The UCalgary String Quartet celebrates its 30th anniversary
By Sweta Babladi, November 6 2024—
The UCalgary String Quartet, the university’s quartet-in-residence since 1995, will be celebrating its 30th anniversary with an emotionally stirring and diverse performance on Friday, Nov. 8. The concert is part of the university’s Faculty and Friends Concert Series featuring special guest pianist Dr. Jani Parsons, and will be taking place in the Eckhardt-Grammatté Hall at 7:30p.m.
The quartet has a prestigious history, having performed across the country and overseas. They have been featured on radios on broadcasts, including CBC Radio, Radio Europa and the National Radio of Portugal. In Calgary, they are renowned for having performed all of the string quartets written by Beethoven, Shostakovich and Bartok, and often feature works by Canadian and other underrepresented composers.
Each year, the second violin position in the quartet is given to an outstanding student violinist in UofC’s music division. Isaac Willocks, who is in his final year studying violin performance, is also celebrating his fourth season as the second violinist in the string quartet. He will be performing alongside esteemed members of the music faculty including his violin professor Edmond Agopian, as well as violist Dean O’Brien and cellist Beth Root Sandvoss.
For Willocks, being a member of the UCalgary String Quartet is one of the most challenging yet rewarding opportunities he has experienced as a young artist.
“Before joining the quartet, I was content to hide in the background. I had a lot to learn in terms of taking the limelight as a performer and learning about the sensitivities of chamber music. In the quartet, I am both a soloist as well as a musician who is in dialogue with my fellow musicians. Being in such an incredible chamber group alongside professional musicians forced me to develop confidence very rapidly,” said Willocks.
Chamber music features a kind of charm and intimacy as a result of working so closely in a small group of musicians who are not led by a director, as is the case in large ensembles. The basis of successful chamber playing is communication and a keen hyper-awareness of the larger musical idea at all times.
“Every last detail matters when working in a quartet such as this one. We talk about shifts in color or mood, layering and texture, and all of these details create a story in the end that is unique to that particular group of musicians. What is even more special is that no two performances, even within the same quartet, are the same. You just go with whatever happens on stage.” Willocks said.
On Friday night, the UCalgary String Quartet will be displaying a diverse array of compositions, staying true to their goal of honoring the great composers of the past while also exposing the audience to culturally-defining work by contemporary Canadian composers.
One of the featured pieces of repertoire for the night is the Piano Quintet, Op. 57 by Dmitri Shostakovich. Being a titan of chamber music for strings and piano, this work has captured the hearts of audiences throughout the last century for its introspective way of portraying longing for better days and nods to themes such as youthfulness. They will also be performing Johannes Brahms’ String Quartet Op. 51, No. 1, another monumental work with novel rhythmic ideas and similarly moving melodies. According to Willocks, this repertoire will have personal meaning to every individual in the audience, regardless of the extent of their musical background.
“The contemporary Canadian music we have chosen, called ‘Victims of Eagles’ by Elizabeth Raum, so seamlessly salutes the past with a unique modern touch. It has a majestic feel with a hint of Beethoven, which I think is sure to catch the audience’s ears. But even when you look at the classics that we will be performing – Shostakovich and Brahms – there is a reason these are so popular and well-received,” Willocks said.
“You do not need any background in music to be emotionally drawn to these works. People who have never experienced chamber music come up to me after performances to tell me about how they felt as though the music was written for specific moments and experiences within their own life. That is why it is so close to my heart.”
This concert is part of the Claim Your Seat program. UCalgary students receive free tickets and there are discounts available for school employees, alumni, high school students and seniors. More information on the concert and other events can be found on the School of Creative and Performing Arts website.