Skidmore College String Music Festival -- 5th Annual

Skidmore String Festival Features Distinguished Professionals Coaching and Playing with High School and College Quartets: All Part of Skidmores Hands-on Approach to Learning

The Hawthorne String Quartet, featuring four Boston Symphony Orchestra players, recently completed its Feb. 27 to March 1 residency as part of the fifth annual Skidmore String Music Festival. Invited high school string players in pre-formed string quartets and Skidmore student quartets were coached and inspired by HSQ members Ronan Lefkowitz, Si-Jing Huang, and Mark Ludwig (violinists), and Sato Knudsen (cello).

HSQs Feb. 28 performance featured quartets by Franz Schubert (No. 13 Rosamunde); Charles Ives (No. 1); and Elliott Carter (Fragment No. 2). Berkshires-based artist Jim Schantz joined the group and created a painting inspired by the groups performance of Czech composer Hans Krásas String Quartet.

HSQ was joined by the high school and Skidmore students in a group performance of the Finale from Mendelssohns Octet on March 1. High school quartets included the New Jersey Youth Symphony Quartet, the Manchester Community Music School Quartet, the Empire State Youth Orchestra Quartet, and the Optimus String Quartet, members of the Empire State Youth Orchestra. Skidmore Filene Music Scholar Jessica Taffet joined the New Hampshire group as first violinist.

For information, contact Festival Coordinator Michael Emery at memery@nycap.rr.com or Chair of Skidmores Music Department Tom Denny at tdenny@skidmore.edu.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Skidmore College
• Skidmore
• music
• music department
• string festival
• string music
• high school programs
• liberal arts

[turqbee]

The Hawthornes are outstanding - great video. Love watching their coaching sessions - is there more? What about their concert?