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Press Releases
Jupiter Quartet makes Chamber Music Northwest Debut in July Performing Jessie Montgomery’s Banner - In-Person Concerts on July 3 & 4; Virtual Premiere
[Note: Photo by Sarah Gardner available in high resolution at www.jensenartists.com/jupit
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Press contact: Maggie Stapleton, Jensen Artists
646.536.7864 x2, maggie@jensenartists.com
Jupiter String Quartet Makes Debut with Chamber Music Northwest
Performing Jessie Montgomery’s Banner with East Coast Chamber Orchestra (ECCO)
In Person Festival Concerts: Saturday, July 3, 2021 at 7:30pm PT & Sunday, July 4, 2021 at 4pm PT
Reed College, Kaul Auditorium | 3203 SE Woodstock Blvd | Portland, OR
AT-HOME Series Virtual Premiere: Saturday, July 17, 2021 at 7:30pm PT (through August 31, 2021)
Individual tickets for July 3 & 4 on sale now; Individual tickets for July 17 on sale July 9: www.cmnw.org/concerts-tickets/
“Like the planet which inspired their name, the Jupiter String Quartet, or the Jupiters as they are often called, inspire us to grow, expand and take risks.” – Smile Politely
www.jupiterquartet.com
Portland, OR – On Saturday, July 3, 2021 at 7:30pm PT & Sunday, July 4, 2021 at 4pm PT, Chamber Music Northwest (CMNW) presents a collaboration between the Jupiter String Quartet
In addition to the Montgomery, ECCO will perform Barber’s Adagio from the String Quartet in B Minor, Op. 11; Elgar’s Serenade for Strings in E Minor, Op. 20; Hanna Benn’s Where Springs Not Fail; Bartók’s Divertimento for String Orchestra, Sz.113. “Three of the Jupiters are founding members of ECCO, so getting to play together at CMNW will be a happy reunion between musicians that have known each other for more than two decades,” says Jupiter Quartet’s violist Liz Freivogel. “It will be a joyful and celebratory way to kickstart a return to live performances.”
Preceding these performances, the Jupiter Quartet will perform as members of ECCO on July 1 and 2, 2021, opening CMNW’s 2021 festival with performances of Bach’s Cantata 180: “Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele”, BWV 180; Mendelssohn’s; Concerto for Piano, Violin, and Strings in D minor, MWV O4; and Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings in C Major, Op. 48. Full festival concert dates and repertoire are available here: https://cmnw.org/concerts-
About the Jupiter String Quartet: The Jupiter is a particularly intimate group, consisting of violinists Nelson Lee and Meg Freivogel, violist Liz Freivogel (Meg’s older sister), and cellist Daniel McDonough (Meg’s husband, Liz’s brother-in-law). Now enjoying their 19th year together, this tight-knit ensemble is firmly established as an important voice in the world of chamber music. The New Yorker writes, “The Jupiter String Quartet, an ensemble of eloquent intensity, has matured into one of the mainstays of the American chamber-music scene.”
The Jupiter has performed in some of the world’s finest halls, including New York City’s Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, London’s Wigmore Hall, Boston’s Jordan Hall, Mexico City's Palacio de Bellas Artes, Washington, D.C.’s Kennedy Center and Library of Congress, Austria’s Esterhazy Palace, and Seoul’s Sejong Chamber Hall. Their major music festival appearances include the Aspen Music Festival and School, Bowdoin Music Festival, Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival, Rockport Music Festival, the Banff Centre, Virginia Arts Festival, Music at Menlo, Maverick Concerts, Caramoor International Music Festival, Lanaudiere Festival, West Cork (Ireland) Chamber Music Festival, Skaneateles Festival, Madeline Island Music Festival, Yellow Barn Festival, Encore Chamber Music Festival, the inaugural Chamber Music Athens, and the Seoul Spring Festival, among others. In addition to their performing career, they have been artists-in-residence at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana since 2012, where they maintain private studios and direct the chamber music program.
