Carpe Diem String Quartet
Bookings in Great Lakes states only
“The young Carpe Diem Quartet really sells these pieces. They help persuade me that Taneyev just might be the most underrated composer of the late 19th century.”
Lawson Taitte, The Dallas Morning News
“This performance was distinctive and well conceived. An unexpected, introverted reading of the first movement of the Shostakovich, with its dark colors, gave way to the nostalgia heard in the second movement, which was played with special care and attention, as if it were something that could be broken easily, and the chemistry between the musicians made this movement unforgettable.”
Dina Lentsner, Classical Music in Columbus
“It’s obvious from the inventive program that Carpe Diem has committed itself to forging a unique Identity.”
Mark Striker, Detroit Free Press
“I would like to convey to all of you, the members of the Carpe Diem String Quartet, my most sincere congratulations for a stellar performance of my fourth String Quartet. It was a wonderful experience: this was quartet playing of the highest caliber, my work receiving a virtually perfect performance. Carpe Diem plays with a keen attention to detail, and with and through that gets to the deepest expressive essence of the music.”
Gunther Schuller, Composer
ALSO SEE:
PRESS KIT
BIOS & PRESS
REPERTOIRE
SAMPLE PROGRAMS
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
PHOTO 1
PHOTO 1 B&W
PHOTO 2
PHOTO 2 B&W
AUDIO
PRIMAVERA PORTEÑA
ASTOR PIAZZOLLA
STILLWATER GORGE
KORINE FUJIWARA
DANCING ON MY GRAVE
WOLOSOFF
CZARDAS
THE SIMPSONS THEME
Carpe Diem String Quartet, in residence at Ohio Wesleyan University, is an exciting group that has captured the imagination of audiences, the respect of critics, and is becoming one of the most versatile ensembles of their generation. Carpe Diem has earned critical acclaim with innovative programs, electrifying performances, and a passion for audience engagement.
This season, Carpe Diem continues several ambitious projects, including a newly completed recording of “Songs without Words” written expressly for Carpe Diem by composer Bruce Wolosoff. These energetic, refreshing and accessible pieces are based on popular music, and will be available in 2009. Carpe Diem continues its project of recording the nine string quartets of Sergey Taneyev on the Naxos label. The first CD of this series was selected for the 51st Grammy Awards Entry List (2009) in four categories: Best Classical Album, Best Chamber Music Performance, Best New Artist, and Best Engineered Album-Classical. The quartet continues its collaboration with Columbus Dance Theater, and their joint project "The String Machine," was aired by WOSU-PBS television through 2007-2008. Carpe Diem has created an exciting program with international Accordion and Bandoneon performer Peter Soave, "¡Viva Piazzolla!” This program was featured in June 2008 at the prestigious Fontana Music Festival. This season, Carpe Diem is launching a dynamic new concert series in Columbus called “Seize the Music.”
The quartet is committed to changing the concert experience of chamber music. Using innovative programming, thematic concerts, and popular music for younger generations, cameras and video to assist in the visual presentation, as well as speaking from the stage to better engage the audience, Carpe Diem is bringing new audiences into the concert hall and revitalizing the chamber music recital.
The quartet, violinists Charles Wetherbee and John Ewing, violist Korine Fujiwara and cellist Diego Fainguersch, is dedicated to music education and outreach, and regularly performs educational programs specifically designed to relate to students of all ages and establish classical music's relevance to their lives. Their concerts are interactive and hands-on for the students, and relate to core academic classes. Carpe Diem is launching two new programs, MusicCare, and Music Goes to School, that will enable Carpe Diem to bring music to everyone in the Central Ohio area, regardless of their means or circumstances. All of Carpe Diem’s concert tours are paired with outreach and educational activities.
Carpe Diem champions the music of living composers, and has premiered and given first Mid-West performances of works by Osvaldo Golijov, Nicholas Maw, Donald Harris, Gunther Schuller, Ken Fuchs, Clancy Newman, Andre Hajdu, Jonathan Leshnoff, Carter Pann, Bruce Wolosoff, Kevin Putts, Richard Smoot, William Thomas McKinley, Danny Elfman, Frank Bennett, Korine Fujiwara, and Eric Sawyer, among others.
