MUSIC

Houston Friends of Music presents the Brentano String Quartet with James Dunham, Tuesday, April 6, 2010, in Stude Concert Hall on the Rice University campus.

Named for Antonie Brentano, whom many scholars consider to be Beethoven's "Immortal Beloved," the Brentano String Quartet (pictured, photo by Peter Schaaf) has appeared throughout the world to popular and critical acclaim. In recent seasons, it has performed in the world's most prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall in New York; the Library of Congress in Washington; the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam; the Konzerthaus in Vienna; Suntory Hall in Tokyo; and the Sydney Opera House.

In addition to performing the entire two-century range of the standard quartet repertoire, the Brentano Quartet has a strong interest in both very old and very new music. It has performed many musical works pre-dating the string quartet as a medium, among them Madrigals of Gesualdo, Fantasias of Purcell, and secular vocal works of Josquin. Also, the quartet has worked closely with some of the most important composers of our time.

Within its first few years, the Quartet garnered the Cleveland Quartet Award and the Naumburg Chamber Music Award. More honors came on Brentano's first European tour in 1997, resulting in thier becoming quartet-in-residence at London's Wigmore Hall. The Quartet has been privileged to collaborate with such artists as soprano Jessye Norman, pianist Richard Goode, and pianist Mitsuko Uchida.

On the Houston Friends of Music concert, they will perform with James Dunham, violist and Rice University professor. James Dunham is an internationally known soloist, chamber musician and teacher. Formerly violist of the Grammy Award winning Cleveland Quartet, he has collaborated with such renowned artists as Emmanuel Ax, Joshua Bell, Richard Goode, and many others Mr. Dunham is a frequent guest artist with groups such as Houston Friends of Music, Da Camera of Houston, Musicians from Marlboro, the Boston Chamber Music Society and the Borromeo, Cassatt, Cavani, Colorado, Fine Arts, Mendelssohn, Miami, Pacifica and Ying Quartets. Currently Professor of Viola and Chamber Music at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, he directs their Advanced Quartet Studies Program.

Mr. Dunham formerly taught at the New England Conservatory where he was chair of the String Department and he also served as Professor of Viola at the prestigious Eastman School of Music. A devoted teacher, he frequently presents viola and chamber music master classes at leading schools and universities including Tokyo’s Toho School, Freiburg’s Hochschule für Musik, Beijing’s Central Conservatory, Boston and Northwestern Universities, USC, UCLA and the Royal Conservatory in Toronto.

"Such was their ferocity...that instruments almost burst into flames.... the Brentanos are a magnificent quartet." ~The Times

Mark Steinberg, Violin
Serena Conin, Violin
Misha Amory, Viola
Nina Lee, Cello

Featuring: James Dunham, Viola

Selected Program includes:

Schumann: Quartet No. 2 in F Major, Op. 41 #2
Hartke: New work composed for Brentano String Quartet
Mendelssohn: String Quintet No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 87 with James Dunham