APPLETON, WIS. — The acclaimed Guarneri String Quartet brings the final concert tour of its award-winning, four-decade career to the Lawrence Memorial Chapel for its last performance in Wisconsin Friday, Oct. 24 at 8 p.m. The concert opens the 2008-09 Lawrence University Artist Series, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
Tickets are $22-20 for adults, $19-17 for seniors, and $15-17 for students, and are available through the Lawrence Box Office in the Music-Drama Center, 420 E. College Ave., Appleton or by phone at 920-832-6749.
Since forming in 1964, the quartet has traveled the world many times over, performing in many of the most prestigious concert halls in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. National Public Radio hailed the quartet as “among the most revered and enduring ensembles of its kind in the world.” After 45 years of performing together, the quartet will retire in May at the end of their current concert tour.
Matthew Michelic, associate professor music who has taught viola at Lawrence since 1987, calls the Guarneri String Quartet ” a pillar of the North American chamber music.”
“Each member came to the group with an established reputation as a solo and chamber music performer,” said Michelic, who was mentored by the quartet early in his own professional career. “Their rise once formed as the Guarneri was meteoric. Music lovers in the Fox Valley are very fortunate to be able to be a part of their farewell tour.”
The quartet is known for mastering the best of existing repertoire as well as performing works by many of today’s foremost composers. Their concert at Lawrence will include works by Joseph Haydn, Zoltan Kodaly and one of the most beautiful works in the repertoire, the 1903 string quartet of Maurice Ravel.
In addition to premiering pieces by American composers William Bolcom, Derek Bermel, Richard Danielpour and Lukas Foss, the quartet has collaborated with the Johannes String Quartet and the National Symphony Orchestra.
The Guarani String Quartet have won numerous international awards, including Germany’s Deutsche Schallplattenkritik Award for their recording of Juan Crisostomo de Arriaga’s String Quartet Nos. 1-3 and the prestigious Award of Merit from the Association of Performing Arts Presenters in New York City.
