The Four Winds

Although long distance commonly separates Christopher Elchico, Shane Rathburn, Steven Lawhon, and Justin Polyblank, the Barkada Sax Quartet seeks to remind its listeners that chamber music is known historically as “the music of friends.” Formed in 2011 at the Indiana University Bloomington Jacobs School of Music, the quartet runs on deep personal bonds and virtuosic, carefree public performances plus thoughtful artist-composer collaborations and meaningful educational outreach. That will be apparent at their UMass show this week, where they appear with concert pianist and University of Southern Maine professor Anastasia Antonacos as well as composer David Martynuik, playing David Martynuik’s Quintet #2 for Saxophone Quartet & Piano.

Barkada Quartet: Thursday, Dec. 1 at 7:30 p.m. Free. Preceded by a master class from 1:10-2:15 p.m. Bezanson Recital Hall, Fine Arts Center, UMass Amherst. (413) 577-2154, fineartscenter.com.

— Hunter Styles