Classics Northwest opens rebrand with Juilliard String Quartet

With the recently rebranded Classics Northwest hosting their first set of official performances this weekend, it seems as if Zuill Bailey’s entire career has come full circle – one that will feature the legendary Juilliard String Quartet in their newest chapter as well.

“The weekend is all about new beginnings,” Bailey said. “Literally, a ‘sound’ investment looking forward.”

Before Bailey would go on to become a Grammy Award-winning cellist and take the reins of what was previously known as Northwest BachFest as artistic director, he was a student earning his master’s degree at the esteemed Juilliard School of Music in New York.

As a student and throughout his storied career, Bailey has found himself performing with and learning from the various members and configurations of the school’s exclusive string quartet that is often deemed one of the world’s finest and a true representative of America in the classical landscape.

“They are the American foundation and American institution of quartets,” Bailey said.

Around the time Bailey took up the position of artistic director at Northwest BachFest and began producing some of the finest musical events in the region, the “old guard” of the Juilliard String Quartet began to retire and find their replacements. Many members of the esteemed quartet remain for decades, so a relatively fresh group of four doesn’t exactly come around very often.

For context, the string quartet was first founded in 1946. Since then, there have only been five first violinists, six second violinists, four violas and four cellists. When second violinist Ronald Copes, a member since 1997, stepped down and was replaced by Leonard Fu in June, it marked a new era for the quartet.

When all the planning finally came together and Bailey saw that Northwest BachFest’s first set of shows as Classics Northwest would be December, he immediately got to work making sure this special crossover happened.

“I just held my breath, and I made phone calls,” Bailey said. “I couldn’t believe that fate played its cards and we were able to get the Juilliard String Quartet in their new incarnation.”

Bailey spent last weekend in New York as he practiced with the quartet, and he couldn’t be more excited to bring such excellence to Spokane and Barrister Winery on Saturday and Sunday – especially considering he will be joining them for Franz Schubert’s iconic String Quintet in C Major, also known as the “cello quintet.”

For Bailey, Classics Northwest is all about celebrating the past while exploring music of the present and future. With a fresh set of musicians of the utmost talent and skill, the Juilliard String Quartet will be helping him do just that.

“They’re all in the middle stages of their careers with great experience but not having been in the quartet for 50 years,” Bailey said. “It’s bringing new perspective, great communication, vibrant, youthful, yet seasoned sounds and conversations and programming.”

It’s a very surreal moment for Bailey, who knows that this special set of performances simply wouldn’t be a reality without both his 13 years with what is now Classics Northwest as well as his time studying at Juilliard 30 years ago, which has turned into his continued relationship with the program.

Now, as two avenues of Bailey’s career and life unite while both turning to new chapters of their own stories, he can only watch in awe as it all falls into place.

“I’m fully aware of the magnitude of these concerts; I’m fully aware of all of the work and the support and the incredible people that have brought Northwest BachFest from the very beginning, over 50 years, to this juncture,” Bailey said. “I will be sitting there just as proud as one could be to have all these stars align and to see what magnificence can be built when the highest of quality is what we’re striving for.”