Their chamber music honors and awards include the grand prizes in the Banff International String Quartet Competition and the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition; the Young Concert Artists International auditions in New York City; the Cleveland Quartet Award from Chamber Music America; an Avery Fisher Career Grant; and a grant from the Fromm Foundation. From 2007-2010, they were in residence at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s Chamber Music Two.
The Jupiter String Quartet feels a particular connection to the core string quartet repertoire; they have presented the complete Bartok and Beethoven string quartets on numerous occasions. Also strongly committed to new music, they have commissioned works by Syd Hodkinson, Hannah Lash, Dan Visconti, Mark Adamo, Pierre Jalbert, and Kati Agócs.
The quartet’s latest album a collaborative recording with the Jasper String Quartet, was released in February 2021 on Marquis Classics. It features the world premiere of Dan Visconti’s Eternal Breath along with Osvaldo Golijov’s Last Round and Mendelssohn’s Octet in E-flat, Op. 20. Their recent album, Metamorphosis (Marquis Classics, 2020), includes Beethoven’s Quartet Op. 131 and Ligeti’s Quartet No. 1 “Métamorphoses nocturnes.” Other recordings on Marquis include Alchemy with Australian pianist Bernadette Harvey (2019), Shostakovich & Britten (2007), and Mendelssohn & Beethoven (2009). The quartet’s discography also includes releases on Azica Records and Deutsche Grammophon.
The Jupiters place a strong emphasis on developing relationships with future classical music audiences through educational performances in schools and other community centers. They believe that, because of the intensity of its interplay and communication, chamber music is one of the most effective ways of spreading an enthusiasm for “classical” music to new audiences. The quartet has also held numerous masterclasses for young musicians at Northwestern University, Eastman School of Music, the Aspen Music Festival, Encore Chamber Festival, Madeline Island Music Festival, and Peabody Conservatory.
The quartet chose its name because Jupiter was the most prominent planet in the night sky at the time of its formation and the astrological symbol for Jupiter resembles the number four. They are also proud to list among their accomplishments in recent years the addition of seven quartet children: Pablo, Lillian, Clara, Dominic, Felix, Oliver, and Joelle. You may spot some of these miniature Jupiters in the audience or tagging along to rehearsals, along with their grandparent babysitters. For more information, visit www.jupiterquartet.com.
About East Coast Chamber Orchestra (ECCO): The critically acclaimed East Coast Chamber Orchestra (ECCO) is a collective of dynamic like-minded artists who convene for select periods each year to explore musical works and perform concerts of the highest artistic quality. Drawing from some of the world's finest orchestras, chamber groups, and young soloists, ECCO strives for vitality and musical integrity; a self-governing organization, each member is equal and has a voice in every step of the artistic process, from programming to performance. ECCO believes that the best musical experience can speak to all audiences regardless of age or socioeconomic background and performs accordingly across a wide range of venues.
ECCO is also firmly committed to sharing educational experiences with the communities it visits. Through interactive children’s concerts, small group master classes, and one-on-one lessons, ECCO continually seeks out opportunities to connect with young people. Doing so creates a much more engaging concert experience, illustrating through living example the ways in which classical music can be accessible to the modern listener. Performance opportunities also allow the members of ECCO to share the musical knowledge gained during their individual and unique lifetimes of music. The same energy that is contagious in ECCO’s performances is presented and shared without the boundaries of the stage to those interested in learning.
About Chamber Music Northwest: Now in its 51st season, Chamber Music Northwest serves more than 50,000 people annually in Oregon and SW Washington with exceptional chamber music through over 100 events annually, including our flagship Summer Festival, year-round concerts, community activities, educational programs, broadcasts, and innovative collaborations with other arts groups. CMNW is the only chamber music festival of its kind in the Northwest and one of the most diverse classical music experiences in the nation, virtually unparalleled in comparable communities.
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