San Diego Story: ‘The Ulysses Quartet projects that avid enthusiasm we critics immediately fall for’
Chamber Music Concerts
The Ulysses Quartet has been praised for their “textural versatility,” “grave beauty” and “the kind of chemistry many quartets long for, but rarely achieve” (The Strad), as well as their “avid enthusiasm … (with) chops to back up their passion” (San Diego Story).
Founded in the summer of 2015, the group won the grand prize and gold medal in the senior string division of the 2016 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and first prize in the 2018 Schoenfeld International String Competition. In 2017, they finished first in the American Prize and won second prize at the Osaka International Chamber Music Competition, and were winners of the Vietnam International Music Competition in 2019. Ulysses garnered a career development grant in the 2016 Banff International String Quartet Competition.
The Ulysses Quartet comes to Ashland to perform on the Chamber Music Concerts series at Southern Oregon University at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24, in the Music Recital Hall at 450 S Mountain Ave.
The program features Caroline Shaw’s “Plan & Elevation”; Prokofiev’s String Quartet no. 2 in F Major, Op. 92; and Mendelssohn’s String Quartet in D Major, Op. 44 no. 1.
Tickets are $39/$49, with discounts available for full-time students and Oregon Trail Card holders. To purchase tickets and see program details, visit ChamberMusicConcerts.org or call 541-552-6154.
The Ulysses members hail from Canada, the United States and Taiwan. They have performed in such prestigious halls as Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, the Harbin Grand Theatre, Jordan Hall, and the Taiwan National Recital Hall. The members of Ulysses hold degrees from the Manhattan School of Music, New England Conservatory, Boston Conservatory, the Juilliard School, and University of North Texas.
The musicians perform on instruments and bows graciously on loan from the Maestro Foundation and private donors. The group’s name pays homage to Homer’s hero Odysseus and his arduous homeward voyage, signifying the constant pursuit of artistic and personal ideals.
Keep up with Ulysses Quartet on their website ulyssesquartet.com, as well as their social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Source: Chamber Music Concerts news release. Email Ashland.news at news@ashland.news.
