Ives Quartet To Premier Quintet By Sir Peter Maxwell Davies Featuring Clarinetist Dimitri Ashkenazy
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 31, 2005
Contact: Natalie Haworth-Liu, Administrative Director
www.ivescollective.org
Apr. 29, Fri. (Old First Church, San Francisco), 8pm.
Apr. 30, Sat.(St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Palo Alto), 8pm
May 1, Sun.(Le Petit Trianon Theatre, San Jose), 7pm
Palo Alto, CA – The Ives Quartet’s Spring Concert Series will feature Swiss clarinetist Dimitri Ashkenazy, with the American Premiere of Hymn to Artemis Locheia by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies. Other works include String Quartet, Op. 13 by Mendelssohn, and String Quartet, Op 135 by Beethoven.
Hymn to Artemis Locheia was commissioned by London’s leading fertility specialist, Professor Ian Craft, in memory of his father. Named after an ancient Greek incarnation of a fertility goddess, Artemis Locheia, this work was inspired by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies’ experience visiting a fertility clinic. Sir Peter Maxwell Davies is universally acknowledged as one of the foremost composers of contemporary music. He has recently finished ten years as Composer/Conductor of both the BBC Philharmonic and Royal Philharmonic Orchestras, and is Composer Laureate with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Sir Peter Maxwell Davies was appointed Master of the Queen’s Music in March 2004.
Dimitri Ashkenazy reunites with the Ives Quartet in these performances. Their previous collaboration in Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet, Op.115culminated in a soon to be released DVD recording of the same work. Mr. Ashkenazy began his international career with performances in Rome, Bologna, Milan, Lisbon and Palermo as well as his London debut at the Wigmore Hall. He has performed at prestigious venues including the Hollywood Bowl, the Royal Festival in London, the Sydney Opera; with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, the Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra, the Zurich Chamber Orchestra, St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Prague Chamber Orchestra.
The Ives Quartet combines the talent and experience of the international, solo, orchestral, chamber music and recording careers of its members – Robin Sharp, Susan Freier, Scott Woolweaver and Stephen Harrison. Each player is an acclaimed performer on his/her instrument, earning distinction with other renowned chamber music ensembles including the Stanford Quartet, the Chester Quartet, the Boston Composers’ String Quartet, the New England Piano Quartette, the San Francisco Symphony, and the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players.
The Ives Quartet presents a full season of fall, winter, and spring concert series in San Francisco, Palo Alto and San Jose. The Ives Quartet is also quartet-in-residence at the Rocky Ridge Music Festival in Colorado, and appears on noted chamber music series and festivals nationwide.
Committed to presenting the full scope of the string quartet literature, the Ives Quartet –Robin Sharp and Susan Freier, violins; Scott Woolweaver, viola; and Stephen Harrison, cello — continue to earn critical and popular acclaim for depth and diversity of its programming, with repertoire ranging from recognized classics and neglected masterpieces to new commissions and distinctive collaborations with guest artists. Their recordings, which appear on the Laurel Record, Music and Arts, and AIX Entertainment labels, feature rarely performed, contemporary and commissioned works.
DATE: Friday, April 29, 2005, 8pm
LOCATION: Old First Church, 1751 Sacramento Street, San Francisco
TICKETS: For info. Call (415) 474-1608. Tickets purchased at the door
DATE: Saturday, April 30, 2005, 8pm
LOCATION: St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 600 Colorado Avenue, Palo Alto
TICKETS: $25 general, $20 seniors, $15 students, (12 & under free) (650) 328-0990
DATE: Sunday, May 1, 2005, 7pm
LOCATION: Le Petit Trianon Theatre, 72 North 5th Street, San Jose
TICKETS: $25 general, $20 seniors, $15 students, (12 & under free) (650) 328-0990
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