Amherst Chamber Ensembles

Have you ever wanted to know more about our ACE musicians? Starting this week, we will be featuring a musician with a series of interview questions. Leslie Bahler is our section violist.

1. Where did you grow up?
I was born in Annapolis MD and grew up outside of Philadelphia PA.

2. How did you choose your instrument? Who helped you?
My mother, a community cellist, put me on the viola in fourth grade. She thought viola would be a good social way to make friends.

3. Who is your favorite composer?
Always Brahms

4. What do you do (or did) for a living?
I have been a professional musician my entire adult life.
I was a member of the Richmond Symphony, Wheeling WV Symphony. Florida Philharmonic, Palm Beach Symphony, Ars Nova and played as an extra with the Buffalo Philharmonic for several years.

5. What do you enjoy about playing in ACE?
I enjoy my friends in ACE, the music we get to play, our conductor and that where we play is only five miles from home.

The Polish Arts Club of Buffalo and the Aleksander and Walentyna Janta-Polczynski Endowment cordially invite you to a special All Polish Composers Concert on Sunday August 23 at 2.30pm, performed by Amherst Chamber Ensembles.

We are very honored and excited to be playing at this concert. Music program forthcoming!

We would like to thank our wonderful audience for supporting Amherst Chamber Ensembles. The 2025-26 season is now over. Here are some highlights of the year. We hope you have enjoyed listening to us as much as we have enjoyed making music for you. Our 2026-27 season promises to be programmed with surprises. Stay tuned.

Our last concert for the official 2025-26 season is this Sunday June 7 at 3pm. Summertime must be waltz time! On the program is the Gypsy Baron overture by Johann Strauss Jr. which is mostly a stylized waltz; a waltz by Waldteufel, and a waltz movement in the String Serenade by Karlowicz. We look forward to seeing you all there and sending you off for the summer!

We have a concert on Sunday August 23 at 2.30pm at St. Stanislaus Church, 123 Townsend Street. This is being sponsored by the Polish Arts Society and ACE will be playing pieces by Polish composers. More information to follow!

Interested in working on your chamber music skills, or simply just making new friends? ACE will be holding our 16th bi-annual chamber music workshop on the weekend of August 7 - 9, 2026. Coaching will be by members of the BPO or equivalent. Meals and snacks are provided. This workshop is in part funded by the Associated Chamber Music Players. The venue this year will be at the Community Music School at 217 E. Delevan Buffalo NY.

For more details, contact Martha Welte at martha.welte(AT)gmail.com.

Our final concert for the 2025-26 season is on Sunday, June 7, 2026 at 3pm. We hope you are able to join us.!

It will be lighter than some of our other concerts. In addition we will be playing two Polish pieces, Karlowicz's Serenade and Moniuszko's Concert Polonaise. These will reappear on the all Polish August 23 concert at St. Stanislaus Church. The Polish Arts Society is sponsoring that concert. Stay posted for more details on the summer concert.