If you have never watched the Spokane String Quartet perform before, you should consider making plans to go to their next concert on March 20th at the Bing Crosby Theater in downtown Spokane.
This will be their first Spring concert of the new year and the theme for this show is “On a lark.” They will be playing three pieces by three different composers: “An Exaltation of Larks” composed by Jennifer Higdon, String Quartet in D Major, Op.64 No. 5, “The Lark” composed by Joseph Haydn, and String Quartet in E Minor, “From my Life,” composed by Bedřich Smetana.
Helen Byrne, who plays the cello in the quartet, talked about the music selections for the upcoming concert.
“This concert features more pragmatic works, the first half features “The Lark” by Joseph Haydn, and Jennifer Higdon’s 2005 piece “An Exaltation of larks,” she said.
She noted that there will be a lot of birdlike sounds in those pieces, and considering that spring is the time when birds start becoming more active again, it seems fitting for this concert.
“The second half features Czech composer Smetana’s quartet “From my Life,” which is an autobiographical gem, completed two years after Smetana became completely deaf,” she said. “It describes in sound, elements from his life.”
Byrne also described some parts from the music that she believes the audience will find both touching and delightful.
“I think the high-pitched tinnitus that Smetana experienced, and that he depicts in the quartet, will be very touching for our listeners,” she said. “Whenever we play music from composers who have lost their hearing, it always makes us realize how amazing it is to be able to connect to our world through sound. And the drunken dancing in the second movement is pretty hysterical!”
The Spokane String Quartet is a group of tight-knit individuals who have been performing with each other for years. It features Mateusz Wolski and Amanda Howard-Phillips on the violin, Jeannette Wee-Yang on the viola, and Helen Byrne on the cello. Helen Byrne described how they are able to “read” each other on stage and how they always expect the unexpected.
“We learned how to communicate non-verbally and how to fit our parts together, knowing who is important and what should come out of the texture,” she said. “And even though we rehearse our pieces, there is always some element of surprise in performance – someone will do something unexpected. So part of the fun of seeing and hearing a live concert is watching for those moments of communication between members.”
Being part of the audience can also allow you to see the quiet communication between the quartet members.
“I have friends who enjoy the string quartet concerts not so much because of the music, but because they enjoy seeing the interaction, especially in a venue like the Bing where you can sit quite close (to the stage),” she said.
Byrne encourages people to come see the string quartet perform, not only for the interaction of the quartet members, but also for good music that anyone can enjoy.
“Many of our greatest composers have written their last pieces for the string quartet,” she said. “I think the interplay of just four voices allows them to distill their ideas down to the essential elements, and lets us hear them with greater clarity than with a larger group. So, really great music and vivid communication – what could be better?”
Indeed, you will find many people enjoying the quartet’s music. Students, families, couples young and old, people from all different backgrounds come out to enjoy the Spokane String Quartet’s concerts. There is enthusiasm and joy and many different emotions that people will feel for pieces that the quartet plays, from classical to contemporary.
All are welcomed to enjoy the Quartet, if you have never listened to classical music or don’t think that you will like classical music – or any genre of instrumental music, you should consider seeing a performance by the Spokane String Quartet. You may just find that you hear something so profound to you that it will change your mind. Or maybe you will find you enjoy the energy of the concert and experiencing watching the musicians perform. Whatever that may be for you, you will never know if you don’t go and find out for yourself.
As for future plans for the Spokane String Quartet, they will continue playing old and new pieces, and they enjoy seeing new composers creating music for string quartets.
“The challenge is to make the string quartet matter in today’s music culture, and it is heartening to see so many young composers creating new string quartets,” Byrne said.
The Spokane String Quartet’s upcoming concert is on Sunday, March 20th at 3PM at the Bing Crosby Theater. Tickets are $20 for adults, $16 for seniors, and $12 for students.