Calling all Friends of Artaria

In our last issue, we recounted the story of the creation of Artaria back in Beantown in the 1980's. Over the years there has been a strong desire to organize a supportive web of friends that aid and abet the many projects that the ASQ undertakes. Some of those projects include the Artaria Chamber Music School, founded in 2001, Stringwood Summer Chamber Music, a two-week camp now in it's eighth summer, and Winterstrings Adult Chamber Music Retreats. The latest addition to the family is the Saint Paul String Quartet Competition, which is garnering national attention in only it's third year.

The Friends of Artaria have asked us to announce that they are up and running and have already begun to help further the ASQ's performance and educational initiatives.

As the end of 2007 approaches, now is your chance to make something happen with a tax-deductible donation to the Friends of Artaria. If you are among those who appreciate the transformative power chamber music can have in the lives of those who perform it and for those who hear it, and have the means and desire to contribute to our endeavors here in the Twin Cities and further, please consider giving any dollar amount.

Contact Peter Dahlen, President of the Labor Arbitration Institute and Secretary of the Friends of Artaria Board, at (507) 581-6483 or send an email to pdahlen@laborarb.com, to discuss ways you can support Artaria's projects and with any ideas you would like considered for the Minnesota music community.

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ARTARIA Upcoming Performances:

December 13 - Artaria String Quartet and the young Saltarello Quartet perform Barber, Mozart and Holiday favorites at Episcopal Homes 490 East Lynnhurst Ave in St Paul. 7:00-8:00pm. Free.

December 14 - Artaria Chamber Music School Winter Concert at Episcopal Church of St John the Evangelist, 60 Kent St in St Paul. 7:00pm. Refreshments to follow. Free.

December 27 - SWITCHEROO 2007 @ Episcopal Church of St John the Evangelist, 60 Kent St in St Paul. 7:00 - 11:00pm. Chamber music party for current ACMS students, alumni, and friends.

January 19, 2008- ASQ Winterstrings concert at Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center in Lanesboro, MN following 5:30pm "Dinner on the Bluff". Concert at 8:30pm. Contact Eagle Bluff at 1-888-800-9558 for reservations.

February 28 - ASQ performs on the Schubert Club Noontime Courtroom Concert Series @ Landmark Center, downtown St Paul. Free.

February 29 - Mary Ellen Haupert, piano and ASQ Leap Concert in the Recital Hall at Viterbo University in La Crosse, WI. 7:30pm. Works by Mozart, Dvorak and Shostakovich. Tickets in advance and at the door. Contact Mary Ellen Haupert for details (608) 796-3770.

March 2 - Artaria @ Sundin Hall Concert Hamline University. 1531 Hewitt Avenue in St. Paul, MN. 4:00 pm. Guest artist Tanya Remenikova. $15 and $5 for students (Hamline students are free). Tickets and information available by calling the box office 651-523-2459 (Visa/Mastercard).

For more detailed information see our webpage.

News "bits"

Did you know that adult chamber musicians can now receive weekly coachings by members of the Artaria String Quartet? A new program got underway this fall through the efforts of violinist Lisa Berman and the St Barnabas Center for the Arts in Plymouth. This exciting new initiative, dubbed Artaria Northwest, will present its inaugural concert on Sunday December 16th at 2:00pm at St Barnabas Lutheran Church, 15600 Old Rockford Rd, Plymouth. Admission is free and a reception will follow. For more information about the coaching program call 763-553-3083 or visit www.sbcalive.org.

ACMS quartets have been busy doing community service this fall, with two of our award-winning groups performing for Sunday morning services at St John's Episcopal Church and for senior citizens at the Episcopal Homes. Thank you to the Melanzana Quartet (Evan Vicic, Katherine Williamson, Erin Gallagher, and Paul Leger) and the Saltarello Quartet (Myra Hinrichs, Maddy Martin, Tara Makhtari, and Adrianne Ngam).

Winterstrings takes place January 18-20, 2008. This year's schedule will again include a special performance by the Artaria String Quartet following a gourmet "Dinner on the Bluff". Adult participant quartets will receive intensive coaching on repertoire prepared in advance, and will perform a Sunday morning concert for the Eagle Bluff community. If you'd like to join us as a participant or just to partake in great music, gourmet meals, and wonderful comaraderie, then go to the Winterstrings site to fill out an application and join us for a memorable weekend in January.

