Purdue News

January 14, 2000 Young string quartet to perform at Purdue WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Pacifica Quartet, winner of most of classical music's major awards for string quartets including the 1998 Naumburg Award, will perform at 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 3, in Fowler Hall of Stewart Center on the Purdue University campus. The performance is part of Purdue Convocations' Discovery Concerts series, which features up-and-coming classical artists and ensembles and is made possible by the Friends of Convocations. The Pacifica Quartet is comprised of violinists Simin Ganatra and Isabel Trautwein, violist Kathryn Lockwood, and cellist Brandon Vamos. Founded in 1994 in Los Angeles, the quartet now resides in Chicago where it serves as Resident Quartet at the University of Chicago and the Music Institute of Chicago. In addition to concert series at both institutions and an active touring calendar, the quartet is involved in the Music Integration Project, an innovative educational outreach program that provides musical performances and teacher training in inner-city elementary schools. Last spring the quartet was selected for a two-week residency with NPR's "Performance Today" in Washington, D.C. The program for the Feb. 3 performance will include Beethoven's "Quartet in C minor, Op. 18, No. 4," Dvorak's "Quartet in G major, Op. 106," and the newly revived "String Quintet 1946" by Robert Kritz, featuring guest viola soloist Roland Vamos. Written soon after Kritz returned to the United States from World War II, "String Quintet 1946" makes the most of its instrumentation – string quartet with an added viola for a richer, fuller sound. Themes include exuberance of a war ended, sadness for the lost lives, and uncertainty about the future. These wide mood swings pervade the first three movements, leading to a prayer-like, rhapsodic air, based on his setting of an Old Testament prayer. Originally written to be chanted by Kritz's father, a cantor with a rich bass-baritone voice, the air is now sung plaintively by a solo viola, then joyously by the others. The Pacifica Quartet will give a "sneak preview" of the evening's concert at 4 p.m. Feb. 3 in Room 118 of the Purdue Memorial Union. The event, free and open to the public, is intended to give potential audience members a taste of what the concert will be like. All tickets to the 8 p.m. concert in Fowler Hall are $9 and are available at campus box offices. Charge by phone at (765) 494-3933 or (800) 914-SHOW. CONTACT: Sue Stevens, Convocations publicist, (765) 494-5045; snsteven@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page