The Program

Haydn: Quartet in G Minor, Op. 74, No. 3, "Rider"
Hindemith: Quartet No. 4, Op. 22
Brahms: Quintet in G Major, Op. 111

The Artists

Hailed by the New York Times as “something extraordinary” and by the Boston Globe for their “fiercely committed performances,” the Parker Quartet has rapidly distinguished itself as one of the preeminent ensembles of its generation. The Parker Quartet began its professional touring career in 2002, and in 2005 sparked international acclaim by winning the Concert Artists Guild Competition as well as the Grand Prix and Mozart Prize at the 2005 Bordeaux International String Quartet Competition in France. Most recently, the Quartet was awarded the prestigious 2009-2011 Cleveland Quartet Award. Given biennially by Chamber Music America, this award honors and promotes a rising young string quartet whose artistry demonstrates that it is in the process of establishing a major career.  Currently the Parker Quartet is in its second season as Quartet-in-Residence with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and they are Artists-in-Residence with Minnesota Public Radio and American Public Media.  For more information on the Parker Quartet visit www.parkerquartet.com.

Violist Kim Kashkashian has established herself as one of the most accomplished artists of her generation.  Inspiring world-wide critical acclaim, she has been hailed byThe San Francisco Chronicle as "an artist who combines a probing, restless musical intellect with enormous beauty of tone."  The New York Times has joined in these accolades, praising her "rich, mellow timbre and impressive artistry."

  Born in Detroit, Michigan of Armenian descent, Kashkashian graduated from the Peabody Conservatory of Music where she studied with Walter Trampler and Karen Tuttle.  She has made guest appearances with the Tokyo, Guarneri and Galimir Quartets and toured with a unique quartet which included violinists Gidon Kremer and Daniel Phillips and cellist Yo-Yo Ma.  She was heard on the PCMS series last season in an all-Armenian program with Tigran Mansurian and Robyn Schulkowsy.  Kim Kashkashian's extensive teaching activities has included professorships at the University of Indiana, Bloomington and at Conservatories in Freiburg and Berlin, Germany. In September 2000, she began teaching viola and chamber music at the New England Conservatory in Boston.