Lee University
09/10/2024 | News release | Archived content
Miró Quartet, Shifrin, and Chien to Open String Theory’s 16th Season
String Theory at the Hunter, in partnership with Lee University, will begin its 16th concert season this month, featuring six world-class concerts with 17 of the world's most skilled and sought-after musicians.
"With great excitement, we anticipate String Theory Season 16, filled with returning favorites and memorable debuts," said Dr. Gloria Chien, String Theory founder and artistic director. "It promises to be our most spectacular season to date."
The season, originally set to start on October 1, will now open with a concert on Monday, Sept. 30. The performance will feature legendary clarinetist David Shifrin alongside the esteemed Miró Quartet - comprising Daniel Ching and William Fedkenheuer, violin; John Largess, viola; and Joshua Gindele, cello - joined by Chien, piano. They will come together to perform Brahms' "Clarinet Sonata, Op. 120, No. 2" and Mozart's "Clarinet Quintet."
David ShifrinWinner of both the Avery Fisher Career Grant and the Avery Fisher Prize, Shifrin is in constant demand as an orchestral soloist, recitalist and chamber music collaborator. He has received critical acclaim as a recitalist, appearing at such venues as Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie's Zankel Hall, and 92nd Street Y in New York City, as well as the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
Shifrin joined the faculty at the Yale School of Music in 1987 and was appointed Artistic Director of the Chamber Music Society of Yale and Yale's annual concert series at Carnegie Hall in September 2008. He has also served on the faculties of The Juilliard School, University of Southern California, University of Michigan, Cleveland Institute of Music, and the University of Hawaii.
Miró QuartetThe Miró Quartet is one of America's most celebrated and dedicated string quartets, having been labeled by The New Yorker as "furiously committed" and noted by the Cleveland Plain Dealer for its "exceptional tonal focus and interpretive intensity." For over 25 years, the Quartet has performed throughout the world on the most prestigious concert stages and takes pride in finding new ways to communicate with audiences of all backgrounds while cultivating the longstanding tradition of chamber music. The group has been awarded first prize at several national and international competitions including the Banff International String Quartet Competition and the Naumburg Chamber Music Competition.
Gloria ChienChien, named one of the superior pianists of the year "who appears to excel in everything" (Boston Globe), has had a 21-year relationship with Lee University, where she is currently an artist-in-residence. She serves as the co-artistic director of Chamber Music Northwest in Portland, Oregon, as well as the Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival in Burlington, Vermont, along with her husband, Soovin Kim. In recent seasons she has performed as a recitalist and chamber musician at Alice Tully Hall, the Library of Congress, the Phillips Collection, the Kissinger Sommer festival, and the National Concert Hall in Taiwan. She earned her Doctor of Musical Arts from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, and she is a Steinway Artist.
The series will continue on October 29 with Will Liverman, baritone, and Chien to present a program that explores the lineage of art song from the classical period to today, performing works by Margaret Bonds, Libby Larsen, Gerald Finzi, Franz Schubert, and Harry T. Burleigh.
Returning to String Theory on November 19 is the Danish String Quartet, featuring members Rune Tonsgaard Sørenson, violin; Frederik Øland, violin; Asbjørn Nørgaard, viola; and Fredrik Schøyen Sjölin, cello. The group will perform a dramatic and poignant program, including Caroline Shaw's "Entr'acte" and Schubert's "String Quartet no. 15."
The first concert of 2025 will take place on February 4 with Benjamin Beilman, violin, and Chien. They will present a program inspired by Beilman's storied instrument, including Eugène Ysaÿe's "Solo Sonata No. 3, Ballade"; Chris Rogerson's "Arietta for Violin and Piano"; and César Franck's Violin Sonata.
On March 4, String Theory will welcome Paul Watkins, cello; Alessio, piano; and Chien. Their program will be an exploration of humanity with works including Bach's Cello Suite No. 3, Schubert's "Andantino varié," Rachmaninoff's "Two Pieces for Piano Six Hands," and Beethoven's "Sonata for Cello and Piano No. 5."
The season will conclude on March 25 with the power-house trio of percussionists Ji Hye Jung, Ayano Kataoka, and Ian Rosenbaum. These three artists will perform pieces such as Alyssa Weinberg's "Table Talk," Thierry De Mey's "Musique de tables," and Steve Reich's "Nagoya Marimbas."
All concerts will begin at 6:30 p.m. Prior to each performance, except the October 29 event, String Theory will host "Pregame with Bob," a discussion with Chattanooga Symphony and Opera Director Emeritus Bob Bernhardt. He will dive into the evening's program for an in-depth look at the featured composers and works, occasionally featuring an interview with the artists themselves.
Tickets are available now. Individual concert tickets are $54 for non-members, $42 for Hunter members, and $10 for students and music teachers with ID. Individual tickets can be purchased up until the day of the concert. Season subscriptions are $300 for non-members, $240 for Hunter members, and $60 for students and music teachers. Season subscriptions can be purchased up until the October 1 concert.
To purchase tickets, or for more information, please visit stringtheorymusic.org, contact [email protected], or call (423) 414-2525.