Working with composers is central to what we do at Sunset ChamberFest, and 2021 has been no different. We are thrilled to have been the first to present to the world, new versions of two pieces by Reena Esmail at this year’s Festival: Zeher (originally written for Brooklyn Rider) and the popular work Nadiya for flute and cello, both of which the composer revised after working with Sunset’s artists.

Sunset ChamberFest is excited to welcome violist Jonah Sirota to the Festival for the first time. His enterprising debut album Strong Sad was released in 2018 by National Sawdust Tracks. It features new elegies for viola by Jonah, Paola Prestini, Nico Muhly, Valgeir Sigurðsson, Robert Sirota, A.J. McCaffrey, Rodney Lister, and a new work from the improv duo Mondegreen (Jonah Sirota and Kurt Knecht). His musical life is eclectic – appearing as a soloist, composer, chamber musician, session musician and teacher. Jonah tells us about playing from memory as a member of the now disbanded Chiara Quartet, pursuing new musical paths in LA, and upcoming projects. Hear him in Sunset’s Finale, which broadcasts on July 18 at 15:00 PST and will available to watch afterwards.

A native of Columbus, OH, Louis Ng has been Sunset’s resident audio engineer and videographer since the start of the Festival 8 years ago. His musical path began as a violinist and pianist (he began college as a Piano Major at CIM). Always intrigued by technology, he stumbled into an audio recording elective as a student, which combined his love for music and tech. His mentors showed him the intriguing career paths possible to him as a recording engineer, and he has been focusing on recording ever since. Louis tells us about his distinctive recording aesthetic and the exciting projects he is working on.

Sunset ChamberFest is delighted to welcome violinist Geneva Lewis to the Festival. Geneva was born in Auckland, New Zealand but spent her formative years in LA. She is the recipient of a 2021 Avery Fisher Career Grant and winner of the 2020 CAG Victor Elmaleh Competition. Hear her on July 12 performing pieces by Harrison Garff and Brett Dean, and on July 18 performing Shostakovich’s Quintet. She tells us about her teachers, the special instrument she performs on at Sunset this year, and upcoming plans.

Sunset ChamberFest is thrilled to welcome violinist Movses Pogossian performing Shostakovich’s Piano Quintet on July 18. He teaches at UCLA and is artistic director of Dilijan, which for 15 seasons, has been one of LA’s most distinguished chamber music series. He discusses his recent acclaimed Tigran Mansurian recording project for ECM Records (featuring Sunset’s Director Mike Kaufman), his musical training and heroes, as well as his association with Shostakovich’s music.

As we get set to broadcast the 2021 Festival performances, learn more about the festival and its director, Michael Kaufman - a versatile and consummate musician, devoted to great music in its many guises.

In 2019, I had the fortune of working with Brett Dean for the first time on his piece Recollections in an ensemble led by the violinist Anthony Marwood, who himself has a long association with the composer. As musical life re-emerges, one of the highlights is continuing on my journey of learning his music and working with the composer in the process.

After the Piatigorsky International Cello Festival was cancelled in 2020, cellists were really disappointed. For us, this is really the best thing that happens in LA every four years. So I chose to have a mini-cello festival as part of Sunset ChamberFest in 2021, dedicating the first two programmes to the Piatigorsky Festival and its founder, Ralph Kirshbaum.