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July 13 Concert at Saint John’s On The Lake CLOSED to the general public

Given the continued uncertainty of the COVID pandemic, we have decided to close the Saint John’s On The Lake concert the afternoon of July 13 to registration by the general public. Although COVID is in more of an “endemic” phase now, the virus is still spreading at a high rate throughout Milwaukee County. 13% of tests reported are positive. (5% has been considered a meaningful threshold.) Symptoms are increasingly unlikely to predict whether someone, even vaccinated, is carrying the virus.

A senior community such as Saint John’s needs to be able to carefully monitor COVID incidents because of the high vulnerability of some residents, even though vaccines and other precautions have helped to manage that threat.

Preview the July Festival Highlights!

The Fine Arts Quartet offers its 2nd community-sponsored Summer Festival this July in Milwaukee. The Festival will feature chamber versions of W.A. Mozart’s piano concertos.
Late in the 19th century, Ignaz Lachner wrote a chamber ensemble reduction of most of the Mozart piano concertos. Leaving the original piano part intact, Lachner transcribed the orchestra part for a quintet – two violins, viola, cello, and double bass. The addition of the double bass to the standard quartet offers a wider pitch and dynamic range. The string accompaniment creates a more transparent texture, offering fresh insights into Mozart’s works.

Milwaukee Symphony bassist Andrew Raciti will join the Quartet.

The Lachner chamber versions had been rarely performed until gifted Israeli pianist Goldstein worked with the Fine Arts Quartet to revisit the works. Naxos has recorded their performance of Mozart’s Piano Concertos Nos. 20, 21, 23 and 24. They performed them for Milwaukee audiences in 2014 and 2016.
Continuing this project, Alon Goldstein will join the Fine Arts Quartet at Saint John’s On The Lake to perform Mozart’s Piano Concertos Nos. 9 and 17. They too will be released by Naxos.

As Lachner had not transcribed Mozart’s concerto for two pianos, No. 20, K.365. Cliff Colnot, a composer on the faculty of Roosevelt University in Chicago has now addressed that gap. A friend of the Fine Arts Quartet, he has dedicated the work to them. The Quartet will offer a world premiere performance on July 18 at the Zelazo Center. Duo-pianists, Giselle and Fabio Witkowski, will perform. They appeared individually at last year’s Milwaukee Festival.

On July 11, the Prometheus Trio pianist Stefanie Jacob will provide an overview of Mozart’s Piano Concertos in a discussion and listening session as a guest of the on-going Listening Together series offered at Saint John’s On The Lake.

The first Festival concert, on July 12, features a rarely played String Sextet by Dvořák. Milwaukee Symphony violist Alejandro Duquee and cellist Scott Tisdel join the Quartet for this performance.

July, 2019 Ticketing Policies

To lower costs, the concert will not use the Zelazo box office for Zelazo concerts. The audience will be offered general seating as the doors open at about 2:40 p.m.

The Steering Committee of the Friends of the Fine Arts Quartet and members of the Fine Arts Quartet have strongly supported offering concerts at no charge. The participation of 140 community members in the 2018 campaign seemed to demonstrate broad support and yet cover all 2018 Festival costs. The process is being extended to 2019 concerts.

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The Fine Arts Quartet lives!
Their return to Milwaukee depends upon you.
For 55 years, the Fine Arts Quartet has performed in Milwaukee contributing to the cultural life of our city. As university support ends, private funding is needed for the Quartet to continue performances in Milwaukee. The Friends of the Fine Arts Quartet are leading a campaign to finance a Festival in June.

We invite you to contribute to the inaugural season of the community-sponsored Fine Arts Quartet series. We are thrilled to announce that the Quartet will perform at the UW-Milwaukee Zelazo Center on June 15 and 17! We will announce additional events as June approaches.

We are raising the funds to cover the costs of staging the June 2018 Festival concerts. The concerts will be free to the public.

The future of the Fine Arts Quartet remains solid. In February, violist Gil Sharon and cellist Niklas Schmidt joined the Quartet. Each brings extensive, impressive credentials as chamber music performers on the international scene. As frequent guest artists with the Fine Arts Quartet, they share the unique musical vision of the Quartet. In fact, the Quartet has already been engaged for twenty-four concerts around the world into 2019.

Saint John’s on the Lake is partnering with the Fine Arts Quartet in the Festival. They have created an account to receive funds for the events. Contributions to the Saint John’s on the Lake – Fine Arts Quartet Festival Fund are tax-deductible.

All of us who have loved the Fine Arts Quartet performances through the years need to step forward to complete the campaign.

The level of funding in 2018 and the breadth of participation will also be critical as we look forward to future Milwaukee concerts of the Fine Arts Quartet in 2019 and beyond.

To donate to the June 2018 Festival:
In addition to commitments from those of you able to become “champions,” 0ur goal is to raise an average of $100 each from 100 friends of the Quartet. Contributions of any amount are appreciated.

