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Press Releases
BCM Spring 2026: Bridgehampton Chamber Music Welcomes the Season with Cello Quartets, “Rhapsody in Blue: A Gershwin Evening,' and 'Heavenly Trios'
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BCM Spring 2026: Bridgehampton Chamber Music Welcomes the Season with Cello Quartets (March 28), “Rhapsody in Blue: A Gershwin Evening” (April 18), and “Heavenly Trios” (May 9)
Galvin Cello Quartet; Michael Stephen Brown, Todd Palmer, Albert Cano Smit
Stella Chen, Clive Greensmith, Marya Martin, Shai Wosner
Bridgehampton Chamber Music welcomes spring with an inventive trio of concerts for its annual BCM Spring series: the Galvin Cello Quartet playing four-cello arrangements of a range of great works on March 28; “Rhapsody in Blue: A Gershwin Evening,” featuring Gershwin favorites arranged for piano four-hands as well as a new work by Michael Stephen Brown commissioned by BCM, on April 18; and “Heavenly Trios” of Brahms, Haydn, and Robert Kahn played by four of BCM’s favorite musicians led by flutist and BCM Artistic Director Marya Martin on May 9. The 5:00 pm Saturday concerts take place in the Bridgehampton Presbyterian Church, the home of Long Island’s longest-running classical music festival.
The award-winning young Galvin Cello Quartet (Sydney Lee, Haddon Kay, Luiz Fernando Venturelli, and James Baik) presents a program highlighted by four-cello arrangements of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, Schumann’s Kinderszenen, and Gershwin’s Three Preludes, as well as a work written for four cellos, Andre Mehmari’s Forrobodó. Pianists Michael Stephen Brown and Albert Cano Smit and clarinetist Todd Palmer headline “Rhapsody in Blue: A Gershwin Evening,” a program featuring piano four-hand arrangements of An American in Paris and Rhapsody in Blue, Three Preludes arranged for clarinet and piano, and the world premiere of a new work by Michael Stephen Brown commissioned by BCM specifically for this program. “Heavenly Trios” features piano trios by Brahms and Haydn, as well as Robert Kahn’s Serenade in F minor for Flute, Cello, and Piano, performed by Marya Martin, flute; Shai Wosner, piano; Stella Chen, violin; and Clive Greensmith, cello. The full programs follow below.
Bridgehampton Chamber Music has upgraded its ticketing system to include a choose-your-seat function (seating had previously been “best available”).
Bridgehampton Chamber Music
“This longtime East End festival, directed by the flutist Marya Martin, has flourished by offering concerts both effervescent and distinguished,” said The New Yorker. In the four decades since its founding in 1984, Bridgehampton Chamber Music has become known for presenting a broad range of music performed by some of the best musicians in the world in one of the most beautiful seaside settings on the East Coast. With autumn and spring mini-series joining the summer festival, Bridgehampton Chamber Music now offers programs almost year-round.
BCM Festival: Usually comprising around a dozen events over four weeks, the summer festival has developed a loyal core audience among local residents and summer visitors since it began with four artists in two concerts in the intimate setting of the Bridgehampton Presbyterian Church. The festival is still based in the graceful 1842 church – which boasts glowing acoustics – and has expanded to include other special event venues, including the Channing Sculpture Garden and Atlantic Golf Club in Bridgehampton, and the Madoo Conservatory in Sagaponack.
BCM Records: In 2012, BCM launched its own record label, BCMF Records. Signifying the festival’s commitment to American composers, the label’s first recording was BCMF Premieres, a disc of contemporary American music. The label’s current discography of 12 releases includes music by Bruce Adolphe, Robert Beaser, Leon Kirchner, Howard Shore, Paul Moravec, Kevin Puts, and Elizabeth Brown, as well as Haydn, Beethoven, Brahms, and more.
BCM Spring: Convinced that there were music lovers looking for more opportunities to hear excellent chamber music year-round, BCM introduced its spring series in 2015, and in 2017 expanded it from two concerts to three.
BCM Autumn: This three-concert series was launched in the fall of 2021.
