For us, the measure of a concert is how often and how deeply it moves us, both by the magnificence of the music being performed and by the powerful perceptions brought to it by the performers.
The Redwood Arts Council was founded in 1980 by a group of music lovers whose goal was to bring quality entertainment to the Occidental community. The Redwood Arts Council books concerts that rival the quality of chamber music performances in large metropolitan areas.
The term “chamber music” evokes images of classical instruments–a flute, strings, or perhaps a piano. For us, a chamber performance simply means the artist appears in a small setting with close to perfect acoustics. A diversified program of outstanding music is regularly presented.
During the past 35 years the Council has presented more than 300 performances in its chamber music series, featuring such internationally acclaimed artists as Leslie Parnas, Bonnie Hampton, Anner Bylsma, Robert Mann, James Buswell, David Abel, John Gibbons, Nathan Schwartz, Julie Steinberg, Anonymous 4, the Oberlin Piano Trio, the Alexander, Mendelssohn, Stanford, Colorado, Coull, Lark, Australian, Cavani, Parisii and Kronos String Quartets as well as Keith Terry, The Klezmorim, The Cambridge Buskers, The Amherst Saxophone Quartet, The Modern Mandolin Quartet, Richie Cole, Rosalie Sorrels, and Tuck & Patti. Local artists have included members of the Santa Rosa Symphony and of the Occidental Choir, Allaudin Mathieu, Janet Greene, Chaskinakuy, and Patrick Ball.
