Non-traditional string quartet to perform in Rocky River

Carpe Diem String Quartet will perform selections from a broad range of composers in the March 20 show in Rocky River.

Carpe Diem is not your ordinary string quartet! This boundary-breaking ensemble will present the fifth concert in the Rocky River Chamber Music Society’s 58th season on Monday, March 20, at 7:30 p.m. in the acoustically glorious sanctuary of West Shore Unitarian Universalist Church, 20401 Hilliard Blvd. Members of the quartet are Charles Wetherbee, violin; Amy Galluzzo, violin; Korine Fujiwara, viola; and Carol Ou, cello.  

Carpe Diem’s programming reflects its passion for not only traditional quartet repertoire, but also for Gypsy, tango, folk, pop, rock, and jazz-inspired music. The quartet champions, with fervor, the music of living composers. It has commissioned, premiered, and performed works by a broad spectrum of composers including Frank Bennett, Osvaldo Golijov, Jennifer Higdon, Gunther Schuller and quartet member, Korine Fujiwara. In its March 20 concert, Carpe Diem will perform Ms. Fujiwara’s fiddle suite "Montana," along with Russian composer Sergei Taneyev’s Quartet No. 9 in A major, and Austrian composer Franz Schubert’s “Quartettsatz” in C minor.

Carpe Diem is dedicated to pushing the limits of the classical string quartet and revitalizing the chamber music experience. It has a firm sense of community engagement as shown by its performances in such non-typical concert venues as assisted living and skilled nursing facilities, hospitals, Alzheimer care units, hospice centers, and the Franklin County Juvenile Detention Center.

Based in Columbus where it was founded in 2005, Carpe Diem has performed across the country and in Japan. A glowing 2013 review in the Washington Post called the quartet “extraordinary” and further raved, “Among these contemporary quartets who speak in different tongues, the Carpe Diem is the best one out there.” 

As is true of all concerts presented by the Rocky River Chamber Music Society, there is no admission charge and all are welcome. For further information please visit our website at www.rrcms.org, follow us on Facebook and Twitter, or call 440-333-4296.

Carol Jacobs

Carol Jacobs is a retired archivist, librarian, and curator who resides in Westlake

Read More on Arts & Entertainment
Volume 9, Issue 5, Posted 9:33 AM, 03.07.2017