Escher String Quartet to perform for Rennolds series

Maya Earls
Spectrum Editor

A 31-year-old VCU concert series continues this week with a new twist; critically acclaimed artists will join for group performances never heard before in the Richmond area.

Directed by VCU Music viola professor Stephen Schmidt, Ph.D., the Mary Anne Rennolds Chamber Concert series continues on Feb. 15 with the Escher String Quartet and guitarist Jason Vieaux. Schmidt said, being a young group, the Escher quartet has made large strides to put themselves on the map.

“It will be the first chance for a lot of people to get to hear what is arguably one of the great, young quartets (in America),” Schmidt said.

Soon after forming in 2005, the quartet was invited to be the artist-in-residence in the Young Artists Programme at Canada’s National Arts Centre and in the Perlman Chamber Music Program on Shelter Island, N.Y. After a lineup change, the current members of the group are Adam Barnett-Hart and Aaron Boyd, violins, Pierre Lapointe, viola, and Dana Johansen, cello. When the residency ended, the quartet set off on multiple tours in  the United States, Europe, Australia and Asia. The quartet was one of BBC’s New Generation Artists for 2010-12, according to its website.

Susanna Klein, violin assistant professor and area coordinator for strings at VCU, said many chamber music groups tend to sound similar after a while. However, Klein said the Escher quartet is one of the few groups that is quickly identifiable because of their uncommon sound.

“If you could do a blind listening test, I think I could pick their sound out, which I really like,” Klein said. “I think it (will be) great for the students to hear a quartet with some real personality.”

Since beginning his studies at the age of eight, classical guitarist Jason Vieaux has performed as a soloist with more than 50 orchestras, according to his website. In 1992, Vieaux was the youngest winner of the Guitar Foundation of America International Guitar Competition. By 1995, he was an Artistic Ambassador of the United States to Southeast Asia.

Schmidt said Vieaux is no stranger to the Richmond music scene, having performed with the Richmond Symphony and the Williamsburg Symphonia. With experience istening to the guitarist perform up-close, Schmidt said Vieaux is one of the top talents in the United States.

“He is arguably one of the most important performing classical guitarists alive today,” Schmidt said.

When he scheduled the Rennolds series, Schmidt said he wanted to move away from the pattern of inviting two string quartets to perform. Because the guitar department brings in artists for their series, Schmidt said he did not want to bring in a solo guitarist. By combining the Escher quartet with Vieaux, Schmidt said audience members will have the chance to hear music never performed in the series.

“We really haven’t programmed any guitar quintets in, at least, as long as I can remember,” Schmidt said. “This year we’ll have highly regarded artists in combinations that we haven’t offered before.”

For those who haven’t been to a live chamber performance, Schmidt said the visual experience is just as important as the combination of different sounds. Audience members can sit anywhere in the Sonia Vlahcevic Concert Hall and still feel like part of the performance, Schmidt said.

“It’s not like sitting in a stadium, trying to see a rock band from hundreds of yards away,” Schmidt said. “You can see the communication, and pick up the subtle cues and musical details of the artists.”

By including a variety of musical guests, Schmidt said he wants to bring in a wider audience to the series. In the case of Vieaux, Schmidt said all genres of guitarists, including jazz and rock, will benefit from the upcoming performance.

“Any guitar player…can appreciate fine guitar playing,” Schmidt said. “I hope the community at large will enjoy seeing this combination of guitar and string quartet from the youngest, best American performers on the scene today.”

Boyd, violinist in the quartet, said performing with guitar is an experience in itself, because the guitar offers a completely different range of sound. Boyd said he wants to involve young people in live classical performances, and students concerned about the price of the concert should email the quartet so the group can try and assist them. After the concert, Boyd said he encourages people to come backstage and speak with the quartet.

“Not many people come backstage, which is unfortunate because I want to hear what they have to say,” Boyd said. “I want to hear what you liked or what you think should be done differently.”

The Escher String Quartet with guitarist Jason Vieaux will perform Feb. 15 at 8 p.m. in the Sonia Vlahcevic Concert Hall at the W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets for the concert are available for $34 through http://arts.vcu.edu/music.

Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Escher String Quartet would open the Rennolds series. The Rennolds series began at the beginning of the 2013-14 school year and will continue this month with Escher String Quartet. The CT regrets this error.