“The Quartet’s cellists are brilliant instrumentalists and thoughtful musicians individually, but their renditions as a group are glorious.” Arnold Steinhardt, violinist, Guarneri String Quartet
Chamber Music Concerts (CMC) presents the Galvin Cello Quartet on Sunday, November 2 at 3pm at the Southern Oregon University Music Recital Hall, 450 S Mountain Ave, Ashland, OR. Purchase tickets at ChamberMusicConcerts.org or call 541-552-6154.
A quartet of cellos? This unique ensemble is not often found in the chamber music world, but has endless possibilities for a group that can play just about anything. Consider their repertoire: programs entitled “Voice of the Piano,” “A Night at the Opera,” and outreach offerings that include cartoon medleys and music from La La Land — this is a group that loves to explore and won’t be limited to the usual staples.
Composed of members from Brazil, South Korea, and the United States, the Galvin Cello Quartet burst onto the scene after capturing the Silver Medal at the 2021 Fischoff Competition, followed by winning the 2022 Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition and joining the Concert Artists Guild roster. The Quartet takes its name from the Mary B. Galvin Recital Hall at Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music where three of its members — Sydney Lee, Haddon Kay, and Luiz Fernando Venturelli — met as students in the studio of acclaimed pedagogue Hans Jørgen Jensen. In June of 2024, the Quartet welcomed James Baik, another former student of Jensen, as their newest member.
With their untamable desire to create, change, and ultimately bring joy through music, the Galvin Cello Quartet is incredibly excited to explore and expand the possibilities of the cello quartet. Using the limitless range of a cello ensemble, the group’s mission is to bring together new works from diverse cultural backgrounds while seeking to establish the cello quartet as a core part of the classical music world. The Galvin Cello Quartet embodies virtuosity, with each member bringing their own artistic nuance and acclaimed background to the ensemble. Recent and upcoming highlights include performances and residencies at Bravo! Vail, Ravinia, Ascent International Cello Festival, Newport Classical, Merkin Hall, and the Walton Arts Center.
The Galvin’s concert program for CMC, entitled “Voice of the Piano,” features Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Piano Duet in D Major, K. 381; Claude Debussy’s Rêverie; Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition; Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Sonata in C Minor, Op. 13 “Pathétique;” André Mehmari’s Forrobodó; Carlos Gardel’s Por Una Cabeza; selections from Robert Schumann’s Kinderszenen, Op. 15; and George Gershwin’s Three Preludes.
Tickets are $49/59, with discounts available for full-time students and Oregon Trail Card holders. Purchase online at ChamberMusicConcerts.org or by calling 541-552-6154. Don’t miss the pre-concert lecture at 2pm.