Bridgehampton Chamber Music has a wide variety of performance videos and online programs from past seasons posted on its website and YouTube channel.
BCM website “Watch & Listen” page: https://www.bcmf.org/watch-listen
BCM YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/bcmfmusic
Marya Martin
Internationally acclaimed flutist Marya Martin enjoys a musical career of remarkable breadth and achievement. Gracefully balancing the roles of chamber musician, festival director, soloist, teacher, and supporter of musical institutions, she has performed throughout the world in such halls as London’s Royal Albert Hall and Wigmore Hall, Sydney Opera House, Casals Hall in Tokyo, and other international venues.
A native of New Zealand, Ms. Martin studied at Yale University, and shortly thereafter moved to Paris to study with flutist Jean-Pierre Rampal. After winning top prizes in the Naumburg, Munich International, and Jean-Pierre Rampal International competitions, and the Concert Artists Guild and Young Concert Artists International Auditions—all within a two-year period—she returned to the U.S. and has since appeared as a soloist with major orchestras and at leading festivals and chamber music series throughout the country.
In 2006 she received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Auckland, and in 2011 received the Ian Mininberg Distinguished Service Award from Yale University. Committed to expanding the flute repertoire, she has commissioned more than 20 new works. She most recently commissioned eight works for flute and piano comprising Eight Visions, an anthology published by Theodore Presser, and recorded them for the Naxos label. In 2011, Albany Records released Marya Martin Plays Eric Ewazen. Ms. Martin has been a faculty member of the Manhattan School of Music since 1996.
BCM Spring 2026
Saturday, March 28, 2026, at 5 pm
Bridgehampton Presbyterian Church
BCM Spring: Galvin Cello Quartet
Everyone’s favorite instrument is even better times four. The award-winning Galvin Cello Quartet brings a wide-ranging program to their BCM debut.
- A. MOZART Sonata in D Major, K. 381, arr. Valter Despalj
CLAUDE DEBUSSY Rêverie, arr. Blaise Dejardin
MODEST MUSSORGSKY Pictures at an Exhibition, arr. Blaise Dejardin
ANDRE MEHMARI Forrobodó
ROBERT SCHUMANN Kinderszenen, arr. Renaud Guieu
GEORGE GERSHWIN Three Preludes, arr. Galvin Cello Quartet
Galvin Cello Quartet: James Baik, Sydney Lee, Luiz Fernando Venturelli, Haddon Kay
Tickets: $77.50, $52.50, $12.50 student ticket
Saturday, April 18, 2026, at 5 pm
Bridgehampton Presbyterian Church
BCM Spring: Rhapsody in Blue: A Gershwin Evening
George Gershwin’s jazz-infused works are full of bustling energy and unforgettable melodies, while pianist and composer Michael Stephen Brown reflects on Gershwin’s legacy with a new work commissioned by BCM for the occasion.
GEORGE GERSHWIN An American in Paris, arr. for piano, four hands by Alessandra Gelfini
GEORGE GERSHWIN Three Preludes, arr. for clarinet and piano by Eugene Asti
MICHAEL STEPHEN BROWN New Work for Piano, Four Hands (BCM commission, world premiere)
GEORGE GERSHWIN Rhapsody in Blue, arr. for piano, four hands
Michael Stephen Brown, piano; Albert Cano Smit, piano; Todd Palmer, clarinet
Tickets: $77.50, $52.50, $12.50 student ticket
Saturday, May 9, 2026, at 5 pm
Bridgehampton Presbyterian Church
From Haydn's "Dream" to Brahms's heartfelt B major Trio, a program of trios closes the spring season, featuring a stellar constellation of musicians.
FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN Piano Trio in E-flat, op. 41, XV:31 “Jacob’s Dream”
ROBERT KAHN Serenade in F minor for Flute, Cello, and Piano
JOHANNES BRAHMS Piano Trio No. 1 in B major, Op. 8
Marya Martin, flute; Shai Wosner, piano; Stella Chen, violin; Clive Greensmith, cello
Tickets: $77.50, $52.50, $12.50 student ticket
Tickets and information: www.bcmf.org
Box Office: (631) 537-6368
January 8, 2026
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