Argus Quartet Welcomes Cellist Mariel Roberts

Argus Quartet (photo: Shervin Lainez)

NEW YORK, NY – The Argus Quartet is thrilled to welcome its newest member, American cellist Mariel Roberts, to the ensemble.

Argus Quartet violinist Giancarlo Latta says, “Mariel is a bold, inquisitive, and sensitive cellist and artist who has blown us away with her deep and wide-reaching engagement with new and old music alike.” Violist Maren Rothfritz adds, “We can’t wait to continue our mission of exploring connection, community, and discovery with Mariel this season and beyond.”

“We also wish to express gratitude to cellist Audrey Chen for her artistic contributions to the ensemble during the 2020-21 season,” says violinist Clara Kim.

Roberts says, “I am thrilled to be joining Argus Quartet—I admire this ensemble so much for their artistic excellence, deep and thoughtful musicianship, and wonderful spirits. Playing with them is an absolute joy, and I'm looking forward to what we will create together and to the many beautiful performances to come!” 

Roberts, who is also a composer, is widely recognized not just for her virtuosic performances, but as a “fearless explorer” in her field (Chicago Reader). Her passion for collaboration and experimentation as an interpreter, improvisor, and composer have helped create a body of work which bridges avant-garde, contemporary, classical, improvised, and traditional music; and has established her as “one of the most adventurous figures on New York’s new music scene—one with a thorough grounding in classical tradition but a ravenous appetite for and tireless discipline in new work” (Bandcamp). Roberts has appeared as a soloist and chamber musician across four continents, and performs regularly on major stages for classical, jazz, and experimental music around the world.

Roberts joins the Quartet in their upcoming season. Highlights of 2022-23 include performances at the Chautauqua Institution; the Newman Center at the University of Denver; the Carpenter Center at California State University, Long Beach; ArtPower at UC San Diego; and Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. In spring 2023 the Quartet will tour with a major new concert program featuring works by Indigenous composers, including the world premiere of Anne Leilehua Lanzilotti’s ahupua’a, commissioned for the ensemble by the National Performance Network. For more information on next season, please visit www.ArgusQuartet.com. 

Earlier this summer, the Quartet’s new formation was featured on the premiere recording of Armenian-American composer Joseph Bohigian’s Rerooted, commissioned for the Quartet with support from New Music USA. The piece, which premiered virtually with an original video by artist Kevork Mourad, features the recorded testimonies of Syrian-Armenians who have resettled in the Republic of Armenia since the beginning of the Syrian Civil War.

Further information:
Robert Besen
Robert@BesenArts.com
201-399-7425

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