Belin Quartet Summer Concert Series

Salisbury House and Gardens - Rain Location: Temple for Performing Arts Grand Hall

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We’re presenting free outdoor concerts all summer long.

Join us Tuesday evenings at 5:30 PM on the lawn at Salisbury House and Gardens for free performances by the Belin Quartet. Chairs and bottled water will be provided. You are welcome to bring your own lawn chairs, beverages, and snacks.

Back by popular demand!

Pre-order your VIP Picnic Box, catered by Tangerine! Each box is $20 and includes simple cheese and charcuterie, a cocktail sandwich and a little sweet. Boxes must be ordered by noon on the Friday prior to the concert.

Order Now!

For more than 20 years, Belin Quartet concerts have been presented to our community at no charge through the generosity of the Belin Family.

2024 Concert Season

Belin Quartet Summer Schedule

Program Notes

Tuesday, May 14, Saint Augustin's Catholic Church

Brahms: Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34

Tuesday, May 21

Playel: String Quartet in E flat Major, Op.2, No. 4
Bridge: Novelletten for String Quartet, H. 44

Tuesday, May 28

Beethoven: Serenade in D Major, Op. 8

Tuesday, June 4

Borodin: String Quartet No. 1 in A Major

Tuesday, June 11

Glazunov: String Quartet No. 3 in G Major, Op. 26

Tuesday, June 18

Dvořák: "Terzetto" Op. 74
Dvořák: "Miniatures" Op. 75

Tuesday, June 25

Bruch: String Quintet in E flat Major

Tuesday, July 2

Schubert: "Rosamunde" No. 13, in A minor

Tuesday, July 9, Caspe Terrace

Mendelssohn: Op. 12 in E flat Major

Saturday, July 13

80/35 Festival

Meet the Musicians

About the Belin Quartet

The Belin Quartet has been harmonizing with the Des Moines community for more than 20 years. With instrumental support from the Civic Music Association since its founding, the Belin Quartet honors the enduring legacy of David Belin (1928-1999) and Connie Belin (1930-1980).

More about the Quartet
Tracy Engman Finkelshteyn

Tracy Engman Finkelshteyn

Violin

Violinist Tracy Engman Finkelshteyn joined the Belin Quartet in 2005. A Des Moines native, she earned Bachelor of Music Education and Doctor of Music degrees from Northwestern University and a Master of Music Degree from the Yale School of Music.

Tracy was a member of the first violin sections of the Winnipeg Symphony and Manitoba Chamber Orchestra and has served on the faculty of several Universities including Northwestern, St. Olaf College, Carleton College and North Carolina State University.

John Helmich

John Helmich

Violin

Violinist John Helmich has been a member of the Belin Quartet since 2004. John received his Bachelor of Music degree in Violin Performance and his Master of Music degree in Violin Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music. While there, he was awarded the Howard Hanson Scholarship and graduated with High Distinction.
Julie Fox Henson

Julie Fox Henson

Violin

Violinist Julie Fox Henson has been a member of the Belin Quartet since 2001 and is the Assistant Concertmaster of the Des Moines Symphony. She performs regularly as a soloist and chamber musician throughout the area. Julie enjoys a successful teaching studio in the Ames/Des Moines area and was voted the 2010 Leopold LaFosse Studio Teacher of the Year by the Iowa String Teachers Association.

Rebecca Vieker

Viola

Rebecca Vieker is a performer and teacher in Des Moines, Iowa. Born in Detroit, Rebecca began violin lessons at the age of 4 and began taking viola lessons during high school. She completed a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, studying under Jonah Sirota of the Chiara Quartet. She went on to earn a Master’s degree and a Performance Diploma from Boston University, under the tutelage of Michelle LaCourse.

Since she finished her undergraduate degree in 2014, Rebecca has been teaching private violin, viola, and piano lessons. During her time in Nebraska, she was a full-time instructor at Nissa’s String Studio, a premier string studio in Lincoln, while also coaching chamber music for the Omaha Area Youth Orchestra. In Boston, she taught with the Worcester Music Academy, the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra Intensive Community Program,City Strings Studio, and Noteworthy Experiences. Rebecca has had students perform in All-State and District Orchestras as well as various youth symphonies around the country. During her time in Hartford, Rebecca studied under Terri Einfeldt to become a registered Suzuki teacher.

Rebecca has performed around the country with various symphonies and chamber ensembles. She’s played with such groups as the Des Moines Symphony, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, the Lincoln Symphony, and the Sioux City Symphony and shared the stage with artists such as Joshua Bell and Ben Folds. During her time in Nebraska, she was a member of the Rangbrook Ensemble and Co-founded the Star City Strings Ensemble. While at Boston University, she served as the orchestra manager and rotating principal in the BU Symphony Orchestra. When she’s not teaching or performing, Rebecca enjoys playing and coaching volleyball, hiking, and spending time with her dog, Rey Feta Skywalker, and her husband, Chris.

George Work

George Work

Cello

Cellist George Work has been a member of the Belin Quartet since 2008. A professor of cello at Iowa State University and member of the Des Moines Symphony, George holds his bachelor’s and master’s degrees of music and a performer’s certificate from the Eastman School of Music, where he also served as teaching assistant to Robert Sylvester.

Directions and Parking

Salisbury House and Gardens

Salisbury House was built in the 1920s by cosmetics magnate Carl Weeks and his wife Edith. Called a “national treasure,” the home was modeled after the King’s House in Salisbury, England.

Venue map with parking and accessibility details

Directions

Salisbury House is located at 4025 Tonawanda Drive, Des Moines, IA 50312. Please take 42nd St. Tonawanda is closed at Salisbury.

Parking

You can park in the main parking lot of Salisbury House lot off of Tonawanda Drive. Overflow parking is available on the south side of Tonawanda Drive. You may also park on 42nd St. Look for parking attendants on the street to guide you.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do the concerts last?

Belin Quartet concerts are approximately 1 hour, starting at 5:30pm.

Is the event ADA-accessible?

Yes. Handicap parking is available on the North side of the house in the designated accessible parking area. Volunteers will assist with directions to the handicap parking. Accessible portable toilets will be available on site.

Are public restrooms provided?

Yes. Portable restrooms and hand washing stations will be available.

Are chairs provided?

Yes. Guests may also bring their own chairs and blankets to sit on the lawn.

Are refreshments or food provided?

Bottled water will be provided. You may bring your own food, wine, and beer. Please take all empty beverage and food containers with you when you leave.

Can I bring my children?

Yes! CMA encourages young audiences, and coming and going throughout the concert is admissible. There will be space on the lawn for families if they do not wish to sit in the provided seating in front of the stage.

Can I learn what the musicians will perform?

Yes. Information about each week’s program can be found here.

What is the rain location? When do you make announcements?

If the forecast calls for rain, CMA will issue an announcement via email and on the CMA website by 10am on concert day. Performances will move indoors at the Grand Hall at the Temple for Performing Arts downtown (1011 Locust Street, Des Moines, IA, 50309).

Are umbrellas allowed?

No. Salisbury House and Gardens does not permit umbrellas on the grounds.

Are pets allowed?

No. You may bring your service animal, but please leave your pets at home. The Salisbury House & Gardens does not allow pets on the grounds. Service animals are permitted in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Service animals are defined by the ADA as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Pets whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.