Boston String Quartet Presents Portraits of America

The Boston String Quartet, with guest artist flautist Elzbieta Brandys, will present a new program of music titled, "Portraits of America." Presenting music inspired by America. End Quote

(1888PressRelease) February 07, 2011 - BOSTON STRING QUARTET TO PRESENT "PORTRAITS OF AMERICA" AT OLD SOUTH CHURCH ON FEBRUARY 23RD AND LONGYEAR MUSEUM ON MARCH 6TH

PROGRAM TO INCLUDE CHAMBER MUSIC BY ANDREW LIST, ANTONIN DVORAK, AND THE WORLD PREMIERE OF
"AMERICA SUITE" BY CHRISTOPHER VUK

This spring the Boston String Quartet, with guest artist flautist Elzbieta Brandys, will present a new program titled, "Portraits of America." The program will include a premiere of "America Suite" by first violinist, Christopher Vuk, "Halcyon Quintet" for Flute and String Quartet by Andrew List, and Antonin Dvorak's "American" String Quartet, written in Spillville, Iowa. The concerts will take place at Old South Church (Boston) on February 23rd at 7:30pm and Long Year Musuem (Chestnut Hill) on March 6th at 2:00pm.

The Boston String Quartet, known for their unique sound and contemporary playing techniques will be programming staples of American musical culture including jazz, classical, ragtime, rock, and the blues. Don't forget to wear your heart on your sleeve!

The complete program is as follows:
Antonin Dvorak - "American" String Quartet
Andrew List - "Halcyon Quintet" for Flute and String Quartet
Christopher Vuk - "America" Suite (WORLD PREMIERE)

Old South Church is located at 645 Boylston Street in Boston. Long Year Museum is located at 1125 Boylston Street in Chestnut Hill. Both concerts are $15. $5.for students and are open to the public. For more information please call (617) 875-7851 or visit www.bostonstringquartet.com

BOSTON STRING QUARTET
Christopher Vuk, Angel Valchinov, violins
Chen Lin, viola Kett-Chuan Lee, cello

The Boston String Quartet (BSQ), who perform with "mature depth and musical prowess" (Tower Records), have been delighting audiences throughout the nation with their unique blend of repertoire and performance style.

The BSQ has been a creative leader in contemporary classical music in New England. Having made their professional debut at Weil Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall, the quartet performs their own arrangements of classical chamber music, rock, jazz, world music and more, and is continually "exploring different ways of sparking musical interest" [Boston Globe]. This journey has allowed for collaboration with John Mayer, the Boston Ballet, Fionnuala Gill, Giorgia Fumanti, Jennifer Holliday, Lisa Fisher, Tim Janis, Dave Fiucznyski, as well as opportunity to perform sold out performances at such venues as Symphony Hall, the Los Angeles Music Awards, PBS, Yankee Homecoming Festival, and for former president George H.W. Bush.

Committed to music education in New England, the members of the BSQ are currently Ensemble-in-Residence at contemporary music school, School of Groove. The quartet participates in multiple education tours each year, during which the group works with high school music programs in workshops, master classes, rehearsals, and performance.

To date, the BSQ has released four albums, including "Xibus" [a genre-stretching tour-de-force from one of the finest young touring string quartets in the United States - PARMA], a new release from Navona Recordings. The BSQ can be heard over the radio or may be found performing on local television stations, as well as nationally on PBS. Recordings may be purchased world-wide from Naxos Recordings.

Please join us for a celebration of American Music on February 23rd at 7:30pm at Old South Church (Boston) and March 6th at 2:00pm at Long Year Musuem (Chestnut Hill). Tickets are $15, $5. For students and are available online at http://bsq.ticketleap.com/ or at the door.

ELZBIETA BRANDYS, flutist
http://www.elzbietabrandys.com

A native of Poland, Elzbieta Brandys began her musical training at the age of ten. After graduating from Music Lyceum in Tarnow, Poland she had an opportunity to continue her musical education in the United States. In 2003 Ms. Brandys received her Bachelor of Music Degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX where she studied flute with Jean Larson. Upon completion of her Bachelor Degree she moved to Boston and completed her Graduate Performance Diploma (2005) and Master of Music (2007) at The Boston Conservatory where she studies with Marianne Gedigian and Linda Toote. At present Ms. Brandys is a Doctoral candidate in Flute Performance at Boston University, College of Fine Arts School of Music.

Ms. Brandys has been awarded numerous scholarships including the Presidential Award (2004) and Marillyn Zacharis Scholarship (2005) from The Boston Conservatory. With Three Colors Trio ensemble, Elzbieta was a first prize winner in the CMFoNE International Chamber Music Ensemble Competition and performed in Carnegie Hall in May, 2005. In May 2006, Elżbieta was a Semi-Finalist at Myrna W. Brown Artist Competition, Texas Flute Society in Denton, Texas.

Elzbieta was awarded with 2008 Emerging Artist Award by The Saint Botolph Club Foundation. In 2009 the Boston University College of Fine Arts School of Music awarded Elzbieta for her outstanding achievement in Woodwind Performance. While studying at Boston University Ms. Brandys appears as a soloist giving solo and chamber recitals. Performing and teaching is something she has dedicated her life to and is incredibly passionate about it.

ANDREW LIST, composer
www.AndrewList.com

Andrew List (Professor of Composition at Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA) composes music in many different genres, including orchestral works, string quartet, vocal, choral music, opera, music for children, solo works, and a variety of chamber ensembles. He is a graduate of New England Conservatory of Music, with B.A. and M.A. degrees in music composition. He received his doctorate in music composition from Boston University, where he studied with Bernard Rands, Samuel Headrick, and Nicholas Maw. Mr. List has also studied privately with Richard Danielpour.

Mr. List has received numerous commissions and performances from professional music ensembles and solo artists in the United States and Europe. These include The Boston Classical Orchestra (commission and recording of Concerto Cello and Orchestra "Earth Song" 2009) Zodiac Trio, Alea III, The Esterhazy Quartet, Interensemble (Padova Italy), The Kalistos Chamber Orchestra, North-South Consonance, The Metamorphosen Chamber Orchestra, Duo Diorama, Winston Choi (pianist), Emmanuel Feldman (cellist) soprano Lisa Saffer. The Concordia String Trio and Sta-Mane Clarinet Quartet.

He was the first prizewinner of the Renegade Ensemble's composition competition, The Portland Chamber Music Festival Composition Competition and a finalist in the Alea III International Composition Competition. In 2008 he was a finalist in the Massachusetts Cultural Council Artist Fellowship. In 2005 the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, with Eva Szekely, violin soloist, recorded Mr. List's Violin Concerto; and the CD was subsequently released on the Albany label. MONTAGE Music Society commissioned and recorded his new work Noa Noa, A Gauguin Tableau, which was released on MSR Classics.

Mr. List has been fortunate to enjoy a number of residencies at the MacDowell Colony, Yaddo, The Atlantic Center for the Arts, The Aspen Music Festival, La Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris and The Visby Centre for Composers in Sweden. In 2001 he was awarded a distinguished artist-in-residence grant, sponsored by Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst, and the city of Amsterdam. During his eight-month residency in Amsterdam he presented four concerts of his music and that of other American composers. He was also invited to present a concert at the American Embassy in The Hague, and gave lectures and workshops at major music conservatories in the area. He is the first American and the first composer to be awarded this prestigious residency.

www.bostonstringquartet.com

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