The Sunrise Quartet presents Beethoven July 23

In its opening program of the summer, Concerts at the Beach will present The Sunrise Quartet performing three string quartets written by Beethoven in his youth, middle age and later years. The concert will be held at 8 p.m., Saturday, July 23, in St. Martha’s Episcopal Church in downtown Bethany Beach at Pennsylvania and Maplewood avenues

The first work, “Opus 18, No. 2,” was the second string quartet Beethoven wrote. Described as witty and light, it was the product of this youth. He wrote “Opus 59 No. 3” in mid-career around the time he was composing his famous Eroica Symphony in 1805. The piece is a romantic work ending in a resounding and exciting finale. While composing what is considered to be his greatest symphony, the “9th Symphony,” Beethoven wrote “Opus 127.” The quartet was written after he became totally deaf, three years before his death.

The Sunrise Quartet, founded in 1991 and based in Washington, D.C., includes Osman Kivrak, violist and composer; Teri Lazar, violinist; Claudia Chadacoff, violinist; and cellist Diana Fish. These outstanding musicians separately pursue distinguished careers, performing throughout the United States and overseas.

Concerts at the Beach was established 17 years ago by The Sunrise Quartet, which serves as the ensemble in residence. The musicians also perform as the National Gallery String Quartet in Washington and have done so since their debut there in 1995. In addition to the standard repertoire, the group presents rarely heard masterpieces of chamber music.

The Sunrise Quartet is active in the Washington area, giving concerts at the Kennedy Center, the National Building Museum, the Corcoran Museum and the Phillips Collection and completing a Chamber Music America residency at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. The quartet has recorded for Living Music, Arizona University Recordings, Amcam and AmeriMusic labels. It was featured in a one-hour TV program titled “A Musical Bridge to China” produced by West Virginia Public Television and Chinese National Television. Performances by the group have been broadcast by National Public Radio on Performance Today and Front Row Washington.

In April the quartet performed three concerts at the International Sacred Music Festival in Quito, Ecuador.

Concert tickets are $18 and $5 for students, and include a meet-the-artist reception following the concert. Reservations are available by calling 302-539-2963.