Soulful Music with the Iris String Quartet

Metropolitan Playhouse

presented

Iris String Quartet

Photo Credit: Agnieszka N.

YIBIN LI, Violin

MUNEYOSHI TAKAHASHI, Violin

ENTELA BARCI, Viola

SEAN KATSUYAMA, Cello

December 16, 2016

220 East 4th Street between Avenues A and B

Metropolitan Playhouse located in the East Village was pleased to present the IRIS STRING QUARTET in a concert of major works by Ravel and Shubert, along with the World Premiere of MICHAEL KOSCH'S Giotto (selections) for violin solo.  The program included: Maurice Ravel’s Sonata for Violin and Cello; Franz Schubert’s String Quartet No. 14 in D Minor, D.810 “Death and the Maiden”; and, Kosch's world premiere.

The Iris Quartet has played in most of New York's finest venues like Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully, Steinway, Merkin, and Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center so it was a pleasant surprise to listen to them in a small chamber; especially, for the classical chamber music lover. Apparently, the quartet is named after the Greek goddess of the rainbow. These young musicians come from different countries (Albania, China, and Japan) and some were educated at Juilliard and others at respective renowned schools in their country of origin as well as having trained with the masters in their field.

The Iris Quartet was excited to lead off a fifth season of concerts in this award-winning theater that is an integral part of the East Village theater scene. Metropolitan Playhouse was also delighted to present the Iris String Quartet as part of the MUSIC AT METROPOLITAN series in its intimate downtown home, whose acoustics and size are ideally suited to chamber concerts and solo artists' recitals.

The concert began with a lovely surprise Bach violin solo by Muneyoshi Takahashi.

Maurice Ravel’s (1875-1937) Sonata followed and was a very interesting choice made by Yibin Li. It almost sounded as though it were composed for the 21^st century and yet it was composed between 1920-24. It flirted with avant-garde approaches linked to Stravinsky and Schoenberg and its astringent harmonies sounded like what we regard as avant-garde jazz today. This was very different than the Classical Ravel that I’m accustomed to and which defined this Frenchman’s work.

Kosch's (b. 1959) world premiere was next which was inspired by Giotto di Bondone (1267-1337), a Florentine painter and architect who was considered one of the first great artists of the Italian Renaissance. Kosch is known to compose his works inspired by great artists with the idea that art inspires musical composition.

After a short intermission, the quartet finished with another interesting choice—Franz Shubert’s  (1797-1828) “Death and the Maiden”.  Ms. Li explained that this string quartet was composed while Shubert was dying so it felt like the notes were between life and death, but more like celebrating the last moments of his life. Shubert’s music influenced by the Romantic movement sounded poignant and rapturous.

After the intimate and romantic performance, there was a lovely reception whereby all the audience members could meet the musicians and the composer, Kosch, which led to interesting conversations.

By

Laura Thompson

Classical Chamber Music

Metropolitan Playhouse

presented

Iris String Quartet



Entela Barci, Yibin Li,  Muneyoshi Takahashi, Sean Katsuyama

with

YIBIN LI, Violin

MUNEYOSHI TAKAHASHI, Violin

ENTELA BARCI, Viola

SEAN KATSUYAMA, Cello

 

December 8, 2015

220 East 4th Street between Avenues A and B 

Metropolitan Playhouse located in the East Village was pleased to present the IRIS STRING QUARTET in a concert of major works by Mendelssohn and Haydn, along with the World Premiere of MICHAEL KOSCH'S Strokes of Sky: Paris.  The program included: Joseph Haydn, String Quartet in B Flat major, Op. 76, No. 4 "Sunrise," Felix Mendelssohn, String Quartet in D Major, Op. 44, No. 1 'The American," and Kosch's world premiere. 

