Taos School of Music: Borromeo String Quartet

Taos School of MusicBorromeo String QuartetSUN, June 21, 5pm
An evening of chamber music brilliance awaits, with a toast celebrating the season opening to follow. 
 
The celebrated Borromeo String Quartet returns with a program that moves from youthful Beethoven to the soulful lyricism of Florence Price, culminating in one of the most beloved works in the chamber music repertoire: Dvořák’s radiant Piano Quintet No. 2. Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 1 in F Major bursts with wit, elegance, and dramatic fire, revealing the young composer already pushing the boundaries of the classical quartet. Florence Price’s Five Folk Songs in Counterpoint brings warmth, beauty, and profound originality, weaving familiar melodies into a rich and deeply expressive tapestry. After intermission, the Borromeo Quartet is joined by acclaimed pianist Robert McDonald for Dvořák’s Piano Quintet No. 2 in A Major, a work overflowing with lyricism, folk-inspired energy, and irresistible joy. Join us for an extraordinary evening where tradition, imagination, and musical storytelling come vividly to life.

Program
Beethoven String Quartet No. 1 in F Major, Op. 18, No. 1
Florence Price 5 Folk Songs in Counterpoint
–––
Dvorak Piano Quintet No. 2 in A Major Op. 81
joined by pianist Robert McDonald
 
About Borromeo String Quartet
 
'Simply the best.' - Boston Globe
 
The visionary performances of the Borromeo String Quartet have established them as one of the most important string quartets of our time. “They probe and analyze from every angle until they discover how to best unveil the psychological, physical, and spiritual states that a great piece of music evokes. They’re champions of new music…but they also thrive on making the old classics sound vital and fresh,” said Cathy Fuller, Classical New England host on WGBH radio. She continued, “To hear and see them perform has always felt to me like taking a private tour through a composer’s mind.” The Borromeo have been trailblazers in the use of laptop computers for reading music. This method allows them to perform entirely from 4-part scores and also composer’s manuscripts, a revealing and transformative experience that they now teach to students around the world. 
 
The Quartet has received many awards throughout their illustrious career, including Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Career Grant and Martin E. Segal Award, and Chamber Music America’s Cleveland Quartet Award. They won the Young Concert Artists International Auditions and top prizes at the International String Quartet Competition in Evian, France.