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2003-2004 HIGHLIGHTS

SANTA FE CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL RELEASES NEW OSQ RECORDING

In October 2004, the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival released a new album featuring the Orion String Quartet performing John Harbison's Quartet No. 4 on Koch International Classics. Additional works include Anton Stepanovich Arensky's Quartet No. 2 in A minor and Alfred Schnittke's Moz-Art for Two Violins, after Mozart K. 416d performed by Todd and Daniel Phillips.

OSQ PROVIDE THE SOUNDTRACK FOR BBC/WNYC MUSIC PARTY

In October 2004, the Orion String Quartet recorded a live performance for The BBC/WNYC Music Party in New York City. A collaboration between the BBC World Service and WNYC New York Public Radio, this special program heard in New York and over 40 countries worldwide features works by Haydn, Beethoven, Ravel, Bartók, Chick Corea and Wynton Marsalis presented in an intimate setting.

CHICK COREA STRING QUARTET PREMIERE

In salute to one of our country's most vital contributions to world music, the Orion String Quartet performs the World Premiere of the legendary pianist's String Quartet at the Santa Fe Music Festival on August 15, 2004. The new work is a co-commission by the La Jolla Music Society and the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival with support from the National Endowment for the Arts. The ensemble will again present the piece on August 18 as part of the La Jolla Music Society's Summerfest.

COLLABORATION WITH OPUS ONE IN NEW YORK & PORTLAND

In May 2004, New York audiences experienced a collaboration between the Quartet and Opus One in two all-Dvorák concerts presented by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. In addition to the New York concerts, the ensembles will again perform pieces by Dvorák in June at Chamber Music Northwest in Portland.

NATIONAL TOUR WITH SANTA FE CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL PREMIERING MARC NEIKRUG'S PIANO QUINTET

In August 2003, the Quartet returned to the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival for five consecutive performances. During March and April of 2004, the group premiered Marc Neikrug's Piano Quintet with the composer in a U.S. tour culminating at New York's Tisch Center for the Arts at the 92nd Street Y. Additional performances included Santa Fe, San Antonio, Sedona and Philadelphia.

OSQ PRESENTS "GIFT OF MUSIC"

On Thursday, January 22, 2004, the Orion String Quartet gave the "Gift of Music" by way of a gala concert to benefit scholarships for young musicians at the JCC Thurnauer School of Music in Tenefly, New Jersey.

Established in 1990 by Drs. Alan and Joan Handler, the Gift of Music Fund is designed to provide scholarship assistance for young people of all ages, races, religions and ethnic origins who wish to study at the JCC Thurnauer School of Music, but cannot afford tuition. This special concert featuring the Quartet culminates the school's annual scholarship fundraising drive.

INDIANA UNIVERSITY RESIDENCY

The Orion String Quartet is renowned for its interpretation of the Beethoven String Quartets through performances of the complete cycle. In October, November 2003 and January 2004, the group showcased its definitive Beethoven interpretations in a three-residency engagement at Indiana University. This in-depth series features six Orion concerts, extensive masterclasses and workshops with music students at the University.

WORLD PREMIERE WITH PETER SERKIN AT ZANKEL HALL

The Quartet continued its relationship with pianist Peter Serkin on September 23, 2003, performing the world premiere of Peter Lieberson's Piano Quintet and the New York premiere of Alexander Goehr's Piano Quintet at the opening festival of Carnegie Hall's Zankel Hall.

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