Blair School of Music Presents Argus Quartet Jason Issokson and Clara Kim, violins Dana Kelley, viola Joann Whang, cello Wednesday, September 19, 2018 Steve and Judy Turner Recital Hall
Argus Quartet Jason Issokson and Clara Kim, violins Dana Kelley, viola Joann Whang, cello Wednesday, September 19, 2018 Steve and Judy Turner Recital Hall For David Lang Ted Hearne (b. 1982) String Quartet Op. 33 No. 1 Joseph Haydn Allegro Moderato (1732 1809) Scherzo: Allegro di Molto Andante Presto Visions and Miracles Chris Theofanidis All joy wills eternity (b. 1967) Peace Love Light YOUMEONE I add brilliance to the sun Intermission Respiri Juri Seo (b. 1981) String Quartet No. 2, Initmate Letters Leos Janacek Andante Con moto Allegro (1854 1928) Adagio Vivace Moderato Andante Adagio Allegro Andante Adagio
Praised for playing with supreme melodic control and total authority and decided dramatic impact (Calgary Herald), the Argus Quartet has quickly emerged as one of today s most dynamic and versatile young ensembles, winning first prize at both the 2017 Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition and the 2017 M-Prize Chamber Arts Competition. Recent and upcoming performances internationally include appearances at Carnegie Hall s Weill Recital Hall and Zankel Hall, Roulette, the Albany Symphony s American Music Festival, Bang on a Can at the Noguchi Museum, the Hear Now Music Festival, Providence College, University of Michigan, James Madison University s Contemporary Music Festival, Princeton University, the Shalin Liu Performance Center at Rockport Music, and the Muziekgebouw aan t IJ in Amsterdam. Argus is dedicated to reinvigorating the audience-performer relationship through innovative concerts and diverse programming. The Quartet s core mission is to connect with and build up a community of engaged listeners, with the strong belief that today s ensembles can honor the storied chamber music traditions of our past while forging a new path forward. In that spirit, the ensemble s repertoire includes not just master works of the chamber music canon, but also a wide range of pieces by living composers. In the Fall of 2017, the Argus Quartet began a two-year appointment as the Graduate Quartet in Residence at the Juilliard School, where they are working closely with the Juilliard String Quartet. In addition, Juilliard presented Argus Lincoln Center recital debut at Alice Tully Hall in May 2018. From 2015-17 the Quartet served as the Fellowship Quartet in Residence at the Yale School of Music (as the first ensemble mentored by the Brentano String Quartet in that capacity), and during the 2016-17 season, they served as the Ernst Stiefel Quartet in Residence at the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts. As passionate advocates for the music of our time, Argus served as the Quartet in Residence at New Music on the Point under the guidance of the JACK Quartet, and was also selected as one of three ensembles to perform works from Kronos Quartet s Fifty for the Future commissioning project at Carnegie Hall. Recent commissions include new quartets by Donald Crockett, composer and
GRAMMY nominee Eric Guinivan, the 2014 Hermitage Prize winner Thomas Kotcheff, and Guggenheim Fellowship recipient Juri Seo. The Quartet has received grants from Chamber Music America and the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts in support of their commissioning efforts, and have also performed works by some of today s most important composers: Augusta Read Thomas, Garth Knox, Jason Eckardt, Christopher Theofanidis, Martin Bresnick, Andrew Norman and many others. The Argus Quartet has performed at a number of leading music festivals, including the Ravinia Steans Music Institute, Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, Birdfoot Festival, Cello Biënnale Amsterdam, and Music Academy of the West, and has played alongside many of today s leading chamber musicians, including the Brentano Quartet and David Shifrin. Education and outreach are an important part of the Argus Quartet s mission. The quartet has worked with students through residencies and masterclasses at the Yale University, James Madison University, Rockport Music, the Milken School, the Young Musicians Foundation, California State University Long Beach, Los Angeles City College and Princeton University.
Brian Utley, saxophone, and Melissa Rose, piano with John S. Moore, saxophone and featuring Leonard Mark Lewis, composer Thursday, September 20 Steve & Judy Turner Recital Hall Utley and Rose present a set of works by Winthrop University composition professor Leonard Mark Lewis, including two works premiered in February and subsequently presented at the North American Saxophone Alliance Biennial Conference in March. Also on the program is Sonata: Folie a deux by William Price, featuring guest saxophonist Moore. Precollege Festival of Music Sunday, September 23 1:00-5:00 p.m. Blair celebrates the gift of music for all in a festive afternoon of performances, activities, stories and fun. Performers include Fiddle Frenzy, Blair Children s Chorus, MJB high school honor scholars, and Suzuki violin and cello groups. Enjoy musical story time in the library, Kindermusik Playdates, backstage tours of Ingram Hall, an open rehearsal of the Philharmonia Orchestra, and more musical family fun! Presented with gratitude to Barbara and Justin Wilson for their generous support of the Blair School