The 2016 Winter Festival concludes with a duel. You have heard of “Dueling Banjos?” Well tonight we have dueling quartets. Festival artists, Brittany Boulding (violin), Alistair MacRae (cello), Maria Sampen (violin) and Timothy Christie (viola) are joined by special guest artists, PRISM Quartet for a wild exploration of music for string and saxophone quartets respectively.

The two quartets will also join forces for a performance of Seattle-born composer, Paul Chihara’s, Forever Escher. The title takes inspiration from the graphic artist, M.C. Escher, whose prints adorn the dorm room of many an undergraduate. We are all familiar with the images of stairs leading to impossible dimensions or the pair of hands simultaneously drawing themselves in 2- and 3-D. The Escher of this work, however, explores the concept of metamorphosis, specifically in his 1940 work, Metamorphosis II. The work can be viewed here. We will explore this concept sonically through music of Mendelssohn, Chihara and beyond.

PRISM Quartet will take the stage alone to bring the 2016 Winter Festival to a stunning conclusion. Happy New Year, indeed!

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

STRING QUARTET IN A MINOR, OP. 13

I. Adagio - Allegro vivace
II. Adagio non lento
III. Intermezzo. Allegretto con moto - Allegro di molto
IV. Presto

Intermission

Paul Chihara (b. 1938)

FOREVER ESCHER, FOR SAXOPHONE QUARTET AND STRING QUARTET (1995)

I. Molto Moderato
II. Allegro vivace: Ben ritmico
III. Calmo
IV. Andante cantabile: "Quarendo invenientes”

PRISM QUARTET

Selections to be announced from the stage.

Artists: Brittany Boulding, violin; Timothy Christie, viola; Matthew Levy, tenor saxophone; Alistair MacRae, cello; Timothy McAllister, soprano saxophone; Maria Sampen, violin; Zach Shemon, alto saxophone; and Taimur Sullivan, baritone saxophone.