Cypress Quartet
Perform as a part of the Chamber Music Concert Series at Southern Oregon University
January 15, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010 at 8pm
Southern Oregon University Recital Hall
1250 Siskiyou Blvd. | Ashland, OR
Mozart and the Bohemians Program:
Mozart's String Quartet in D Major, K. 575
Schulhoff's Five Pieces for String Quartet
Dvorak's String Quartet No. 13 in G Major, Op. 106
Tickets: $26-30 ($5 Youth-22 and under) at 541.552.6154 or www.chambermusicconcerts.org
The San Francisco-based ensemble's Beethoven reveals artistry of uncommon insight & cohesion" – Gramophone
"…Dvorak has rarely sounded so good." – The Washington Post
Cypress Quartet online: www.cypressquartet.com
Ashland, OR– At 8pm on Friday, January 15, the Cypress String Quartet (Cecily Ward, violin; Tom Stone, violin; Ethan Filner, viola; and Jennifer Kloetzel, cello) will perform at the Southern Oregon University Recital Hall (1250 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, Oregon). The performance, Mozart and the Bohemians, is part of Chamber Music Concert Series at Southern Oregon University (CMC) and will include Mozart's String Quartet in D Major, K. 575; Schulhoff's Five Pieces for String Quartet; and Dvorak's String Quartet No. 13 in G Major, Op. 106.
This varied program is a brilliant example of the Cypress Quartet's commitment to many styles and genres of classical music. Each piece is an iconic example of the respective composer's voice. Mozart's String Quartet in D Major, K. 575 is part of the last set of quartets Mozart wrote, and was commissioned by King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia. King Wilhelm was a cellist, and the cello is frequently featured in this masterful work.
Erwin Schulhoff's Five Pieces for String Quartet was written as a modern Baroque dance suite, which also acknowledges obvious influence by the Second Viennese School. Schulhoff was a Dadaist, and this philosophy immediately manifests itself in the first movement, which is a Viennese waltz with a 4/4 meter.
Antonin Dvorak was Erwin Schulhoff's first music mentor and identified the boy as a child prodigy in Prague in 1902. Dvorak wrote his String Quartet No. 13 in G Major just after he left the United States for Europe in 1895. The composer was elated to return home, and his joy is beautifully related in this work.
In addition to the concert, the Cypress Quartet will present a three-day residency in the Rogue Valley with events for a diverse range of people, including free programs for students at Southern Oregon University, Talent Middle School, Crater High School, South Medford High School, Eagle Point High School, the Ashland Kiwanis, and the Mountain Meadows Community. Earnings from CMC's Endowment Fund support all expenses for the Cypress Quartet's residency. For residency details, please contact the CMC office at 541.552.6154.
More about the Cypress String Quartet: The Cypress String Quartet formed in 1996 in San Francisco and during its first rehearsals together created a now-signature sound through intense readings of J.S. Bach's Chorales. Built up from the bottom register of the quartet and layered like a pyramid, the resulting sound is clear and transparent, allowing the texture of the music to be discerned immediately.
The Cypress String Quartet's unusual approach to their career is informed by their fierce dedication to the ensemble. Violinists Cecily Ward and Tom Stone were studying in San Francisco when they held auditions for violists and cellists. Jennifer Kloetzel and Ethan Filner were chosen, relocated to San Francisco to play with the group, and the foursome made a commitment to each other to only perform as a quartet (meaning that they would not take on teaching or freelance jobs as orchestral members or with other chamber ensembles). They realized early on that they needed to create their own performance opportunities and organized as a non-profit – the Cypress Performing Arts Association – rather than signing with a management agency. Eventually, they hired a small administrative staff.
This independent spirit is evident in their music as well. Cecily Ward explains, "We found our common ground in the music. Because we had not all gone to school together and had no common past or anyone shepherding us along, we were forced to find out who we are as an ensemble on our own – both in how we made a career and in how we create our sound."
Now, on top of a busy schedule of over 90 concerts each year at venues across the US and internationally, including major concert halls and series such as the Kennedy Center, Library of Congress, Stanford Lively Arts, Krannert Center and Ravinia Festival, the Cypress String Quartet is a vibrant member of the San Francisco arts community and is dedicated to reflecting and enriching the city's cultural landscape. During the 2008-2009 season, in addition to several Bay Area performances including a debut on the Cal Performances series in Berkeley, the Cypress returned to the Montalvo Arts Center for a series of eight concerts exploring the Late quartets of Beethoven and the inspirational influence of visual arts on composers from Debussy to George Tsontakis.
Through its Call & Response commissioning and outreach program, the Cypress String Quartet has created a dialogue between the old masters and living composers, performing known and loved repertoire in a fresh context and introducing ground-breaking new works to the chamber music genre. Over just a decade, the Cypress String Quartet has commissioned and premiered more than 25 new works, four of which are now included on Chamber Music America's list of 101 Great American Ensemble Works.
The Cypress Quartet members trained individually at institutions including The Juilliard School, Interlochen Arts Academy, Cleveland Institute of Music, Guildhall School of Music & Drama and the Royal College of Music. They play exceptional instruments, including violins by Antonio Stradivarius (1681) and Carlos Bergonzi (1733), a viola by Vittorio Bellarosa (1947), and a cello by Hieronymus Amati II (1701). The Cypress Quartet takes its name from the set of twelve love songs for string quartet, The Cypresses, by Antonin Dvorak.
For more information and the Cypress Quartet's most up to date concert schedule, visit www.cypressquartet.com.
