It seems to be the year of the string quartet here in Vancouver, with an unusual abundance of chamber ensembles emerging locally and an even larger number of international greats passing through.

In the latter category, we’d advise fans of the genre not to miss the Vertavo String Quartet’s upcoming performance of Béla Bartók’s String Quartet No. 6, a classic of early modernism. Making the foursome’s afternoon concert at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts on Sunday (November 9) even more enticing is that the string specialists will be joined by one of the world’s most astute pianists, Paul Lewis, in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Piano Concerto in A Major and Anton Dvorák’s Piano Quintet No. 2 in A Major, Op. 81.

Consider yourself warned: this is not to be missed!