Those who contribute $300 or more will be invited to a private event in June.

Contribute $10-99 Value $100-299 Share $300-699
Sustain $700-999 Champion.. $1,000-2,499 Sponsor.. $2,500-5,000
For On-line donations: Go to the Saint John’s on the Lake donation form at https://app.etapestry.com/hosted/SaintJohnsCommunities/OnlineDonation.html

Fill out all relevant information.

On the Saint John’s Foundation site, enter “Fine Arts Quartet Festival” on the Special Project line. You may charge your donation on a credit card at this site.

To mail a contribution: Make out a check to: “Saint John’s on the Lake“, write on the memo line: “Fine Arts Quartet Festival”, and mail it to: Saint John’s, Office of Philanthropy, 1840 N. Prospect Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53202.

Please download the attached donation form to send in with your check or credit card information.

Follow the Fine Arts Quartet – http://Fineartsquartet.com

Follow the Friends of the Fine Arts Quartet campaign http://FOFAQ.org

Email

The Fine Arts Quartet lives!
Their return to Milwaukee depends upon you.
For 55 years, the Fine Arts Quartet has performed in Milwaukee contributing to the cultural life of our city. As university support ends, private funding is needed for the Quartet to continue performances in Milwaukee. The Friends of the Fine Arts Quartet are leading a campaign to finance a Festival in June.

We invite you to contribute to the inaugural season of the community-sponsored Fine Arts Quartet series. We are thrilled to announce that the Quartet will perform at the UW-Milwaukee Zelazo Center on June 15 and 17! We will announce additional events as June approaches.

We are raising the funds to cover the costs of staging the June 2018 Festival concerts. The concerts will be free to the public.

The future of the Fine Arts Quartet remains solid. In February, violist Gil Sharon and cellist Niklas Schmidt joined the Quartet. Each brings extensive, impressive credentials as chamber music performers on the international scene. As frequent guest artists with the Fine Arts Quartet, they share the unique musical vision of the Quartet. In fact, the Quartet has already been engaged for twenty-four concerts around the world into 2019.

Saint John’s on the Lake is partnering with the Fine Arts Quartet in the Festival. They have created an account to receive funds for the events. Contributions to the Saint John’s on the Lake – Fine Arts Quartet Festival Fund are tax-deductible.

All of us who have loved the Fine Arts Quartet performances through the years need to step forward to complete the campaign.

The level of funding in 2018 and the breadth of participation will also be critical as we look forward to future Milwaukee concerts of the Fine Arts Quartet in 2019 and beyond.

 To donate to the June 2018 Festival:
In addition to commitments from those of you able to become “champions,” 0ur goal is to raise an average of $100 each from 100 friends of the Quartet. Contributions of any amount are appreciated.

Those who contribute $300 or more will be invited to a private event in June.

Contribute     $10-99 Value              $100-299 Share              $300-699
Sustain      $700-999 Champion.. $1,000-2,499 Sponsor.. $2,500-5,000
For On-line donations: Go to the Saint John’s on the Lake donation form at   https://app.etapestry.com/hosted/SaintJohnsCommunities/OnlineDonation.html

Fill out all relevant information.

On the Saint John’s Foundation site, enter “Fine Arts Quartet Festival” on the Special Project line. You may charge your donation on a credit card at this site.

To mail a contribution: Make out a check to: “Saint John’s on the Lake“, write on the memo line: “Fine Arts Quartet Festival”, and mail it to:    Saint John’s, Office of Philanthropy, 1840 N. Prospect Ave, Milwaukee, WI  53202.

Please download the attached donation form to send in with your check or credit card information.

Follow the Fine Arts Quartet –  http://Fineartsquartet.com

Follow the Friends of the Fine Arts Quartet campaign   http://FOFAQ.org

On the Road – Fine Arts Quartet an international success

International conquests:
The conspicuous success of the Quartet’s European tours last season, brought enthusiastic re-invitations: a tour in the Netherlands surrounding a concert at the fabulous Amsterdam Concertgebouw April 10, and concerts in Germany and the UK, culminating at Kings Place, London November 22nd.
FAQ will also return to the Casals Festival in Prades, France and the Amalfi Coast Festival in Italy.
ItalylogoThe Quartet have also been invited to hold an international chamber music course, training young professional ensembles in Italy. Five times a year, the Quartet will take up a short residency at the prestigious Accademia Perosi near Torino for intensive chamber music training of young professional string ensembles.

