Brattleboro – On Friday, September 25, at 7:30 pm at the Centre Congregational Church, the Genzinger String Quartet will perform a special concert honoring Brattleboro Music Center founder and southern Vermont musical pioneer Blanche Moyse on her 100th birthday. This is the first concert in the BMC’s 2009-10 Chamber Music Concert Series.

The Genzinger String Quartet was recently formed to focus on repertoire from the classical period, roughly 1750 to 1820. Quartet members Evan Johnson and Mark Rike, violins; Peggy Spencer, viola; and Loretta O’Sullivan, cello, use period instruments and play in a historically informed performance style. Their Brattleboro concert includes Haydn’s string quartets “Op. 55 No. 3 in B-flat Major,” and “Op. 76 No. 5 in D major,” and “Mozart’s String Quartet in E-flat Major, K.428.”

A birthday reception honoring Moyse will follow the concert in the Centre Congregational Church Parlor. The public is warmly invited to share in this special tribute to Moyse.

The Genzinger Quartet is a particularly apt choice to begin the Blanche Moyse Centennial Year. In 1952, Moyse founded the Brattleboro Music Center and, in 1969, the BMC’s New England Bach Festival – which went on to become one of the region’s premiere cultural events for over 30 years.

The Genzinger Quartet concert is the first concert in the Brattleboro Music Center’s 2009-10 Chamber Music Series which also includes: Sarasa Chamber Music Ensemble, January 23, 7:30 pm; New England Bach Festival Musicians Reunion, March 7, 3 pm; pianist Peter Serkin with violinist Madalyn Parnas and cellist Cicely Parnas, April 25, 4 pm; and the Schumann Trio, May 7, 7:30 pm.

The BMC offers a five-concert chamber series subscription ticket, which allows holders to attend five concerts for the price of four and guarantees their seat at each performance. Series subscription tickets are only available prior to the Genzinger Quartet concert on September 25.

Genzinger Quartet tickets ($30, $20, $10) and five-concert Chamber Series tickets ($120, $80, $40) are available by calling the Brattleboro Music Center at (802) 257-4523 or on-line at Brattleborotix.com. For additional information visit www.bmcvt.org.