'08 Looking Good for Chamber Music Competitions

The Finals of the 3rd annual Saint Paul String Quartet Competition will be held in Sundin Hall at Hamline University from 2-5pm on April 19, 2008. SPSQC is open to high school string quartets from anywhere in the U.S. with cash prizes totaling over $2000. This year's competition will be judged by the Arianna String Quartet.

First round tapes are due on March 1, 2008 and must include three selections. The updated website contains all the rules and requirements, as well as contact information and the application form.

The Rochester Chamber Music Society has announced their chamber music competition for 2008. The competition will be held on March 8, 2008 at 7:30pm and is open to musicians grades 9 through 12. For more details about this event, visit their website www.rochesterchambermusic.org.

 2007

It's that time of year again when the ACMS quartets have hung their stockings by the chimney and await the once a year free-for-all chamber music soiree extraordinaire. This is the evening when rabid ACMSer's and alumni get together for the sole pleasure of reading new pieces and rediscovering old favorites as well as hanging out with new and old friends.This year's 5th annual Switcheroo will not only include loads of chamber music sight-reading and mix and match ensembles (bring friends who have music and a stand), it will also feature our annual brownie bake-off and fruit juicer refresher course. Artaria will provide at least one juicer machine (they're fun and easy to use). Make your favorite brownie recipe and bring a bag of fruit (or veggies). The goal is to see who makes the best brownies, period. Oh yes, and there will also be plenty of pizza and plenty of music.

Join us Thursday night, December 27th, from 7:00 - 11:00pm for the Twin Cities' biggest and best 2007 Switcheroo at St. John's.

Need directions? Google 60 Kent Street in St. Paul, Minnesota 55118

Shop Talk

Column by Nancy Oliveros

Me, Interested in Chamber Music?

Recently, I've begun to ponder this obsession I have with playing and teaching chamber music. Why do I find it necessary to devote so many of my waking hours to the study and performance of string quartets? Why do I feel the need to bug perfectly normal teenagers and nice well-mannered adults with my personal interpretation of great masterpieces I am still trying to understand myself?

For some reason, I keep going back to the beginning of it all; those ancient times of early childhood when I would sit under the piano in my family's living room as my father lovingly caressed the keys and coaxed beautiful tunes off the pages of well-worn music after putting in a long hard day as a design draftsman. He was self taught and always played songs with words that I could join in singing like Sweet Adeline and Take Me Out to the Ballgame. Those days were spent singing harmony in front of the hallway mirror with my older sister, Mary Beth, then graduating to violin and cello duets after we received our first instruments. By the time I was eight years old, we were eagerly playing piano trio arrangements with our older brother, Dick, and entertaining our parents' card club whenever they met at our house.

Sundays were spent singing at Mass, in Latin, and having the special treat of playing in the family orchestra for Christmas and Easter. By the time I reached high school I was doing the usual things young musicians do: playing in the school orchestra, travelling 3 hours each Saturday to Madison, WI to participate in the Wisconsin Youth Symphony, and filling in at the back of the violin section in the La Crosse community orchestra.

But my best times were when my sister and I would get the duets out and sightread our way through them. As music majors in college, we replaced our brother, who had switched to string bass, with a sympathetic pianist who put up with our midnight rehearsals and dueling metronomes. Together we put on our own trio recitals each semester, under the supervision of my sister's wonderful cello teacher, and played our way through Beethoven, Ravel, Schubert, Rachmaninoff, Mendelssohn, and the mind-stretching Ives with abandon.

When I finally left home for the Aspen Music Festival, I didn't realize how much a part of me chamber music was. It was exciting to be in the big orchestra and all, but my first coaching in my string quartet felt like being home. As I have made my way through graduate school and my professional life, I have always felt most "at home" when playing and teaching chamber music. My mentors recognized this, and encouraged me to follow the chamber music path.

Today, when I sit in rehearsals and concerts with my esteemed quartet colleagues, I feel blessed to be "at home" even at work, and when I am coaching, I am thankful for the opportunity to pass on my passion for one of my life's most profound pleasures: chamber music.

Feedback

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Thank you for your present interest and past support of the Artaria String Quartet. If you would rather not receive our newsletter, send an e-mail to music@artariaquartet.com and type "no newsletter please " in the Subject line.