Hailed for their “ravishingly beautiful tone” as well as their “extraordinary technical skills and musicianship” the members of the New Orford String Quartet are all principal players in the Montreal and Toronto Symphony Orchestras. First appearing as guests of Chamber Music in Oklahoma in the final concert of the 2014-15 season the ensemble returned to offer the season opening Founder’s Concert for the Chamber Music Society now marking 58 years of performances. Presented on Sunday, October 29th at Christ the King Catholic Church in Oklahoma City, the New Orford String Quartet opened the concert with a work written for them by Montreal composer Uriel Vanchestein, and offered this season as Canada marks its 150th anniversary of confederation. The ensemble also performs the Quartet in F Major by Maurice Ravel and the Quartet in a minor, Op 51, No. 2 by Johannes Brahms, their recording of both Op 51 quartets on Bridge Records winning a Juno Award just this past Spring.
Working on an atypical model inspired by the project-by-project success of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, the quartet members join together for limited touring schedules and residencies in various centers for short periods of time, providing a fresh perspective on interpretations of standard string quartet repertoire. The New Orford String Quartet is also dedicated to promoting Canadian works, both new commissions and neglected repertoire from the previous century.
This program airs on Saturday, 11/25, 8pm on Classical 88.7 HD-1.