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Our 2008--2009
Past Seasons: |
The St. Lawrence String Quartet
The ensemble regularly delivers traditional quartet repertoire, but is also passionately committed to performing and expanding the works of living composers. Among those with whom the St. Lawrence Quartet currently has active working relationships are R. Murray Schafer, Osvaldo Golijov, Christos Hatzsis, Jonathan Berger and Melissa Hui. The long awaited initial recording of the St. Lawrence Quartet, Schumann's First and Third Quartets, was released in May 1999 to great critical acclaim. The CD, first in a series with EMI Classics, received the coveted German critics award, the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik, as well as Canada's annual Juno Award, granted by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences for "Best Classical Album: Solo or Chamber Ensemble." BBC Music Magazine gave the recording its "highest rating," calling it the benchmark recording of the works. In October of 2001, EMI released their recording of string quartets of Tchaikovsky. In 2002 the EMI released their recording Yiddishbbuk featuring the chamber music of the celebrated Argentinean-American composer Osvaldo Golijov. Continuing their close relationship with Mr. Golijov, the quartet will lead an ensemble for the west coast performances of his ground breaking work, La Pasión Según San Marcos. The St. Lawrence Quartet is Ensemble in Residence at Stanford University. In addition to teaching in the Department of Music the group is deeply committed to bringing music to less traditional venues than the classroom or concert hall. |
The St. Lawrence String Quartet, consisting of violinists Geoff Nuttall and
Barry Shiffman, violist Lesley Robertson, and cellist Chris
Constanza, began in Toronto in 1989. The group enjoyed mentoring with the
Emerson, Tokyo and Juilliard String Quartets. Since winning the Banff International
String Quartet Competition and Young Concert Artists Auditions in the early
90's the quartet has visited many North America's music festivals, including
Aspen, Norfolk, Tanglewood, Spoleto USA, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, Mostly
Mozart in New York, and the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival.