Ryan Tarinelli | rawr reviews
Title: Linden String Quartet arrives on campus
The Auditorium Chamber Music Series continued Jan. 17 as the Linden String Quartet played a concert at the University of Idaho’s Administration Auditorium. The Linden String Quartet is the third chamber ensemble to play at UI with the Auditorium Chamber Music Series.
The Cleveland-based string quartet started playing together in the spring of 2008 at the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM) while completing their master’s degrees. In four years the quartet established a resounding reputation for its clarity and interpretation of notable chamber pieces throughout classical music community. The quartet has had major success in classical music competitions throughout the country, winning the grand prize at the acclaimed Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, first prize at the Hugo Kauder Competition, and recently being awarded the A.N Pearl G. Barnett fellowship in 2011.
The Linden String Quartet is made up of four remarkable musicians who found success at a young age. Playing first violin is Sarah McElravy, on second violin is Catherine Cosbey, on viola is Eric Wong, and playing cello is Felix Umansky.
All of the musicians have compiled impressive résumés and preformed in a wide array of ensembles since they graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Music. McElravy has performed as a soloist with international orchestras such as the Pulawy Festival Orchestra in Poland and the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Orchestra in Canada. Cosbey is a member of the Canton Symphony in Ohio, and has preformed in chamber ensembles throughout the U.S., Iceland, and Canada. Wong has won multiple solo competitions including the Lima Symphony Young Artists competition and the Ohio Viola Society competition. Umansky is currently a member of CityMusic Cleveland and was the former cellist for the Vesuvius Quartet in Cleveland.
In addition to being successful performers, the quartet also enjoys teaching and mentoring younger chamber ensembles. During its visit to UI, the quartet taught music students and gave master classes at the Lionel Hampton School of Music.
The repertoire for the Linden Quartet shows a variety of pieces from across the spectrum of musical history. The quartet often performs pieces by legendary classical composers like Hayden and Beethoven, romantic pieces by Schubert and Schumann, and twentieth century pieces like Joaquin Turina’s “La Oracion Del Torero.” The quartet also preforms modern twenty first century pieces like Kelly Marie Murphy’s “Dark Energy” and Jeffrey Mumford’s “The Promise of the Far Horizon.”
Delighting audiences throughout the country with its fresh interpretation of string quartet classics and skillful musicianship, the Linden String Quartet has a bright future ahead of it.