The Iris Quartet has played in most of New York's finest venues like Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully, Steinway, Merkin, and Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center so it was a pleasant surprise to listen to them in a small chamber; especially, for the classical chamber music lover. Apparently, the quartet is named after the Greek goddess of the rainbow. These young musicians come from different countries and some were educated at Juilliard and others at respective renowned schools in their country of origin as well as having trained with the masters in their field. 

Haydn's "Sunrise" was symbolic of the Age of Enlightenment and was played with utmost seriousness. Kosch's world premiere followed and is the first of a four-part quartet inspired by Vincent Van Gogh's latest works while in France with the idea that art inspires musical composition. If the intention was to portray bustling city streets and contemporary life, it succeeded. Actually, it looked difficult for the musicians to perform so was that the composer's intention or does it need to be improved? 

After a short intermission, the quartet finished with a beautiful rendition of Mendelssohn that was music to the ears and played with confidence and expertise. This energetic string quartet unfolded in pleasing, sweet melodious patterns. It was my favorite piece. Mendelssohn was an icon of Romanticism and died at the age of 38. This energetic string quartet unfolded in pleasing, sweet melodious patterns. 

For more information about the Metropolitan Playhouse, visit www.metropolitanplayhouse.org.

For more information about the Iris String Quartet, visit www.irisquartet.com.

 

By

Laura Thompson

www.loralia.com

YPHIL International Youth Philharmonic Orchestra Global Peace Concert at Carnegie Hall

TURKEN FOUNDATION

presents

YPHIL – International Youth Philharmonic Orchestra

Concert for Global Peace

at Isaac Stern Auditorium/Ronald O. Perelman Stage, CARNEGIE HALL

September 27, 2015

with

JOSE LUIS GOMEZ, Conductor

and

ALEXANDER MARKOV, Violin

and

DANNY GLOVER, Host

 

YPHIL brought together 100 young talented musicians aged 18 to 26 from 74 countries to express peace through the common language of music at Carnegie Hall, September 27, 2015, during the United Nations General Assembly week. SERHAT KAAN, Founder and Chair of YPHIL Orchestra and Director of Turken Foundation, is committed to raising awareness for global youth issues and human rights.

 

The evening was hosted by DANNY GLOVER, an award winning actor, producer, former Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Program and currently, serves as UNICEF Ambassador. Opening remarks were given by Mr. Kaan concerning the United Nation’s development goals for the next 15 years. He focused on the goal to end world poverty. Mr. Glover, thereafter, introduced the YPHIL who performed the program with classical instruments, along with traditional instruments from some of the musicians respective countries.

The young musicians performed beautifully J. SIBELIUS, Finlandia, Op. 26, F. MENDELSSOHN, Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 featuring ALEXANDER MARKOV, Soloist who has been hailed as one of the most captivating, brilliant and musical violinists, according to Lord Yehudi Menuhin. Markov was a delight to listen to and full of energy and even played a bit of Paganini as an encore for which he’s an acclaimed virtuoso.

 

The evening continued with C. Debussy, Clair de lune (arr. Clapet), followed by an almost avant-garde composition by SEAN J. KENNEDY, Kaku, Kupula, Fear in Neutral Buoyancy dedicated to 2015 YPHIL International Philharmonic Orchestra and all young musicians around the world, continued with an excerpt from MICHAEL VONGOVA’S Piano Concerto for the United Nations, in celebration of the 70^th anniversary of the United Nations sung stupendously by choral soprano, BRENDA VONGOVA,  to end with F. KANCA, Turken Foundation Symphonic Suite of Voices of the World—featuring traditional instruments from around the world.

The aim of the concert was to show the world how musicians of different countries can work together regardless of their nationality, race, beliefs, language barriers and perform brilliantly.  It truly was a celebration of the collaboration of diverse cultures. The dynamic performance exemplified that when people collaborate from all over the world, they can create a better world to promote peace, and, in this case, raise awareness for universal youth issues.  What a magnificent message brought through music!  For more information about YPHIL, visit www.yphil.org.

By

Laura Thompson

www.loralia.com