An Afternoon of Mozart and Beethoven
Sunday October 18, 2026
1114 Via Malibu, Aptos
Concert at 2:00 pm
Enjoy an afternoon at an Aptos beach home Concert at 2:00pm followed by reception to meet the artists
Featuring Balourdet String Quartet, with John Orlando, guest pianist
Program:
Mozart Piano Concerto K.488 in A Major
Beethoven String Quartet No 15, Op. 132
The Balourdet String Quartet was formed in 2018 at the Taos School of Music, where its members bonded around Chef Antoine Balourdet’s table, inspired by his joie de vivre. They later named the ensemble in tribute to him, honoring the generosity and spirit of friendship he brought to their early days.
Acclaimed for its vibrant energy and emotional depth, the Balourdet Quartet creates “a world where memory and transformation coexist” (Seen and Heard International). Described as “an ensemble unafraid to show its personality” (The Strad), the Quartet was awarded the 2024 Avery Fisher Career Grant as well as Chamber Music America’s 2024 Cleveland Quartet Award. In 2026 the Balourdet Quartet was named the inaugural fellow of the Resonance String Quartet Fellowship.
Collaboration lies at the heart of the Quartet’s work, and its members regularly lead workshops on teamwork and leadership for entrepreneurs, and work with conservatory students and amateur musicians nationwide in activities ranging from masterclasses to interdisciplinary programs where music intersects with topics ranging from art history to business and the sciences. For more information on the Quartet, visit https://www.balourdetquartet.com/.
Dr. John Orlando, Founder and Director of the Distinguished Artists Concert & Lecture Series, is an acclaimed concert pianist, educator, and arts director based in the Santa Cruz area. He earned a Doctor of Musical Arts summa cum laude from the University of California, taught as the head of the piano department at Cabrillo College for over three decades and also held teaching positions at USC and Santa Clara universities.
Among his performances are the Cabrillo Festival, the Institute for the Development of Intercultural Relations for the Arts, the Distinguished Artists Concert Series, and performances with Espressivo Chamber Orchestra, San Francisco Sinfonietta, Cadenza Chamber Orchestra, Todi Music Masters Festival Orchestra in Todi, Italy, and Santa Cruz and Fresno County Symphonies. He was one of the first recipients of the Gail Rich Award in Santa Cruz County and was chosen Best College Teacher and Performer in Santa Cruz County by the Good Times Weekly local newspaper.
Minimum donation: $125 per person All proceeds are in benefit to the Distinguished Artists Foundation, a Santa Cruz County 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that sponsors the Distinguished Artists Concert & Lecture Series. Since 1985, the Foundation has brought world-class performers and speakers to the area for public enjoyment and educational outreach.
PARKING: Please park on the street outside the gate at Via Malibu and Via Verde. If you need to park closer please call Lorie at 650-799-5305. We thank Music Exchange, Union City, and Seascape Foods for their support of this program.