(CHATHAM, N.Y.) – The internationally acclaimed Shanghai Quartet will be joined by flutist Eugenia Zukerman in a program entitled “From East to West,” at St. James Church on Saturday, September 24, at 7:30 pm, as part of the Leaf Peeper Concert Series presented by Clarion Concerts.

The Shanghai Quartet’s elegant style melds the delicacy of Eastern music with the emotional breadth of Western repertoire, allowing it to traverse musical genres including traditional Chinese folk music, masterpieces of Western music, and cutting-edge contemporary works.

The September 24 concert features string quartets by Mozart and Grieg, the atmospheric “Night Piece” by American composer Arthur Foote for flute and string quartet, and “Song of the Ch’in” by the Pulitzer Prize-winning Chinese-American composer Zhou Long.  Zhou is internationally recognized for creating a unique body of music that brings together the aesthetic concepts and musical elements of East and West with techniques which enable Western ensembles to effectively reproduce sounds unique to Chinese music.

“Song of the Ch’in,” is a powerfully evocative work, paying tribute to the ch’in, a traditional Chinese instrument that enjoys great prestige because of its age and its legendary association with sages and scholars – dating back to the time of Confucius.

Formed at the Shanghai Conservatory in 1983, the Quartet has worked with the world’s most distinguished artists and regularly tours the major music centers of Europe, North America and Asia. Recent festival performances range from the International Music Festivals of Seoul and Beijing to the Festival Pablo Casals in France, Beethoven Festival in Poland, Yerevan Festival in Armenia and Cartagena International Music Festival in Colombia, as well as numerous concerts in all regions of North America. The Quartet has appeared at Carnegie Hall in chamber performances and with orchestra; in 2006 they gave the premiere of Takuma Itoh’s Concerto for Quartet and Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. Among innumerable collaborations with noted artists, they have performed with the Tokyo, Juilliard and Guarneri Quartets, cellists Yo-Yo Ma and Lynn Harrell, pianists Menahem Pressler, Yuja Wang, Peter Serkin and Jean-Yves Thibaudet, pipa virtuosa Wu Man and the male vocal ensemble Chanticleer. The Shanghai Quartet has been regular performers at many of North America’s leading chamber music festivals, including the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, Chamberfest Ottawa and Maverick Concerts where they recently made their 24th consecutive annual appearance.

All 2016 Leaf Peeper Concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. Single tickets are $25, with premium tickets (reserved) priced at $35. Season tickets are $80 or premium $120. Students are admitted free of charge. Tickets are available at Leaf Peeper Concert Series or by calling 413-644-0007.