Robert Mann String Quartet Institute!

We are thrilled to have been accepted as one of six string quartets to participate in the Robert Mann String Quartet Institute in January of next year!  We had an incredibly inspiring experience at the Juilliard String Quartet Institute back in May and we can't wait to delve in to new repertoire at another amazing seminar. We will have private coachings and masterclasses with Nicholas Mann, David Geber, Clive Greensmith, and members of the American String Quartet on the Brahms String Quartet No. 3 and the Mozart String Quartet No. 23, K. 590.  We will be performing these works at a concert on January 6, 2012 at the Manhattan School of Music.  Stay tuned!

Our first review!

Hey, look!  PQ got our first review, and in The Strad magazine nonetheless! 

This was our first live performance of Stravinsky's "Three Pieces for String Quartet" back in June and we had such a blast peforming this fantastic piece.  We were featured on a larger concert put on by violinist, Elektra Kurtis, in the historically cultural venue, University of the Streets, a "grubby New York loft" as Strad put it.  Check out what they had to say below!

The Strad, September 2011 issue

Utah Week #3

Well, the last week was a haul to say the least.  It was our busiest week in Utah and certainly pushed us in many ways.  On top of trying to polish our Brahms, get the Stravinsky in order, and tweak Tony’s piece with Joan Tower, we were also coaching chamber music at the Lyceum Music Festival.   This youth symphony meets at a top Alpine-themed resort 30 mins outside ofPark City where Yodeling is pumped through the outdoor speakers and the guest services wear Lederhosen.  The experience for us was great because for the first time at the festival we switched into teacher roles and were able to draw from our experiences with the Muir Quartet to better help the students.  Let me tell you, after 2 an half weeks of intense, brutally-honest, and humbling coachings with the Muir, it’s good to switch roles.  The Muir quartet rocks, and they are all exceptional coaches, but they are also not afraid to be…honest.  After the second day of coaching all the students gathered in the hall to hear us perform the music we were working on.  They really liked the performance and all in all it was a fun experience to work with the kids.

And then all of a sudden it was the last day, day of the concert.   To have the Muir Quartet in the audience didn’t help my nerves.  Preparing for the afternoon performance, all I could focus on were the treacherous pitfalls within each piece.  However, the performance itself was a blast!  I’ve never felt so proud to be on stage before.  Working with PQ for three weeks in virtual solitude was the best thing that has happened to us.  Now back in NYC, we prepare for a season filled with education outreach and a handful of performances around NY.  We’ll miss you Utah, someday we’ll be back.

Nick Revel, viola

Utah Week #2

The whole gang from the Emerging Quartets and Composers Program. Composers-in-residence Antonin and Max in frontThe pace picked up this week when we had a spot on Park City TV:  Performances from Stravinsky and Brahms quartets, plus a full interview about the Emerging Quartets and Composers program and our recent quartet history.  Also, Joan Tower and her composer entourage arrived on Wednesday to kick things into high gear with more coachings, more music to grapple and more parties ;)  It's an especially interesting time for me at this point, since the last time I was here at the Festival I was in the role of "Emerging Composer", and now, in working with Antonin Fajt (the young and very talented Czech composer) I get to give back a little of the experience I had here in the past working with the Vinca Quartet.  It's really a great environment for workshopping music and bridging the composer and performer gap.  It's great to be on both sides of the coin.  I'm looking forward to presenting the fruits of our labor at this weekends concerts!

Jessie Montgomery, violin

Curtis w/ Joan Tower

Just a regular afternoon here in Utah....?

"Ginger"It's pretty safe to say you know you're not in NYC anymore when a friendly neighborhood dog wanders into your house one afternoon.  We had just finished rehearsal and Jessie left the front door open for a moment while on her way out.  We turn around, and there is an adorable Golden Retriever in our living room!  She was wet and scared by the thunder storm, so we've taken her in while we wait for her owner to drive back from Salt Lake City.  Luckily she doesn't have a palette for rosin or other such items.  She was, however, extremely intrigued by Curtis's microwaved taquitos....