OUR REPERTOIRE

Music chosen with curiosity, friendship and care

What do four friends do with a flute, violin, viola and cello?

For Cara, the answer is: almost anything we can imagine.

Our repertoire begins with the sublime — the four Mozart quartets written for this unusual combination; the towering Bach, Debussy, Hindemith and other classical works we love. But our curiosity has always taken us further.

We seek out music for our ensemble, create our own arrangements, and collaborate with composers who write new music for the four of us. We also champion music by women composers.

We especially love being part of a new work from its earliest seeds — trying things, asking questions, listening closely, and discovering together what the music can become.

Every concert starts with an idea

We don’t simply choose pieces and put them on a program. Each concert begins with a spark — and then we set out to shape it into a thematically woven performance.

Rebels and Renegades. Women Composers. A wonderfully spooky Halloween program. French music for Bastille Day. Music inspired by a moment in history.

Sometimes the idea leads us back to an old, treasured piece we love. Other times it sends us down a rabbit hole towards something unexpected — a new composer, a new arrangement, or an entirely new work.

That spirit of curiosity and discovery lies at the heart of Cara.