NY Philharmonic String Quartet returns to UGA concert hall

The following was released by the University of Georgia

New York Philharmonic String Quartet Returns to Hodgson Concert Hall

“This quartet offered up some of the most beautiful playing I’ve heard.”—Reading Eagle

The four leading string players of one of America's leading orchestras perform at Hodgson Concert Hall Sunday, Feb. 16 at 3 p.m. It is the New York Philharmonic String Quartet's first Athens appearance since the conclusion of the 2018-2019 UGA Presents season.

This time, their program begins with Haydn's String Quartet in G, Op. 77, No.1. "It is a mature work, at the apogee of the classical style and reflecting Haydn at full mastery," writes UGA Presents Program Annotator Laurie Shulman. "Yet all the endearing hallmarks of the younger Haydn are there, especially his wry sense of humor, and the essential simplicity that informs his most complex musical structures with their inherent integrity and grace."

They conclude with Dvořák's String Quartet No. 11 in C Major. "Few would deny that Dvořák's inexhaustible melodic gift and secure technique served him more than adequately in the C major quartet," Shulman writes. "Dvořák was an accomplished violinist and violist whose intimate knowledge of string instruments lent unity and persuasive power to all his chamber music for strings. This one is no exception, and pleases by its very freshness to our ears."

The group is also bringing a brief piece by Black Atlanta composer Joel Thompson (b. 1988). In Response to the Madness (2019) is the composer's way of working through the blizzard of news headlines that batters us all.

"I only made one rule for myself: Each time before sitting down to compose this piece, I had to ingest all the major news stories of the day," Thompson writes. "The result of this experiment in compositional process is a stream-of-consciousness response to the political mayhem, the massacres, the climate, and our seemingly futile attempts at trying to make things better. It is essentially a scream into the void — or perhaps into the mirror."

THE QUARTET

The New York Philharmonic String Quartet includes four principal musicians from the orchestra: Concertmaster Frank Huang (The Charles E. Culpeper Chair); Principal Second Violin Group Qianqian Li; Principal Viola Cynthia Phelps(The Mr. and Mrs. Frederick P. Rose Chair); and Principal Cello Carter Brey (The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Chair). The group was formed in January 2017, during the Philharmonic’s 175th anniversary season.

Huang has performed at the Marlboro Music Festival, Ravinia’s Steans Institute, Seattle Chamber Music Festival, and Caramoor. Before joining the Houston Symphony as concertmaster in 2010, Frank Huang held the position of first violinist of the Grammy Award-winning Ying Quartet. 

Li has performed at major music festivals including Aspen, Tanglewood, Yellow Barn, and Sarasota. Before joining the New York Philharmonic, she served as a member of the first violin section of The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra for three years, after winning positions with the orchestras of Seattle, Atlanta, and St. Paul in the same period.

Phelps performs with The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Jupiter Chamber Players, and the Santa Fe, La Jolla, Seattle, Chamber Music Northwest, and Bridgehampton festivals. She is also a founding member of the chamber group Les Amies, a flute-harp-viola group with Philharmonic Principal Harp Nancy Allen and flutist Carol Wincenc. 

Brey has made regular appearances with the Tokyo and Emerson string quartets as well as The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and the Santa Fe and La Jolla chamber music festivals. He and pianist Christopher O’Riley recorded Le Grand Tango: Music of Latin America, a disc of compositions from South America and Mexico released on Helicon Records. 

PROGRAM

HAYDN: String Quartet in G Major, Op. 77, No. 1, Hob. III:81

JOEL THOMPSON: In Response to the Madness

DVOŘÁK: String Quartet No. 11 in C Major, Op. 61

PERFORMANCE TALK

Join us for a free pre-performance talk by Theresa Chafin in Ramsey Concert Hall from 2:15-2:45 p.m.

SUPPORTED BY

Gregory and Jennifer Holcomb

BUYING TICKETS IS EASY

Securing tickets for UGA Presents performances couldn’t be easier. There are three ways to choose from:

1. Purchase tickets online 24/7 at pac.uga.edu.

2. Call the Performing Arts Center Box Office at (706) 542-4400, Mon.-Fri., 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

3. Visit the UGA Performing Arts Center Box Office, Mon.-Fri., 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (5 minute parking is available in the drop off circle at the Performing Arts Center for purchasing or picking up tickets.)

You may also create your own series of three or more performances (10% off). UGA Presents single tickets start at just $25 with promo code PAC25 and UGA student tickets are $10.