fast, rhythmically charged and technically demanding, giving the concert a very different ending from its quiet opening for violin and harp.

Performers: Mihae Lee, piano; Todd Phillips, violin; Matthew Sinno, viola; Wendy Sutter, cello.

Featured Musicians

The August 14 ensemble includes:

Laura Gilbert – Flute
Todd Phillips – Violin
Matthew Sinno – Viola
Wendy Sutter – Cello
Stacey Shames – Harp
Mihae Lee – Piano

Pianist Mihae Lee also serves as artistic director of Chestnut Hill Concerts, shaping programs that bring together established chamber musicians for the organization’s summer performances.

About Chestnut Hill Concerts

Chestnut Hill Concerts has been presenting chamber music on the Connecticut shoreline for more than five decades. Founded in 1969, the series has developed around the idea of bringing accomplished musicians together to perform chamber repertoire in an intimate environment.

The series now makes its home at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, better known as The Kate, where the relatively compact theater offers the kind of close listening environment particularly suited to chamber music.

Event Details

Date
Friday, August 14, 2026

Time
7:30 p.m.

Location
The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center (The Kate)

Address
300 Main St.
Old Saybrook, CT

Admission
$40

Program
Saint-Saëns – Fantasie for Violin and Harp, Op. 124
Debussy – Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp
Brahms – Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25

Important Note
Some calendar listings incorrectly show an 11:30 p.m. start. The supplied Chestnut Hill Concerts program lists the performance at 7:30 p.m.

More Information

For more information, visit the event website using the Event Website link below.

For ticket purchases, click on the Ticketing link below.