BRUNSWICK — The Brentano String Quartet returns to the Bowdoin Music Festival for the first time since 2014. Since its inception in 1992, the Brentano String Quartet has appeared throughout the world.

Monday, July 16 — 7:30 p.m., Studzinski Recital Hall. The first half of their program spans the breadth of the string quartet genre, from Haydn Op. 20, to a late work from one of the most prolific quartet composers of the 20th century, Shostakovich. In the second half, the festival’s Artistic Director Phillip Ying joins to perform Mendelssohn’s mature string quintet. Tickets are $45.

Wednesday, July 18 — 7:30 p.m., Studzinski Recital Hall. Mozart receives Beethoven’s treatment in the variations that open the evening’s concert, inspired by Papageno’s charming aria from “The Magic Flute.” Those are followed by another set of variations in Derek Bermel’s “Turning.” Bermel returns for his ninth season as composer-in-residence at the festival. In the second half, Dvo?ák’s quintet composed in Spillville, Iowa, will play. Tickets are $45.

Friday, July 20 — 7:30 p.m., Studzinski Recital Hall. This show presents piano trios of two renowned pianist-composers. Rachmaninoff composed his first Trio élégiaque at 19. Though still a student in Moscow, this early work features the harmonies and flashes of pianistic virtuosity for which Rachmaninoff would become famous. Its conclusion is followed by the trio of Turkish-born virtuoso Fazil Say, written the year after Felix Baumgartner took his record-breaking skydive from the stratosphere. The concert finishes with Brahms’s magisterial first piano quartet, complete with its finale “alla zingarese.” Tickets are $45.

Festival faculty will also be presenting masterclasses alongside their students. Masterclasses give the audience a firsthand look into the teaching and learning process that goes into creating music. Honing technical craft, understanding the nuances of musical language and finding personal meaning in music are all part of a great masterclass.

Monday, July 16 — 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., Studzinski Rehearsal Room. The Brentano String Quartet will present a masterclass followed by violinist Paul Kantor’s masterclass at 2. Violinist Paul Kantor is currently the Sally Shepherd Perkins professor of violin at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, having previously served as the Eleanor H. Biggs distinguished professor of violin at the Cleveland Institute of Music.

Tuesday, July 17 — 10 a.m., Studzinski Rehearsal Room. Viginnia Wecktstrom will present a piano masterclass. Wife of quartet violinist Kantor, Weckstrom is artist teacher of collaborative piano and chamber music at the Shepherd School and artist in residence at the Glenn Gould School. She is also a member of the artist faculty at the Aspen Music Festival.

Tickets may be ordered at the box office at 181 Park Row in Brunswick, over the phone at 207-­373-­1400, online at bowdoinfestival.org or purchased at the door the night of the concert.

Paul Kantor of Brentano String Quartet

Brentano String Quartet