Last week, Department of Music faculty member Er-Gene Kahng debuted the Arkansas Beethoven Performance Series. The eight-concert series is the product of Kahng, her faculty colleagues, and a select number of music alumni. The performances center on Beethoven's early string quartets and his complete violin sonatas.

The first part of the series focuses on the string quartets written between 1798-1800. While Beethoven is widely known for his later works, his early writing is spectacular while often overlooked. Opus 18 includes six quartets for two violins, viola, and cello. Kahng will be joined by UAMusic faculty Paulo Eskitch and Dominic K Na along with guest artist EunSeo Park. Also featured in the quartets will be three music alumni from the string program: Miranda Baker, Rachel Phillippe, and Andrew Chu.

The latter part of the series will feature the complete violin sonatas written between 1798 and 1812. Kahng will share the stage with UAMusic piano faculty member Miroslava Panayotova. The two will perform the complete set of violin sonatas which range in style and effect. The most important element of these sonatas is the equal treatment Beethoven gives to both instruments. Kahng and Panayotova will truly be collaborative performers in this impressive series. 

While the series started last week, the remaining seven performances are still open and free to the public. All performances will take place in the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall in the Fine Arts Center on the UA campus: 

• Sept. 13, 7:30 p.m. | String Quartets, Op. 18, No. 3 and No. 4
• Sept. 20, 7:30 p.m. | String Quartets, Op. 18, No. 5 and No. 6
• Oct. 10, 7:30 p.m. | Violin Sonatas No. 2 and No. 4
• Oct. 23, 7:30 p.m. | Violin Sonatas No. 3 and No. 5
• Oct. 26, 7:30 p.m. | Violin Sonatats No. 1 and No 7
• Nov. 5, 3 p.m. | Violin Sonatas No. 8 and No. 10
• Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m. | Violin Sonatas No. 6 and No. 9