CASSATT STRING QUARTET

McCULLOUGH THEATRE
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2009, 8:00 P.M.

PROGRAM FEATURES THE
TEXAS PREMIERE PERFORMANCE OF DAN WELCHER’S
QUARTET NO. 3, “CASSATT”

“The Cassatt String Quartet is living proof that an outstanding professional ensemble can survive, succeed, and even triumph playing both contemporary music and classic literature side-by-side.” – Dan Welcher

“…their flawless matching, not just in standard technical matters but in emotional direction, pacing and dramatic flow, elevated everything to the next level.” – Winnipeg Free Press

Hailed as one of America’s outstanding ensembles, the New York City based all-female Cassatt String Quartet has performed throughout North America, Europe, and the Far East to rave reviews. On Thursday, September 17, they bring their musical insight and precision to the McCullough Theatre for a program that includes two pieces by Butler School of Music faculty composer Dan Welcher, including the Texas premiere of Welcher’s Quartet No. 3, “Cassatt.”

Established in 1985 and named for the renowned American impressionist painter Mary Cassatt, this season the Cassatt String Quartet performs for the American Academy in Rome, offers mini-residencies at the Centro National de las Artes in Mexico City, the University of Texas at Austin and at their annual educational residency, Cassatt In The Basin! in Odessa, Texas.

They collaborate with the Syracuse Children’s Choir, premiering an NEA commission and return to Connecticut’s Music Mountain Festival offering an amateur chamber music workshop and Schubert’s Cello Quintet with Marc Johnson of the esteemed Vermeer Quartet. Fall marks the Cassatt’s CD release of quartets by Andy Tierstien and Dan Welcher, including “Cassatt”, inspired by paintings of Mary Cassatt. Both CD’s are on the Naxos label.

Dan Welcher has served on the faculty at the University of Texas at Austin since 1978, creating the New Music Ensemble and serving as Assistant Conductor of the Austin Symphony Orchestra from 1980 to 1990. As a conductor, he has led the premieres of more than 120 new works since 1980. He now holds the Lee Hage Jamail Regents Professorship in Composition at the Butler School of Music, teaching Composition and serving as Director of the New Music Ensemble

The Cassatt String Quartet are Muneko Otani (violin). Jennifer Leshnower (violin), Michiko Oshima (viola) and Nicole Johnson (cello).

McCullough Theatre Program:
Dan Welcher: “Harbor Music,” and Quartet 3, “Cassatt”
Maurice Ravel: String Quartet in F major

There will be a post-performance talkback with the Cassatt String Quartet in the McCullough Theatre.

CALENDAR LISTING

Thursday, September 17, 2009, 8:00 pm – The University of Texas at Austin Performing Arts Center presents the Cassatt String Quartet at the McCullough Theatre (2350 Robert Dedman Dr). A map of the campus: http://www.utpac.org/visit/maps_directions. Tickets ($30 / Limites$10 student tickets / discounted tickets available for UT faculty & staff, seniors and Military) are on sale now at authorized ticket outlets, which include the Bass Concert Hall Box Office, most H-E-B stores and all Texas Box Office outlets, online at www.utpac.org, or by calling (512) 477-6060 or (800) 982-BEVO.

PRESS CONTACT:
Gene Bartholomew
512.471.0632 gbartholomew@utpac.org

Download a PDF (203 KB) copy of the Cassatt String Quartet Press Release