Quartet Has Valentine’S Day Present
Romance and music go hand in hand. And music does not come more romantic than the works of Frederic Chopin.
The Spokane String Quartet plans to celebrate musical romanticism on Valentine’s Day. Guest pianist Tadeusz Majewski will play solo music by Chopin, then will join the quartet for Antonin Dvorak’s Piano Quintet. Majewski also will perform some of Chopin’s shorter works, including nocturnes, waltzes, etudes and mazurkas, concluding with the great Ballade in G minor, Op. 23.
Majewski grew up in Poland, where he made his concert debut in Krakow’s Philharmonic Hall. He graduated from the Chopin Conservatoire with highest honors and won first place in the 1977 Chopin Society Competition in Warsaw. While still a student, he was selected to perform before Pope John Paul II on his return to Poland as pope in 1979. The pianist emigrated to the United States in 1981 and now lives in Minneapolis with his wife, choreographer Julie Mueller, and their two children.
Majewski’s broadcast performances have included several appearances on public radio’s “Live from Landmark Center” and “A Prairie Home Companion.” In 1997, he was awarded the McKnight Artist Fellowship.
He has performed regularly in the Inland Northwest and first played with the string quartet in 1993 and most recently in 1996.
His recordings for Emerald Records include a wide range of solo works by composers from Bach and Rameau to Schumann and Chopin. His recently released “Imagine of Chopin,” which combines music with readings from the composer’s personal correspondence.
The Spokane String Quartet — the quartet-in-residence at Eastern Washington University — consists of Spokane Symphony violinists Kelley Farris and Jane Blegen, violist Karen Walthinsen and cellist John Marshall. Founded in 1979, the group is celebrating its 20th season. The quartet made its New York debut in 1980, toured Europe in 1984 and 1993 and made tours of Europe and the British Isles with the Spokane Area Children’s Chorus in 1996 and 1998.
The Piano Quintet by Dvorak, the finale for Sunday’s romantic program, is one of the most popular works in the chamber music repertoire. Its popularity with players and audiences can be accounted for by Dvorak’s profusion of tuneful melodies and the rhythmic energy of the Czech dances he includes in the piece.
In addition to Majewski’s concert appearance Sunday, he will present a piano master class at EWU. The class is open to the public without charge and will be held Friday at 3 p.m. in the EWU Music Building Recital Hall on the Cheney campus. IN CONCERT String Quartet The Spokane String Quartet will perform Sunday at 3 p.m. at The Met. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and $6 for students, available at Hoffman Music, G&B Select-a-Seat outlets or call (800) 325-SEAT.