End is near for chamber group

A neurological disorder affecting the left hand of Musica Antiqua Koln violinist Reinhard Goebel will force the 33-year-old Baroque chamber music group to disband at the end of the year.

Goebel was struck in 1990 with a form of focal dystonia, a disorder that caused partial paralysis of his left hand. (The same condition disabled the right hands of pianists Leon Fleisher and Gary Graffman.) Goebel relearned his violin technique by holding and fingering the instrument with his right hand while bowing with his left. He played that way until 2001, while continuing to direct the ensemble, but now the group says the disorder is forcing him to give up the instrument entirely. He plans to concentrate on conducting.

Musica Antiqua Koln will play all its scheduled dates through the end of the year, including Nov. 4 in La Jolla, Nov. 5 in Santa Barbara and Nov. 7 at Walt Disney Concert Hall. The group’s final performance will take place Nov. 8 in Berkeley.

Chris Pasles