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OUTER EAR: Spektral Quartet

The quartet proved that they have everything: a supreme technical command that seems to come easily [and] a capacity to make complicated music clear..."—The New York Times

In Spektral Quartet's own words:

"We're amped to be making our debut on the Outer Ear series at Experimental Sound Studio this Spring! ESS was our recording studio of "For those that missed our recent premiere of Hans Thomalla's Bagatellen at the Art Institute, this is your chance to dive into this incandescent piece. Speaking of transportive music, Arvo Pärt's Fratres is basically a get-out-jail-free card for any missed meditation sessions. Rounding out the program is a brand new, beautifully evocative commission from Mikel Kuehn, the Italo Calvino-inspired String Quartet No. 1 "If on a winter's night...""

Since its inception, the Spektral Quartet has sought out the discourse between the great works of the traditional repertoire and those written this decade, this year, or this week. Creating connections across centuries, the group further invites its listeners in with charismatic deliveries, interactive concert formats, an up-close atmosphere, and bold, inquisitive programming.

In addition to its forward-thinking Mobile Miniatures project, which commissioned over forty notable composers to write ringtones for download to mobile devices, the quartet’s recorded output includes Chambers (featuring prismatic works by living, Chicago-based composers), From This Point Forward (a zesty Latin-jazz and tango collaboration with bandoneon virtuoso Julien Labro), Fin de siècle (Ernest Chausson’s Concerto for Violin, Piano, and String Quartet with Swiss violin soloist Rachel Kolly d’Alba), and 2016's comedy-themed album on the Sono Luminus label, Serious Business.

The Spektral Quartet is proud to be serving its fourth year as ensemble-in-residence at the University of Chicago’s Department of Music and will appear for mini-residencies this season at the New World Symphony and at Stanford University, in collaboration with the JACK Quartet.

Beer provided by Revolution Brewing