Guarneri Quartet to Launch Chamber Series at the Barclay

The Laguna Chamber Music Series will open its 40th season Oct. 18 with a concert by the famous Guarneri String Quartet.

Founded in 1964, the Guarneri is the longest continuing quartet in the world. The program will be announced later.

All concerts in the series will take place in the Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive. Start time is 8 p.m. except for the show in February 2000, which is at 3 p.m. They are co-sponsored by the Laguna Chamber Music Society and the Philharmonic Society of Orange County.

The 1999-2000 season:

* Oct. 18: Guarneri String Quartet: program to be announced.

* Nov. 22: Los Angeles Piano Quartet: Mozart’s Piano Quartet in E-flat, K. 493; Dvorak’s Piano Quartet in D, Opus 23; Brahms’ Piano Quartet in G minor, Opus 25.

* Jan. 11: Takacs Quartet: Haydn’s Quartet in D, Opus 20, No. 4; Bright Sheng’s String Quartet No. 3; Dvorak’s Quartet No. 10, Opus 51.

* Feb. 6: Bachmann-Klibonoff-Fridman Trio: Haydn’s Piano Trio in G (“Gypsy Rondo”); Turina’s Piano Trio No. 2; Schoenfield’s “Cafe Music”; Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio No. 2.

* March 21: Sante Fe Chamber Music Festival on tour: Miami String Quartet with guests, violinist Daniel Phillips and pianist Max Levinson: Haydn piano trio to be announced; Clara Schumann’s Three Romances for Violin and piano, Opus 22; West Coast premiere of a quartet by Augusta Read Thomas commissioned by the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival; Mendelssohn’s Viola Quintet No. 2, Opus 87.

* May 2: Hagan Quartet: Ravel’s Quartet in F; Webern’s Five Pieces for String Quartet, Opus 5 and Six Bagatelles for String Quartet, Opus 9; Schubert’s Quartet in G, Opus 161.

Subscriptions, on sale now, range from $89 to $155. Tickets for individual concerts, at prices to be announced, will go on sale in August. Information: (949) 249-2404.