Dover and Daedalus Quartets Participate in PCMS Education Program

Last week, two Philadelphia-based quartets worked with and performed for students before and after their concerts at the American Philosophical Society.

The Daedalus Quartet worked with ensembles from Temple Music Prep, discussing how risk-taking in performance is what gives life to the music. They encouraged the musicians working on Debussy’s String Quartet in G Minor (Op. 10) to not be afraid if their sound is a little raw at times. And as they entered the highpoint of the first movement, the Daedalus showed the students that the full expression of the music doesn’t come without the feeling that things are out of control. They explained that a safe performance is not an interesting one.

The day before their performance, the Dover Quartet visited the Stenton Family Manor to meet residents and participate in the class run by the Weavers Way Community Programs (WWCP). The Quartet connected well with the kids through their music, drawing a captivated crowd as they began playing. They took time to discuss the emotions that Beethoven and Shostakovich invoked and demonstrated extended techniques and sound effects on their instruments. Newsworks was on hand and wrote a nice piece on the event.

The following day, the Quartet traveled out to St. Francis de Sales school (one of Play on Philly’s sites) to work with students. Afterwards, they simulated a rehearsal and took questions about how they work together as a quartet. In response to a question about how they handle disagreements among members, Joel Link said, “It comes down to the fact that we get better because we all are not exactly the same musician. If we hear someone else’s point of view, it forces us outside of our own imagination to realize that it makes sense when we consider it from their point of view. It is a great learning experience. The more we disagree, the more we learn.”

That evening, the Dover Quartet performed for a sold out house and used their concert to raise $2,401 for WWCP. The quartet is a member of Music for Food–a musician-led initiative that raises money and awareness to fight hunger in local communities. Witnessing WWCP’s work of growing and sharing food together with residents at the Manor made them an ideal recipient for this event.