Cassatt String Quartet Concert

Cassatt String Quartet Concert
Saturday, November 11, 2023 5 – 6PM

On Saturday, November 11, 2023 at 5 pm the award-winning Cassatt String Quartet returns to Bethany Arts Community in Ossining, NY. The quartet includes longtime Ossining resident, violinist Jennifer Leshnower.

The Cassatt String Quartet has performed all over the world since 1985. Their concert program includes a towering masterpiece by Beethoven, alongside great works of our time by living American composers, two of which feature trombonist Haim Avitsur.

For nearly 40 years, the Cassatt String Quartet has performed at venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Tanglewood, and Beijing’s Central Conservatory.

Program
Joan Tower: Trombone Quintet
Victoria Bond: Blue & Green Music (Written for the Cassatt String Quartet)
Adolphus Hailstork: Monuments for trombone and string quartet
Ludwig van Beethoven: String Quartet Op. 18, # 1 in F Major

About Cassatt String Quartet
Hailed for its “mighty rapport and relentless commitment,” the New York City-based Cassatt String Quartet has performed throughout the world for nearly four decades, with appearances at Alice Tully Hall and Weill Recital Hall; Tanglewood Music Center; the Kennedy Center; Théâtre des Champs-Élysées; Centro National de las Artes; Maeda Hall; and Beijing’s Central Conservatory.

Highlights of the Cassatt Quartet’s upcoming season include major performances, premieres, and recordings of works by Tania León, Chen Yi, Mary Kouyoumdjian, Adolphus Hailstork, Joan Tower, Zhou Long, Shirish Korde, Anthony Paul De Ritis, Allen Shawn, and Daniel S. Godfrey; collaborations with Ursula Oppens, David Jackson, Dominique Eade, Eliot Fisk, Doris Stevenson, Magdalena Baczewska, Haim Avitsur, and Kyo-Shin-An Arts; hometown concerts in the New York area, including performances at Cutting Edge Concerts at Symphony Space, Bethany Arts in Ossining, and Bargemusic in Brooklyn; and appearances at Treetops Chamber Music Society, Maverick Concerts, and Music Mountain. The CSQ’s 2023-2024 teaching schedule includes masterclasses and residencies at Texas Tech University, University of Texas Permian Basin, College of the Holy Cross, and Columbia University’s Music Department and Office of the Core Curriculum.

The Quartet’s prolific discography – featured three times in Alex Ross’s “10 Best Classical Recordings” column in The New Yorker – includes over forty recordings, for the Koch, Naxos, New World, Point, CRI, Tzadik, and Albany labels. The CSQ’s playing has been featured on NPR’s “Performance Today,” WGBH Boston, WQXR and WNYC of New York, Canada’s CBC Radio, and Radio France.

The Cassatts are devoted to nurturing young musicians, and have given classes at Columbia, Cornell, Princeton, and Syracuse Universities; the University of Pennsylvania and Bard Conservatory; the American Academy in Rome and the Toho School in Tokyo; and the Bowdoin International Music Festival. The CSQ is in residence annually at the Seal Bay Festival of American Chamber Music in Vinalhaven, Maine; and at Cassatt in the Basin!, an educational residency in West Texas.

Named for the great Impressionist painter Mary Cassatt, the quartet consists of violinists Muneko Otani and Jennifer Leshnower; violist Rosemary Nelis; and cellist Gwen Krosnick.

To learn more about Cassatt String Quartet visit their website at cassattquartet.com

Haim Avitsur is an esteemed trombonist of Israeli-American origin, whose musical journey has been marked by a relentless pursuit of excellence and innovation. From a young age, Avitsur’s fascination with the trombone led him to embark on a path of musical exploration, mastering the instrument with remarkable skill and virtuosity. His performances are imbued with a rare combination of technical prowess and deep emotional expression, captivating audiences around the globe. With a diverse repertoire encompassing classical, contemporary, and world music influences, Avitsur has carved a niche for himself in modern classical music. His half dozen solo CDs stand as a testament to his artistic vision, showcasing his unique interpretations, and are now available on all primary streaming services, making his captivating music accessible to music enthusiasts worldwide.

Photo Credit: Dario Acosta