Thomasville Entertainment Foundation kicks off its 85th performance season Thursday, October 20, with “An Evening in Paris,” an program of French classical music.

Two powerhouse soloists – Canadian violinist Lara St. John and pianist/composer Matt Herskowitz – will be joined by the dynamic Ulysses Quartet, resident string quartet at The Juilliard School from 2019 to 2022.

Tickets are still available for the concert, which features 19th and 20th century Romantic and Impressionist chamber music works by Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel and Amédée-Ernest Chausson, in the intimate auditorium at the Thomasville Center for the Arts.

“This concert promises to be an evening of glorious French music, showcasing the incredible musicianship of these acclaimed artists in several configurations,” said TEF Executive & Artistic Director Rick Ivey. 

“The program opens with St. John and Herskowitz performing Debussy’s Sonata for Violin and Piano, followed by the Ulysses Quartet with Ravel’s String Quartet in F major. For the final work, all six artists combine for Chausson’s Concert in D major for Violin, Piano and String Quartet,” he explained.

Concert time is 7:30 p.m., with doors opening at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $38 for adults, $15 for students, and all seats are reserved. Additionally, TEF makes a number of free Tickets for Teens available to local students for each concert, funded in part by a grant from the Thomasville Antiques Show Foundation and a generous anonymous gift to TEF’s Education Fund.

Because a key component of Thomasville Entertainment Foundation’s mission is “cultivating the future of the performing arts through educational programs and events,” TEF is working to arrange educational interactions between the musicians of the Ulysses Quartet and local strings students within the Thomasville City and Thomas County school systems next week.

For more information on Thursday’s concert or to order tickets, call the TEF office at 229-226-7404 or visit www.TEFconcerts.com.

Founded in 1937, TEF is a volunteer-powered, non-profit organization celebrating 85 years of entertaining the community.  In addition to its annual season of performances by acclaimed artists, TEF offers a dedicated family series of presentations geared to families and younger children; provides educational outreach programs for students; and awards performing arts scholarships and grants to promising young artists.