The Fall performed in Chicago

Featuring one of the most beloved and profound works in the chamber repertoire, AWE Chicago 2026 reaches its finale at the Driehaus Museum’s Murphy Auditorium with Schubert’s sublime String Quintet. The Quintet is the last work Schubert completed, steeped in lyricism, intimacy, and the spirit of the Vienna he adored. Some say its echoes can still be heard from one of his favorite haunts, the Red Hedgehog inn, where he went to hear folk musicians from Hungary, Romania, and beyond.

Opening the program are two captivating violin duos by celebrated New Zealand composers Eve de Castro-Robinson and John Psathas, setting the stage before we are swept into Schubert’s expansive masterpiece; a work that continues to inspire and move listeners across generations and continents.

Program:

Prism

Eve De Castro-Robinson (NZ), Bird Sung Sky for two violins, AWE Commission

John Psathas (NZ), The Fall for two violins, AWE Commission

Franz Schubert, String Quintet in C Major, D 956