Opening concert marks new direction for local quartet

  • 2015-09-09
As its 26th season gets underway, the Montclair String Quartet has announced a new partnership.

The group, which consists of string players from the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, has paired up with West Virginia State University, near South Charleston.

Having become the quartet in residence at the University, the musicians have already kicked off the fall season with a recital on September 3, followed by a performance at the University of Charleston on September 6. The recital began with Piano Trio No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 67, by Shostakovitch. Victoria Fatu, who happens to be married to Christian Fatu, a violinist and member of the quartet, joined the group on the piano for the Shostakovitch piece and for Piano Quintet No. 2 in A Major, Op. 81 by the composer Dvorak. The recital started with Johan Halvorsen’s Passacaglia for Violin and Viola after Handel’s Harpsichord Suite No. 7 in G Minor.

The schedule for performances for the rest of the season is still being worked out. Once that is in place, the university and quartet could use poster printing to let the public known when upcoming concerts are.

The partnership with the university came at just the right moment for the quartet. According to the Charleston Gazette-Mail, it looked as though it was the end for the group as last season concluded, with it facing budgeting issues. However, the dean of arts and humanities at the university, Dr. Scott Woodard, connected to the quartet and suggested the two parties work together.