Check out our feature on WQXR.org, A Musical Movable Feast.

A few etiquette basics

A Tertulia concert is a new type of classical concert which blends the casual with the classical in a chamber music series tailored to young audiences committed to concert-going and revelry. Here, we remove the sacred wall of formality between performer and listener and instead invite lively musical and social interplay between them. With our fresh approach, we offer a social, casual and inexpensive alternative to a traditional classical concert.

Tertulia preserves the atmosphere New Yorkers already love: food, drink, and conversation in boutique-style venues like a wine bar, cafe, restaurant, or gallery. Our events run two to three hours, with live performance on and off throughout. The program is traditional chamber music repertoire with a unique presentation. We embrace a vibrant, casual setting while preserving some concert etiquette basics.

In elite culture’s reverence for the master composers, in our distance from the great performers, it is easy to forget why these works were written; to be played and to be heard. It is Tertulia’s mission to bring performance opportunities to emerging, professional musicians, and a more relaxed, festive experience to concert-goers. Lastly, we hope that Tertulia will remind listeners that chamber music was once the pop music of its day, oftentimes a scandal for supposedly inciting passionate urges in its followers!