ENSO STRING QUARTET

Friday – April 20, 2012 – 7:30 PM
Healdsburg Community Church
Free admission

The much sought-after Enso String Quartet will present Russian River Chamber Music’s 2011-12 season finale concert on Friday, April 20, 7:30 p.m. at Healdsburg Community Church (1100 University Street). The concert will be preceded at 7:00 by an informal interview with members of the quartet and RRCM artistic director Gary McLaughlin.

Founded in 1999 at Yale University and now based in New York City, the Enso Quartet has quickly emerged as one of the country’s most accomplished young ensembles. They are recipients of two Grammy nominations— the most recent in 2010 for “Best Chamber Music Performance” (Naxos, works of Ginastera). International critics claim the quartet’s “jaw-dropping prowess” and “edge-of-the-seat vitality.”

The Quartet will perform a wonderfully diverse program of works by Boccherini (Quartet in G minor, Op. 32 No. 5), Benjamin Britten (String Quartet No. 2), and Edvard Grieg (Quartet No. 1 in G minor, Op. 27). ADMISSION IS FREE with donations gladly accepted.

The ensemble’s name, Enso, derives from the Japanese Zen painting of the circle which represents perfection and imperfection, the moment of chaos that is creation, the emptiness of the void, the endless circle of life, and fullness of the spirit.

Following the performance will be a gala reception for the artists and RRCM members at Just For You Gallery on the Healdsburg Plaza featuring local wines, noshes, and a celebratory nod to RRCM’s achievement of presenting 20 seasons of top-flight chamber music performances for North Bay audiences.

“. . . an edge of the seat vitality that few groups maintain throughout a performance.” - Houston Chronicle

“. . . playing of jaw-dropping prowess . . . they are clearly bound for greatness.” – Musicweb International

Enso Quartet press kits are downloadable at www.ensoquartet.com.