CONCERT UP CLOSE: Audiences get to sit beside the musicians of the Chiaroscuro String Quartet, on stage at Richardson Auditorium, at an “Up Close” concert March 26. (Photo by Eva Vermandel)

Led by violinist Alina Ibragimova, the Chiaroscuro String Quartet performs music of the Classical and early Romantic periods on gut stringed instruments with historical bows on Sunday, March 26 at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., in Richardson Auditorium.

Unlike most string quartets, they also perform standing up at his concert, which marks their Princeton University Concerts (PUC) debut. On the program are Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 11 in F Minor, Op. 95 “Serioso” and Mendelssohn’s String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 13.

The concert is part of PUC’s Performances Up Close series, which brings audiences onstage alongside the musicians. This season’s focus is on “leading ladies,” a new generation of female musicians who are leading the charge as classical music performance takes new directions. Every detail including seating configuration, a relaxed atmosphere, and audience interaction is curated to foster as direct an experience of the music as possible.

Prior to the both concerts, attendees are invited to connect over a shared love of music at Do-Re-Meet social events for music lovers. There will be two types of pre-concert social
experiences offered. At 1 p.m., a Do-Re-Meet: Speed Dating event for people seeking heterosexual romantic connection is paired with the 3 p.m. concert. At 4 p.m., there will be a Do-Re-Meet: Find Your Friends speed-friending event, paired with the 6 p.m. concert. Both events will be held at the historic Maclean House on Princeton’s campus, just steps from Richardson Auditorium, and will include facilitated social activities with catered hors d’oeuvres.

Tickets for the concert, from $10-$40 are limited for the concert, and patrons are encouraged to buy them soon at puc.princeton.edu or by calling (609) 258-9220. The 3 p.m. performance is sold out, but tickets as part of the Do-Re-Meet: Speed Dating package remain. Tickets for the 6 p.m. concert and the Do-Re-Meet: Find My Friends package also remain.