As part of the Westport Arts Center's chamber music series, the eminent Shanghai Quartet will perform at Westport's Saugatuck Congregational Church on Saturday evening June 6, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. This concert which honors the memory and achievements of Heida Hermanns Holde, features string quartets by Joseph Haydn, Claude Debussy, and the new Krzysztof Penderecki String Quartet No. 3, "Leaves from an Unwritten Diary."
The 25 year old Shanghai Quartet is known for their innovative performances which combine traditional Chinese folk music with the standard works from the European repertory. They have marked their quarter of a century birthday with commissions from composers Chen Yi, Krzysztof Penderecki, and jazz pianist Dick Hyman. Their tours have taken them to New York, London, Vienna, Prague, Sydney, etc. Their versatility is evident in the variety of media projects they have pursued including the soundtrack and a cameo appearance in Woody Allen's 2005 film Melinda and Melinda with the Bartok Quartet No. 4, appearances on PBS's Great Performances and interviews and demonstrations on National Public Radio. Additionally, they work as the "Ensemble-in-Residence" at Montclair State University and as visiting professors at the Shanghai Conservatory and the Central Conservatory in China.
Russell Platt, composer, senior music editor of The New Yorker and curator of the chamber music series, will give a pre-concert talk at 7:30 pm with the musicians.
