Released: August 11, 2011
Lincoln, Neb. - The Chiara String Quartet will perform on Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 7:30 p.m. in Kimball Recital Hall, 11th and R streets on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's city campus, as part of the Hixson-Lied Concert Series presented by the UNL School of Music.
The Chiara String Quartet includes Rebecca Fischer and Julie Yoon, violins; Jonah Sirota, viola; and Gregory Beaver, cello. They have been in residence at UNL since 2005 and recently had their residency renewed through 2014.
For two years, the Quartet embarked on a journey to perform all of the string quartets written by Beethoven.
Their first concert of the 2011-2012 season spans more than 200 years and includes Ives' String Quarter No. 1; Brahms' String Quartet in A Minor, Op. 51, No. 2; as well as UNL Assistant Professor of Composition and Jazz Studies Eric Richards' String Quartet No. 1.
Ives' String Quartet No.1 (c. 1897-1900), written while he was a student at Yale, contains stylistic hallmarks he would become known for, quoting traditional United States hymns and containing the composer's first use of polymeter. Brahms' String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 51 (c. 1865) is one of his first string quartets and was dedicated to Theodor Billroth, a Viennese surgeon and amateur string player.
Richards is a regularly commissioned composer, and his works have been performed by ensembles including the U.S. Army Field Band and Jazz Ambassadors, the U.S. Marine Band, the National Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Pops Orchestra and Detroit Symphony Orchestra. The Washington Post hailed his String Quartet No. 1 (c. 1994) as, "A work of propulsive genius."
Fischer states, "We are thrilled to be continuing our relationship with the UNL community as Artists-in-Residence at the School of Music. We look forward to deepening ties with the students and faculty at UNL through performing, teaching and administering the chamber music program for strings, winds and piano."
Renowned for bringing fresh excitement to traditional string quartet repertoire as well as for creating thoroughly insightful interpretations of new music, the Chiara String Quartet captivates and enthralls its audiences throughout the country. Over its first decade, the Chiara has established itself as among America's most respected ensembles, lauded for its "highly virtuosic, edge-of-the-seat playing" (The Boston Globe).
The Chiara Quartet was formed in 2000 and has been Artists-in-Residence at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln since 2005. As part of its work at UNL, the Chiara organizes and teaches a chamber music performance class, performs for the public and for classes and lectures in the School of Music, and teaches a small number of instrumental students. The Chiara Quartet also serves as Blodgett Artists-in-Residence (a visiting residency) at Harvard University, where they repeat the programs heard in Lincoln.
In the summer, the Chiara is in residence at Greenwood Music Camp as well as the UNL School of Music's Chamber Music Institute. The Chiara trained and taught at The Juilliard School, mentoring for two years with the Juilliard Quartet, as recipients of the Lisa Arnhold Quartet Residency from 2003-2005.
Chiara (key-ARE-uh) is an Italian word, meaning clear, pure, or light. More information about the Chiara Quartet can be found online at www.chiaraquartet.net, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/chiarastringquartet.
Additional 2011-2012 Hixson-Lied Concert Series Dates (all in Kimball Recital Hall):
- November 29, 2011 at 7:30pm
- January 31, 2012 at 7:30pm
- March 7, 2012 at 7:30pm
Subscription: $40 general/$20 seniors/$10 students
Single tickets: $20 general/$10 seniors/$5 students
Available at the Lied Center for Performing Arts Ticket Office, (402) 472-4747 or (800) 432-3231 or at the door.