FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Rachel Epley, (312) 427-626, Ext. 110 repley@sherwoodmusic.org
On Saturday, February 2 the Sherwood Conservatory of Music at Columbia College Chicago will present a special program of conversation and music by the acclaimed young Pacifica Quartet as part of the Chicago-wide Pacifica Quartet Beethoven Festival. The concert will take place at Sherwood’s Main School, 1312 S. Michigan Ave. This event is free and open to the public.
This program will combine conversation and music performance in a format referred to as an "informance.” The musicians will talk about what drew them to music, how they formed their "band,” their lives in a touring group, and the way they prepare for performance. During the program they will also play five separate movements from string quartets in their repertoire, three from the Beethoven quartets they are performing in the Chicago-area this season and, for contrast, two very different examples of music by more recent composers. After the program, there will be time for questions from the audience and informal conversation with the Quartet. The event will begin at 1:00 p.m. and will end at approximately 3:00 p.m.
As part of the 2007-2008 Pacifica Quartet Beethoven Festival, the ensemble will perform Beethoven’s monumental cycle of 16 string quartets. The festival marks the first Beethoven cycle to be offered in multiple venues around the city, promising to be a highlight of Chicago’s 2007-08 concert season.
Formed in 1994, the Pacifica Quartet—Simin Ganatra, violin; Sibbi Bernhardsson, violin; Masumi Per Rostad, viola; and Brandon Vamos, cello—began its professional career in the Chicago-area and quickly won many of classical music's top prizes and competitions. The Quartet's concert performances have been received enthusiastically by critics and audiences alike. The Chicago Tribune has praised its "astonishing talent, energy, and dedication," while the New York Times has described them as "brilliant" and "magnificently polished."
Recognized for its virtuosity and exuberant performance style, the Pacifica Quartet tours extensively throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. The London Daily Telegraph praised the Quartet's "spellbinding blend of subtlety and style."
The Pacifica Quartet members are on the faculty of the University of Illinois, Champaign/Urbana, and they are also resident performing artists at the University of Chicago.
For further information about upcoming concerts and public master classes presented by the Pacifica Quartet Beethoven Festival in Chicago, visit www.pacificabeethoven.com or call (847) 242-0775. For more information about this performance, visit www.sherwoodmusic.org or call Sherwood Conservatory of Music at 312-427-6267, ext. 110
Sherwood Conservatory of Music, founded in 1895, is a non-profit community music school offering individual lessons on 15 instruments and voice, as well as group classes for early childhood, children, teens, adults and seniors. The main school at 1312 S. Michigan serves about 1,000 families from all over Chicago, and about 900 additional students are served through off-site programs and Sherwood’s satellite location at the South Shore Cultural Center. Sherwood has an outstanding faculty of more than 60 professional musicians with exceptional teaching reputations. Financial aid and scholarships are available. In addition, more than 150 free public concerts and events are offered annually.
Building on this impressive legacy, Sherwood Conservatory continuously strives to provide the highest quality music instruction in a friendly community atmosphere.