Interview with the JACK Quartet

Last week, I had a chance to interview the members of the JACK Quartet who came to Oberlin. It's being featured in this week's Oberlin Review. Check it out!

Cree Carrico Senior Recital

Check out my review of senior voice major Cree Carrico's recital featured in the Oberlin Review!

the Modern String Quartet- what is that?

   Recently, I’ve discovered the uniqueness and competitiveness quietly defining the string quartet world.  True of any marketable item, the “string quartet” needs an attractive label with a reliable, trusting product inside - well-distributed and balanced ensemble tone, effective communication between players, and the maturity that grows out of the quartet’s duration of time together as an ensemble.   Although one of the oldest forms of chamber music - dating back to the Baroque era, today it must accommodate to the growing demands of modernity.  No longer can it be just a “string quartet” - only playing and performing the favorites of the quartet  repertoire.  Rather, it must instill a sense of “identity” setting it apart from others, and since I’m a violinist, I’ve taken keen interest in this subject.

  After attending a performance of Gloria Cheng with the Calder Quartet, I began to notice this trend.  I thought, “Wow, how incredibly even their sound is, and yet, each player seems to be distinctively his own.” No member could over-power the other, and I was impressed by this as well as their careful, collected, and timed bow placement and speed. “A real quartet,” I thought. With this observation in mind and upon learning their collaboration with artists such as the Airborne Toxic Event, Andrew W.K. and Iva Bittova, I was convinced why they are so successful - not only is the Calder a well-polished ensemble (their “reliable and trusting” nature) - but they have something uniquely identifying them.      

   At the Chamber Music America conference, I heard young string quartets comprised of recently graduated Conservatory musicians and the actualizations I came to after hearing the Calder were further established.  These young musicians only wanted to be “string quartets” rather than developing a sonic existence of their own - an honest but temporary pursuit which will not last long especially in today’s hands. 

                  

   

ClevelandClassical.com Preview - Week of Feb. 15

Check out this week's ClevelandClassical.com issue. My interview with the Calder Quartet is being featured.  As well, there are some really great articles about upcoming concerts in the Northeast Ohio area, so subscribe if you want to be in-the-know! Cheers!

An Interview with the Calder Quartet

(left to right:  Jonathan Moerschel, viola, Andrew Bulbrook, violin, Eric Byers, cello, and Ben Jacobson, violin)

On February 18 at the Cleveland Museum of Art, the audience will have an exciting and unique chance to hear Iva Bittova and the Calder Quartet.  The quartet has been hailed by the New York Times for maintaining the string quartet format as “fertile ground for innovation and surprise in the hands of imaginative, skillful creators.” Cleveland will hear and experience an incredibly focused and polished ensemble who continue to open the possibilities for today’s music and the continuity of the string quartet.  While in New York, I had an opportunity to hear the quartet at their performance with pianist Gloria Cheng at (le) Poisson Rouge and interviewed the Calder’s second violinist, Andrew Bulbrook.   

Meghan Farnsworth:  I read on your website that the quartet had a chance to study with the Juilliard String Quartet.  I’m a violinist as well, and I recently studied with the members of the St. Petersburg String Quartet.  I was interested in what you had to say about your experience with the Juilliard Quartet.

Andrew Bulbrook:  We spent two years with the Juilliard Quartet, and we each had individual lessons.  They are just incredible and committed teachers, and with them, we opened up and really learned the importance of intonation especially with tuning perfect fourths and fifths.  

MF: The quartet is originally from California.  What was the change like in moving to New York to study?

AB: The culture change was so immediate and took some time to get used to.  While we were in NY, we had a chance to work with Christopher Rouse and commissioned and performed at Juilliard his first two string quartets in Alice Tully Hall.  Then, as well, we performed his third quartet at Carnegie Hall.  

MF: I also noticed that the quartet has extensive interaction with artists like the Airborne Toxic Event and Andrew W.K. 

AB: While we were back in LA, we wanted to have a role in the community - just hang out, meet people, make music, and understand other musicians as a person.  We really wanted to keep an open mind, and in 2006, we met the Airborne Toxic Event and created a positive relationship.  We knew them before they became so popular and just wanted to hang out and play music.  Later, we met Andrew and just decided to put something out there.  

Andrew is very natural and doesn’t need to use written music - a challenging thing for us.  Bridging the gap between his intense and extreme energy was a challenge for us too.  

MF: What was it like to work with Iva Bittova? 

AB: We’ve performed with Iva a couple times at (le) Poisson Rouge.  She is just an incredible spirit and musician.  She has such a direct connection to Czech tradition and possesses a folk element about her.  

MF: What will you guys be playing with her at the Cleveland Museum of Art in February?  

AB: We’ll be playing pieces by living composer Fred Frith, Janacek, Bartok, and our own arrangements.  Fred Frith’s piece was inspired by Iva’s hometown and has a variety of movements containing solo parts.  Then, we’ll be playing Bartok Duos - two violins with Iva singing as well.  

The program is designed to replicate the way that the sun moves towards setting - a beautiful thing when playing in museums.  At another museum where we were performing, there was a window allowing light to enter the performance space, and since it was around the same time as sunset, the way the sunlight entered the room beautifully replicated the design of our program.  

MF: As a quartet, how do you guys rehearse and how much?

AB:  Together, we work from Monday to Friday for four hours a day, and then several hours a day of individual practice.  When rehearsing together, we discuss pretty intense things but are very respectful towards each others’ opinions.  We’ve been an ensemble for twelve years and can all talk intimately.  It’s very nice, and there’s so much respect.  

MF: At the (le) Poisson Rouge performance with Gloria Cheng, I noticed in the quartet’s playing  a great deal of consideration about bow speed and placement.  You guys seem to always be at the same part of the bow and articulate notes so similarly.       

AB:  We do think about this a lot!  So much! It’s all about balance and tuning. Wow! You noticed!