COLLABORATION BRINGS GRAMMY NOMINEES TO CAMPUS
Houston Friends of Music, Shepherd School showcase world's finest chamber music

Office of News and Media Relations
Jessica Stark
Media Relations Specialist
Email: stark@rice.edu



Rice University's Shepherd School of Music hosted the Grammy-winning groups the Ying Quartet and the Turtle Island Quartet for a Houston Friends of Music (HFM) concert on Jan. 22. Both quartets have been nominated for 2007 Grammy Awards.

The Ying Quartet was nominated for best chamber music performance for "Tchaikovsky: Three String Quartets; Souvenir de Florence," which features James Dunham, Rice professor of viola and chamber music, and Paul Katz, former Shepherd School of Music faculty cellist.

Turtle Island was nominated for "A Love Supreme: The Legacy Of John Coltrane" in the category of Best Classical Crossover Album.

In 2006, the quartets won Grammy Awards for their collaboration "4 + Four" as the best classical crossover.

Performing at Rice holds special significance to the Ying Quartet. As members of the Cleveland Quartet, Dunham and Katz worked with the Ying siblings as they emerged as an ensemble at the University of Rochester's Eastman School of Music. When the Cleveland Quartet ended their residency there, the Ying Quartet returned as the young quartet in residence. 

"We're very proud of the Yings," Dunham said. "It's great to have them on campus showcasing their talents with the Turtle Island Quartet. At the Shepherd School, we're happy to make such opportunities available to our students."

Working with the HFM, the Shepherd School continues to make many such opportunities available to students and the community. Last semester, the collaboration brought the Tokyo String Quartet, Miró Quartet, Trio Con Brio Copenhagen and Concertante.

This spring's schedule looks as promising with Cantus performing in February, Florestan Trio in March, and Belcea Quartet and Emerson String Quartet in April.

"We want to bring in the world's finest chamber music to Houston and the Shepherd School," said Ann Fairbanks, HFM president. "It's important for those students to hear the best because that's what they're aiming for."

Each year, the HFM board sifts through 100 or more internationally recognized performing groups and selects nine to perform. In making the final selections, the board tries to strike a balance between bringing back groups that have excited previous audiences and introducing remarkable new groups.

"In our 47 years, we've become a part of the culture in Houston," Fairbanks said. "As we've grown, we've tried to share the experience with the young and aspiring musicians in our community."

HFM provides free tickets for students at most of the colleges and several area high schools and provides master classes by guest artists for selected high school and college music students.

To see how the Ying and Turtle Island Quartets fare at the Grammy Awards, watch CBS at 7 p.m. on Feb. 10.