Save the Date for Future Concerts

Plans for Future Milwaukee Concerts:
Final series concert: May 3rd, 2015
 Haydn Quartet Op.33, No.3 “Bird”
Saint-Saens Quartet No.2, Op.153
Schumann Quartet Op.41-1
(The program previously arranged has been postponed to September.)
Save the Dates for the June Summer Series of concerts
Pretalks 6:30  Concert 7:30

SUNDAY, JUNE 1, 2014
Haydn Quartet Op.77-2
Shostakovich Quartet No.7 (1960)
Schumann Quartet Op.41-1

SUNDAY, JUNE 8, 2014
Arriaga Quartet No.3
Bruckner Quartet
Mendelssohn Quartet Op.44-1

SUNDAY, JUNE 22, 2014
With guest pianist Alon Goldstein and bassist Rachel Calin
Haydn Quartet Op.103
Mozart Piano Concerto KV 467
Tchaikovsky Quartet No.2

SUNDAY, JUNE 29, 2014
With guest cellist Alexander Hülshoff and violist Gil Sharon

Mozart Quintet KV 406
Strauss Capriccio
Tchaikovsky Sextet “Souvenir de Florence”

Programs subject to change

See details about reserving tickets at the Peck School of the Arts site

 

 

Ralph Evans describes how the February program came together

Planning the February concert – The Inside Story:

The excellent South African piano duo, Luis Magalhaes and Nina Schumann, were to be on tour in Wisconsin in late January and that presented an unusual and exciting opportunity: why not invite them to play in Milwaukee with the FAQ while they are in Wisconsin so close by? But that created a huge programming challenge: though we had just performed the only quintet ever written for bayan-accordion and string quartet, had any composer ever written a piece for two pianos and string quartet? During my 32 years in the Fine Arts Quartet, I certainly had never heard of any such composition.

I love to do research, so it didn’t take me long to head to various libraries (and the internet, of course) to see what I could find. As it turned out, I found virtually nothing at first for 2 pianos and quartet except for a piece by the American composer Jerome Moss. But my delight at that discovery waned after I listened to a recording of it and found it sounding too commercial. Now, what?

Then, by accident, I stumbled upon an article written about a forgotten composer I had only a vague knowledge of: Jan Ladislav Dussek. He had a fascinating, dramatic life, and though he was acquainted with the celebrities of his time (e.g. Marie Antoinette and a young Napoleon), he, like Caravaggio, had to flee one perilous situation after another. Dussek seems to have been a close friend and musical confidant of his patron, the Royal Highness Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia and therefore, on Oct 9, 1806, the 34 year old Prince was one of the pianists who performed the world premiere of Dussek’s new piano concerto for 2 pianos and orchestra (probably Dussek was the other pianist). The next day, the Prince died in the Battle of Saalfeld fighting against Napoleon’s army. That beautiful concerto is rarely performed nowadays, yet Felix Mendelssohn made his second public performance performing it in 1822 at the age of 13 (perhaps with his pianist sister Fanny), and it has been recorded a few times, notably by the great conductor Sir John Barbirolli in 1960.

In reading about the world premiere performance of the concerto, what especially caught my attention, however, was the revelation that the Prince and presumably Dussek performed with string quartet instead of orchestra. Indeed, the work was first published by Pleyel around 1807 with the title, “Grande Simphonie Concertante pour Deux Forté Piano avec Accompagnement de deux Violons, Alto, Basse”. Here’s a link to a photo of the sheet music cover.

That intrigued me, of course, but I was sure I’d never find the ancient sheet music parts for that original chamber version. But I was wrong! The Biblioteca Nacional de Espana had preserved all but one of those original Pleyel parts in manuscript form, but there was no extant score of the chamber version. Still, we’ve been able to piece together everything we need for our concert Feb 1 – which may, indeed, be the first public performance of the chamber version since the early 19th Century!

Here’s an interesting article on Dussek’s crazy life.

The other works on the program are special, too, although better known. Mozart’s String Quartet K464 in A Major is gorgeous and is one of my favorites. However, it also happens to be one of Mozart’s most sophisticated, complex, and intellectual quartets and therefore, may not be easy for the audience to understand on first hearing. Beethoven, who loved the work and used it as a model for his own A Major quartet Op.18, No.5, apparently told his pupil Czerny that Mozart was saying to the world, “Look what I could produce – if only you were ready for it.”

Finally, I wanted to give the fine duo-piano team a chance to perform one piece without us. Among the choices they offered, I picked John Adams’s minimalist piece for 2 pianos written in 1996 called “Hallelujah Junction”. It should be loud, lively, and a lot of fun to listen to.

We Friends Welcome Help … And New Members

Opportunities to help the Friends:

As we expand the role of the Friends to help the Quartet remain in Milwaukee, we need assistance in several capacities as we plan forthcoming projects. If you have experience with planning events, writing newsletter notes, assisting with publicity, coordinating volunteers, or other skills, we would like to hear from you. Please chat with us at the next concert, or call or write to let us know of your interests.

You may leave a public or private comment on this site. (fofaq.org) or the Friends E-Mail – (friends@fofaq.org) Please tell us about others who should receive this Friends of FAQ newsletter.

You may write to us at the e-mail above or 1800 N. Prospect Ave. 7E Milwaukee, WI 53202
Telephone 414-276-8194