Internationally renowned American String Quartet will highlight end of the semester duo weekends of classical concerts “Celebrating Spring Saturdays.” On April 24, 2021, plan on tuning in via your electronic device for the free virtual concert that starts at 7pm.

Registration is required HERE.

On the program are two well-known pieces, Samuel Barber’s Adagio from String Quartet in B minor, Op. 11 and César Franck’s Piano Quintet in F minor with guest pianist Joanne Kang. In addition, the third composition, Lyric for Strings from String Quartet no. 1 by African-American composer George Walker was influenced by the Barber quartet. Barber and Walker were awarded the Pulitzer Prize in Music in 1958 and 1996, respectively. They both studied at Curtis Institute of Music, where they were under the tutelage of Rosario Scalero.

The American String Quartet performs in North and South Americas, Europe and Asia. Fortunately, ASQ or its individual musicians has come to Middletown to perform at SUNY Orange nearly annually during the last eleven years. Since all of Cultural Affairs’ events have been virtual for the past twelve months, it is wonderful that ASQ has this performance livestreamed from Neidorff-Karpati Hall at Manhattan School of Music where ASQ has been the Quartet in Residence since 1984. Now in its 47th anniversary year, ASQ is as comfortable in the realm of the traditional music of Mozart and Beethoven as innovative performances that include poetry readings and narrations.

Questions may be directed to cultural@sunyorange.edu

photo credit: J.Mae Barizo