- When: October 3, 2026 at 7:30 pm
- Where: Notre École de Musique - 5036 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago
- Who: Avalon String Quartet
Ménilmontant (1926 movie)
Directed by Dimitri Kirsanoff
Original score by Blaise Magnière
Performed by the Avalon String Quartet
The year 2026 marks the centenary of one of the masterpieces of the silent movie era, Ménilmontant. While it draws on multiple styles, the movie possesses many of the qualities of French impressionism, and its haunting poetry feels timeless. The Russian-French director Dimitri Kirsanoff employed revolutionary editing techniques and relied entirely on visual storytelling, with no intertitles to interrupt the flow of the narrative. Kirsanoff began his career as a cellist in a movie theater, and there is indeed something very musical about Ménilmontant, both in its flow and surface rhythm. In writing the score I sought to highlight the sensitivity and poetry of the material while reinforcing the larger structural arc. I also chose to combine musical material from that period with more modern styles, in the hope that this extraordinary film will continue to enthrall audiences for generations to come.
-Blaise Magnière
Avalon String Quartet
Described by the Chicago Tribune as “an ensemble that invites you — ears, mind, and spirit — into its music,” the Avalon String Quartet has established itself as one of America’s leading chamber music ensembles. The Avalon has performed in major venues such as Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, and the 92nd St Y in New York; the Library of Congress and National Gallery of Art in Washington DC; Wigmore Hall in London; and Herculessaal in Munich.
In 2025 the quartet recorded string quartets by Florence Price and Leo Sowerby for Naxos. They have recordings on labels such as Cedille Records, Bridge Records, Naxos, Channel Classics, and Albany. The quartet’s live performances and conversations have been heard on National Public Radio’s Performance Today, Canada’s CBC, Australia’s ABC, the ARD of Germany, and France Musique.
The Avalon captured the top prize at the ARD Competition in Munich (2000) and First Prize at the Concert Artists Guild Competition in New York City (1999). It is the resident quartet at the Northern Illinois University School of Music.
Admission: $20
Payable by Zelle to contact@nedmchicago.com
or at the door.