The three fall concerts kick off with “Great Musical Families: David Finckel and Wu Han,” scheduled at 3 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 7, in Gore Recital Hall of the Roselle Center for the Arts. Returning to Master Players after their sold-out debut seven years ago, cellist Finckel and pianist Han lead listeners through the extraordinary evolution of classical music, featuring works by Bach, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Debussy and Britten.

“Anne-Marie McDermott and Friends” take the stage at 3 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 4, in Gore Recital Hall. Leading American pianist McDermott returns to the Master Players stage to perform a masterful recital of solo and chamber works with prominent collaborators. This concert will also feature the world premiere of a piano quartet composed by world-renowned American composer and MacArthur Genius Grant recipient Bright Sheng. The composer will perform the piano part himself during the premiere, alongside American cello sensation Julian Schwarz and 6-wire members Xiang Gao and Cathy Yang.

“A Holiday in Greece – Soprano Irini Kyriakidou” will be presented at 3 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 8, in Gore Recital Hall, celebrating the holiday season with a virtuoso vocal recital by renowned Greek soprano Irini Kyriakidou that will warm the spirit. Joined by collaborative pianist, vocal coach and member of UD Ensemble-in-Residence 6-wire Matthew Brower, the program will include art songs, opera arias, holiday tunes and traditional songs.

“A Very Special Event: 6-wire and Friends at Carnegie Hall” will be presented at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 16, in Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The University of Delaware Master Players Concert Series Ensemble-in-Residence 6-wire will help the University shine on the stage of Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall during its New York debut. 6-wire and its world-renowned collaborators from UD and beyond will perform to promote UD excellence. This Saturday night concert during Valentine’s Day weekend will help UD reach out to many alumni, friends, parents, partners and collaborating institutions and will make new connections for the future. Please note that tickets for this event will not be sold through the REP box office; more information about purchasing tickets for this event will be announced closer to the date.

“The King’s Singers: GOLD” will be presented at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24, in Gore Recital Hall, celebrating the 50th anniversary of this beloved group. Acclaimed for their virtuosity and their irresistible British charm, these performers champion a diversity of styles and are committed to new music. The King’s Singers invites the audience to join in on the ride through 50 more years of joy in singing.

“River of Freedom: Music from the Americas” -- set at 3 p.m., Saturday, March 16, in Gore Recital Hall -- is an arts-integrated work written for narrator, solo voice and chamber ensemble. It tells the 200-year-old tale of the journey of the enslaved African-Americans who fought with the British in America’s Second War of Independence of 1812 in exchange for freedom and land in Trinidad. The work will be performed by Ibis Ensemble, a group founded by and made up of members of the music faculty of the University of Trinidad and Tobago. The piece brings history to life through words by Caitlyn Kamminga, music by Adam Walters and art by Che Lovelace. 

“The Art of the String Quartet: Two Generations On Stage” – scheduled at 3 p.m., Saturday, April 6, in Gore Recital Hall -- is entering its fifth year as a Master Players tradition that brings many of today’s extraordinary string quartets to the tri-state region. Formerly mentors/protégés, Emerson and Calidore will join forces on stage to perform an eye-opening recital of chamber works for quartet and octet.

“iMusic 11: The Mountains are Calling” closes the season at 3 p.m., Saturday, April 27, in Mitchell Hall. Designed and presented by Master Players Artistic Director Xiang Gao, iMusic 11 will feature new music and visual elements inspired by some of the most visually and culturally exotic places in the world. The 11th entry in the iMusic series will involve world music artists and interdisciplinary collaborators to weave a concert with musical, visual and video elements that will inspire the community to make a positive impact in honor of Earth Day (April 22). This innovative and creative season finale will conclude the most ambitious season in Master Players’ history.

Season at a glance

Great Musical Families: David Finckel and Wu Han: 3 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 7, Gore Recital Hall

Anne-Marie McDermott and Friends: 3 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 4, Gore Recital Hall

A Holiday in Greece – Soprano Irini Kyriakidou: 3 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 8, Gore Recital Hall

6-wire and Friends at Carnegie Hall: 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 16, Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York City

The King’s Singers: GOLD: 3 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 24, Gore Recital Hall

River of Freedom: Music from the Americas: 3 p.m., Saturday, March 16, Gore Recital Hall

The Art of the String Quartet: Two Generations on Stage: 3 p.m., Saturday, April 6, Gore Recital Hall

iMusic 11: The Mountains are Calling: 3 p.m., Saturday, April 27, Mitchell Hall

Tickets

2018-19 Master Players Concert Series subscriptions and single tickets are now on sale. Single ticket prices: $25 for adults; $20 for seniors, UD faculty, staff and alumni; $10 for students; and $5 for children ages 5 to 14 for the iMusic concert only. Prices are discounted for subscriptions. Tickets can be purchased online (single tickets only), by phone: 302-831-2204 (noon-5 p.m., Monday-Friday; subscriptions and single tickets), by order form (mail or fax) or in person at the REP box office.

Master Players Concert Series (MPCS) serves as the cultural ambassador for the University of Delaware. Producing Artistic Director Xiang Gao, international artist and Trustees Distinguished Professor of Music, brings a rich and wide array of world-class musicians to the UD campus and to underserved local communities. The series’ hallmarks are its high artistic standards, the Delaware debuts of remarkable artists and its diverse and distinctive programming. Master Players, in combination with the UD Resident Ensemble Players, a professional theatre company, is proud to offer a large variety of public performances in numerous University venues and throughout the region. Master Players is co-sponsored by long-term collaborating unit, the UD Department of Music.

This program is made possible, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency dedicated to nurturing and supporting the arts in Delaware, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. Other sponsors include Vita Nova restaurant at the University of Delaware and the Marriott Courtyard Newark-University of Delaware. See a complete list on the Master Players website.